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A nervous Elena Rybakina overcame a brave rally from the fast-finishing Jessica Pegula to book an Australian Open final rematch against world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, securing her third grand slam final appearance with a 6-3, 7-6 (7) semi-final victory in 101 minutes.
The American was left ruing a slow start, and an inability to make the most of her second set opportunities, as she failed in her quest to reach a second grand slam final.
Rybakina dominated early but tightened with the match on her racket, giving up two late breaks. In the end the No 5 seed stayed focused just long enough in a topsy-turvy second set tie-break – in which she saved two set points – to secure the victory.
She said she was happy to start the match well, but it was a nerve-racking end. “Jessica played so well in the second set, she fought to the end,” she said. “I’m super happy in the end it turned my way.”
Thursday’s late contest on Rod Laver Arena promised a clash of styles, of Rybakina’s sweeping strokes against the smart, mobile, all-round game of Pegula. Rybakina, ranked one place above the American, was the marginal favourite going in, thanks largely to her powerful serve which had delivered her more aces than any other player at the tournament.
But the early going suggested there was a chasm between the two players. Pegula lost the first six points of the match, and was broken in her first service game. On the Australian Open’s Women and Girls Day, fans were desperate for more tennis after the first semi-final between Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina lasted only 77 minutes.
Pegula’s first hold after 15 minutes was, therefore, met with a hearty cheer, even if the American still appeared out of sorts. The first set slipped by in 32 minutes, and Rybakina had not yet faced a break point.
When the Kazakh’s first serve was landing, there was little Pegula could do. One missile was clocked at 191km/h. But even on second serves and in rallies, Pegula could not find a counter to her opponent’s hefty strokes, hitting only three winners in the first set.
Pegula was trying everything. There were flicks to change the angle, and slices to change the tempo of points. But unforced errors left her vulnerable, and a powerful return helped Rybakina claim a break in the third game of the second set.
Just when it looked like the match was settled came a twist. Rybakina appeared more tense in her movements, and slowly her opponent found more consistency. Pegula saved three match points on her serve to hold, and Rybakina had two chances to serve it out but was broken on both occasions.
The final tie-break was wild, as Rybakina gave away a 4-2 lead. The American had a first set point snuffed, then a second. But Rybakina steadied and, 28 minutes after her previous match point, secured victory and a place in the final.
The big-serving 26-year-old won the first set of the 2023 Australian Open final against Sabalenka, but on that day her opponent rallied to claim the match and her first grand slam title.
Rybakina recalled the clash, describing it a “great battle”, but also that Sabalenka deserved to win. “I want to enjoy the final and hopefully,” she said. “I’m going to serve better than today, and we’ll see, I’m so excited to play.”
The 2022 Wimbledon champion beat Sabalenka to win last year’s WTA Finals, and Rybakina – like her opponent on Saturday – has yet to drop a set at Melbourne Park this year, making the contest a fitting finale.
