Melbourne, 31 January (H.S.): Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina crowned herself Australian Open 2026 women's singles champion on Saturday, vanquishing world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in a Rod Laver Arena thriller, securing her maiden Melbourne Park title and second career major.Both protagonists unfurled exalted tennis in this pulsating contest. Rybakina seized the opener 6-4 leveraging indomitable serves and precise groundstrokes, only for Sabalenka's belligerent riposte to equalize 6-4 in the second.

Decisive third set saw Sabalenka surge 3-0, yet Rybakina's exemplary poise and tenacity yielded successive breaks, culminating 6-4 conquest—redressing her 2023 final vanquishment, etching an indelible career apotheosis.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar