Aryna Sabalenka's Australian Open dreams shattered as she falls short of back-to-back titles.
Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka is reeling after losing the Australian Open final to Elena Rybakina in straight sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. The defeat marks a stunning turnaround from last year's triumph, when Sabalenka claimed her first Grand Slam title at just 21 years old.
The 24-year-old Sabalenka appeared distraught throughout the match, particularly during the pivotal third set. She had built a commanding 3-0 lead before Rybakina staged an incredible comeback to level the sets at two apiece. However, it was in the deciding set that Rybakina's superior aggression and accuracy told, as she broke back to take the title.
In the aftermath of the match, Sabalenka admitted to being "really upset" with herself, citing her inability to resist Rybakina's pressure and a series of unforced errors. Despite acknowledging that her opponent played great tennis, Sabalenka insisted that she had done everything in her power to win, leaving the onus for her team to reassess their strategy.
Sabalenka's loss marks her second consecutive Grand Slam final defeat, following last year's French Open exit at the hands of Coco Gauff. It also represents a significant setback in her bid to become one of the sport's top players, having held the number one ranking since April 2022.
As for Rybakina, the Kazakh's victory marked her second Grand Slam title and cemented her reputation as one of the most formidable players on the tour.
Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka is reeling after losing the Australian Open final to Elena Rybakina in straight sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. The defeat marks a stunning turnaround from last year's triumph, when Sabalenka claimed her first Grand Slam title at just 21 years old.
The 24-year-old Sabalenka appeared distraught throughout the match, particularly during the pivotal third set. She had built a commanding 3-0 lead before Rybakina staged an incredible comeback to level the sets at two apiece. However, it was in the deciding set that Rybakina's superior aggression and accuracy told, as she broke back to take the title.
In the aftermath of the match, Sabalenka admitted to being "really upset" with herself, citing her inability to resist Rybakina's pressure and a series of unforced errors. Despite acknowledging that her opponent played great tennis, Sabalenka insisted that she had done everything in her power to win, leaving the onus for her team to reassess their strategy.
Sabalenka's loss marks her second consecutive Grand Slam final defeat, following last year's French Open exit at the hands of Coco Gauff. It also represents a significant setback in her bid to become one of the sport's top players, having held the number one ranking since April 2022.
As for Rybakina, the Kazakh's victory marked her second Grand Slam title and cemented her reputation as one of the most formidable players on the tour.
after winning last year's Aussie Open! it's defo a tough pill to swallow for her right now 
she was so close, but just couldn't get over that line 
gotta feel for her, though - she's still an incredible player and will bounce back from this 
hope she gets some solid advice from her team and comes back stronger than ever 
! Aryna Sabalenka was having such a good run, winning the title last year and holding the number one spot... but this time she just couldn't get it done 
.
. Maybe her team just needs to tweak their strategy a bit? 
. One minute she's on top of the world, the next she's on the floor 
. Losing back-to-back Grand Slam titles is tough enough, but the way it happened... unforced errors and pressure from Rybakina got to her 
. You can't blame Sabalenka for being upset, though - I'd be pretty bummed too if I was in her shoes 
... you think about all the what-ifs now 
. She's gotta regroup and come back stronger 
i knew this could happen! aryna was so dominant last year but she just couldn't keep that magic going 
. can't blame her for being upset though - she gave it her all and came up short. the pressure must be intense to be one of the top players in the world 
Sabalenka was so close to back-to-back titles 
, but Rybakina was just too strong 
. I feel bad for Aryna, she looked really upset 
after that match. I think her team needs to go over the footage and figure out what went wrong 
. Sabalenka's still got it though 
, she'll bounce back from this. Rybakina deservedly won though 
, she played an amazing match! 
. That comeback by Rybakina in the 3rd set was INSANE 
! I think Sabalenka just got a bit too confident and relaxed under pressure 
. Can't wait to see how her team fixes their strategy 
... and can we talk about Rybakina's incredible shot accuracy? 
She totally deserved that win 
. The Grand Slam format is notoriously tough, and even the best players can have an off day... or three 
.
. Fingers crossed she bounces back stronger next season