Sabalenka

2023 - 1 - 27

Post cover
Image courtesy of "CNN"

Aryna Sabalenka defeats Elena Rybakina to win thrilling women's ... (CNN)

Belarusian-born Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elena Rybakina in three sets to win a thrilling women's Australian Open final Saturday, becoming the first player ...

In the second set she targeted the Rybakina forehand and broke early for a 3-1 lead. After an impressive second set from Sabalenka, the match entered a tense third set decider. It’s kind of relief, I’ve been in the top 10 but I didn’t have a grand slam trophy yet and it’s been really tough to get it, every slam was super emotional. Serving first, she opened the match with a double fault as nerves clearly played a part on an occasion such as this. But Sabalenka found accuracy as well as power in the second and third sets, with Rybakina faltering at crucial stages. Minsk-born Sabalenka was competing in her first grand slam final, having previously lost three major semifinals.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The New York Times"

Aryna Sabalenka Wins the Australian Open Women's Singles Title (The New York Times)

The 24-year-old Belarusian player pushed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan to three sets to capture her first Grand Slam singles title.

Two games from the championship and in the driver’s seat, Sabalenka pumped her fist, took a few deep breaths and mouthfuls of water on the changeover, then strutted back onto the court to hammer her way to the title. As the reigning Wimbledon champion playing against a first-time Grand Slam finalist, Rybakina held a priceless edge in experience, but Sabalenka had all of the momentum, and the balls were jumping off her strings with a pop and a zip that Rybakina couldn’t match. She was also asked to answer for her native country’s invasion of Ukraine as she stampeded to the title. On her third chance to get the crucial break of serve, Sabalenka sent her opponent scrambling after shots, then put away the game with an overhead shot from the middle of the court. Then, on Sabalenka’s fourth match point, Rybakina buckled, sending that forehand long, and an overwhelmed Sabalenka flat onto her back. On Thursday, after finally making her first Grand Slam final on her fourth try, Sabalenka talked about having fired her sports psychologist. Rybakina, a Russian through her childhood who became a citizen of Kazakhstan when the country promised to pay for her tennis training, spent the better part of two weeks during Wimbledon talking about whether she was actually Kazakh or Russian. They were first and second in hitting winners off their opponents’ serve, and at the top of the charts in peak serve speed, with both cracking 120 miles per hour. It was Sabalenka’s first Grand Slam title in a rocky career that has included the kind of error-ridden, big-moment meltdowns from which some players almost never recover. The year’s first Grand Slam event runs from Jan. On the final, anxious point, Rybakina sent a forehand long. “We’ve been through a lot of downs,” she said.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Reuters"

Sabalenka subdues Rybakina for breakthrough Grand Slam win at ... (Reuters)

Aryna Sabalenka bludgeoned her way to a maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open with a 4-6 6-3 6-4 win over Kazakh 22nd seed Elena Rybakina on ...

"It was a really tough year and I had tough moments last year. "I had goosebumps when everyone was cheering for us... She then double-faulted on one matchpoint and squandered two more to draw gasps from the crowd. She was going to fight for it... Right now, I'm just super proud of myself," Sabalenka added. "Thanks so much for an amazing atmosphere," said Sabalenka, who received the trophy from former world number one Billie Jean King.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

Aryna Sabalenka beats Elena Rybakina in three sets to win ... (The Guardian)

Aryna Sabalenka, the fifth seed from Belarus, roared back powerfully to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and take her first grand slam singles title.

On Saturday, she relied heavily on her serve to hold on in the tight final games. On Monday, she will rise to No 10 in the rankings from her current position of 25th, breaking the top 10 for the first time in her career at last. On her fourth match point, Sabalenka forced a final forehand error from Rybakina, and collapsed to the ground as a grand slam champion at last. Her victory is a validation of the perseverance and toil it has taken to improve both her mentality and game. She hired a psychologist, who helped her manage her emotions, before recently deciding to hold herself accountable. With her considerably heavier ball – her ability to combine pace and spin, unlike Rybakina’s flatter ball – alongside her greater athleticism, Sabalenka knew that she had the edge over Rybakina in any neutral rally. Sabalenka remains unbeaten in 2023, winning her first 11 matches of the season with two titles to her name. She spent her time in Adelaide throwing in underarm serves because she simply could not serve. Throughout the supreme winning run she has compiled to start this season, Aryna Sabalenka continually stressed that her mentality has shifted. Neither player shied away from the pressure of such a significant moment and they produced exquisite shotmaking from the beginning. Sabalenka, who hails from Belarus, is the first neutral athlete to win a singles grand slam tournament since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. She is more composed now, willing to work for her opportunities instead of swinging thoughtlessly for the fences.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "RTE.ie"

Sabalenka outguns Rybakina to win Australian Open title (RTE.ie)

Aryna Sabalenka fought back from a set down to defeat Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina 4-6 6-3 6-4 and claim her first grand slam title in a terrific ...

The momentum now was with the 24-year-old, and she elevated her level again in the early stages of the decider, pushing ever closer to the lines but rarely beyond them in what was surely the best performance of her life. But Sabalenka proved up to the task of serving it out, clinching the set with a second serve ace to send the contest to a decider. In a battle of two of the biggest hitters in the women's game, Belarusian Sabalenka seized the initiative after dropping the opening set to win 4-6 6-3 6-4 and thus becomes the first singles player to win a slam under a neutral flag.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Olympics"

Australian Open 2023: Aryna Sabalenka claims first Slam title - results (Olympics)

Sabalenka came from a set down to defeat Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in a thrilling women's singles final in Melbourne.

ESPN has the rights in the U.S. The Nine network is broadcasting across its various channels. where action is also livestreamed on ESPN+. I am looking forward to coming back next year," said Sabalenka, 24, as she held the trophy. [Iga Swiatek](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/iga-swiatek) and fellow Slam winners [Jelena Ostapenko](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/jelena-ostapenko) and [Victoria Azarenka](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/victoria-azarenka), on her run to the final. [Ashleigh Bart](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/ashleigh-barty)y, [Serena Williams](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/serena-williams) and [Naomi Osaka](https://olympics.com/en/athletes/naomi-osaka).

Post cover
Image courtesy of "WOKV"

Rybakina, Sabalenka even at a set each in Aussie Open final (WOKV)

MELBOURNE, Australia — (AP) — Aryna Sabalenka has taken the second set 6-3 over Elena Rybakina to give each a set in the final of the Australian Open final ...

A few games later, Sabalenka returned the favor, also putting her racket on one of Rybakina’s offerings at that same speed. This time, Sabalenka again turned toward her entourage, but with a sigh and an eye roll and arms extended, as if to say, “Can you believe it?” Sabalenka had been broken just six times in 55 service games through the course of these two weeks, an average of once per match. That, along with a commitment to trying to stay calm in the most high-pressure moments, is really paying off now. The key statistic, ultimately, was this: Sabalenka accumulated 13 break points, Rybakina seven. Long capable of hammering aces, she also had a well-known problem with double-faulting, leading the tour in that category last year with nearly 400, including more than 20 apiece in some matches.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Sky Sports"

Australian Open: Aryna Sabalenka defeats Wimbledon champion ... (Sky Sports)

Aryna Sabalenka fights back from a set down to defeat Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina 4-6 6-3 6-4 in a battle of the big hitters and claim her first Grand ...

I know how hard you've worked for that and also your team. 7/8 9/12 3/13 2/7 I love you guys.

Explore the last week