Elena Rybakina Will Play Aryna Sabalenka in Australian Open Women’s Final

MELBOURNE, Australia — It will be strength against strength and power against power in The Australian Open women’s singles final on Saturday.

Elena Rybakina And Aryna SabalenkaEastern European 6-footers, both from Eastern Europe, are thunderous in their first serves, with fast groundstrokes.

This Grand Slam final will be, however, a contrast. in personalities.

Rybakina She is focused and hard to read but manages to keep her cool throughout matches. Her 7-6 (4), 3-3 semifinal win against Victoria Azarenka was met with an uncharacteristic reaction. She only smiled briefly until after the match interview.

Sabalenka is very expressive: rolling her eyes, fluttering her lips, shrieking with delight and frustration, chuckling when shots hit the net cord and fall her way — or do not.

Rybakina23 year old Alicia is quiet intimidating with her large serves and rollicking, deep groundstrokes that apply constant pressure. Sabalenka24-year-old Jessica is anything but subdued. She grunts on and off her shots, and increases the velocity and volume of big points by often grunting.

Sabalenka Did it again on Thursday in She won 7-6(1), 6-2 against unseeded Magda Linete. Linette scrapped and counterpunched until the first set tiebreaker. Sabalenka Turn up the power, and increase the precision.

“I kind of find my rhythm and start trusting myself and start going for the shots,” Sabalenka said. “It was great tennis from me in the tiebreak.”

No argument there, and it is her phenomenal, next-level ball-striking that has propelled her into the top echelon of women’s tennis. Yet, her inconsistency, stubbornness, and lack of firepower have kept her from the top. After losing the first three Grand Slam Singles semifinals she reached her first final.

This is her first day of work. in 2023. She won 10 of her first matches without dropping any sets and showed no signs of the serving yips which caused her double-faults a year ago. in Australia.

Linette was the only one she had to serve. She also served Linette her second double fault at 5-5.

However RybakinaA bigger threat should be posed by, the Kazakhstani reigning Wimbledon champion. Sabalenka’s serve and equanimity. SabalenkaBelarus’s Yuri Polgar has won the three matches they played before, however, all three went to three sets and neither side has been in action since 2021. Since then, both have raised the bar for their matches.

Sabalenka It is seeded fifth Rybakina Although 22nd is the most important, it does not give all of the story. Rybakina She is seeded so low because she did not receive any ranking points last year for her Wimbledon win, which was after the tour stripped it of its points. in Responding to the ban placed on Russian and Belarusian actors, this includes SabalenkaAfter invasion of Ukraine.

RybakinaI was born and raised. in Kazakhstan was first represented by Russia in 1999. in After the country provided her with greater financial assistance, she was able to move forward in 2018.

Wimbledon would have been permitted to award points Rybakina Would be in The top 10 but she ran in Australia ensures that Australia’s Azarenka will make it into Monday’s top 10. To reach the final, she has defeated three Grand Slam singles champions: Jelena Ostapenko, Iga Swiatek and Azarenka. Azarenka is a 33 year-old Belarusian, who was crowned Grand Slam Singles Champion in 2012. Australian Open in 2012 and 2013.

On Saturday there will be a champion for the first time at Melbourne Park. There will also be plenty of high-velocity, full-cut tennis.