Rybakina Defeats Pegula to Return to Australian Open Final

Elena Rybakina came through a chaotic finish to eventually overpower Jessica Pegula in the Australian Open semi-finals, defeating the American 6-3, 7-6 (7) to reach the third Grand Slam final of her career. She will face World No. 1 and four-time major champion Aryna Sabalenka in Saturday's showpiece - a rematch of their vintage 2023 encounter.

It is the second time the Kazakh has made the final at Melbourne Park, having lost out to Sabalenka in that riveting clash of heavy-hitting tennis three years ago. That defeat came just over six months after Rybakina wrote her name into sporting folklore by clinching a maiden Wimbledon crown in the summer of 2022.

But since then, she had failed to reach another major final despite claiming multiple prestigious titles and establishing herself as one of the world's finest players with her effortless groundstroke power and devastating service delivery.

A milestone victory at Indian Wells came hot on the heels of her debut Australian Open final, as did a surprise triumph on the clay courts of Rome several months later, before both on and off-court troubles hampered much of her progress.

Physical issues and struggles with illness came amid unsavoury allegations of controlling behaviour against her coach, Stefano Vukov, as he was suspended by the WTA in January 2025. Yet Rybakina always maintained that there was no issue here, with Vukov successfully winning an appeal against the suspension eight months later.

The former World No. 3 then proceeded to put together a superb end to the 2025 season, winning her last 11 matches on the spin to claim the Ningbo Open before sweeping the field at the WTA Finals for the second biggest title of her career. That momentum has very much carried into the new year, as Rybakina heads into Saturday's grand final having won 19 of her last 20 matches.

Pegula's Counterpunches Can't Stop Rybakina

Pegula, meanwhile, was making her debut appearance in the last four of the Australian Open. A perennially consistent late-bloomer, the American fell six times in the quarter-finals of majors before making three semi-finals in the last 16 months.

Also a former WTA World No. 3, Pegula is a master at neutralising the power of big-hitters, soaking up pace to redirect her opponents' groundstrokes to excellent effect. This was evident in her impressive pair of victories in the previous two rounds in Melbourne, dispatching compatriots Madison Keys and Amanda Anisimova - both ferocious baseline aggressors - to set up today's clash with Rybakina.

But the Kazakh proved a step too far for the American, whose level never quite reached the loftier heights of her former performances in this tournament.

A single break of serve in Pegula's opening service game was enough for Rybakina to clinch the first set, before a flurry of three successive breaks between the third and fifth games of the second swung the momentum between the two. The Kazakh struck either side of a break back from Pegula to maintain her advantage in the second stanza.

After a relatively serene path to 5-3 in the second, the match then caught fire in the final moments. Saving three match points to stay in the contest for 5-4, Pegula then broke Rybakina to level the score. The Kazakh broke again but failed to serve out the match for a second consecutive time as her opponent wrestled her way to a tiebreak.

This time, Rybakina was forced to save set points at 6-5 and 7-6 down in a tight breaker, before hauling herself over the line by converting her fourth match point with a backhand down the line to claim her place in her second Australian Open final.

Australian Open Final Set

"It means a lot to me. It was such a battle, an epic second set. I'm really glad I managed to win. Jessica fought super well in the second set," the former finalist said in her on-court interview.

"It was really stressful for my team and me also. I've had an epic tie-break here before, and I lost it. A little flashback came, but I'm glad it turned my way in the end," Rybakina continued.

"I am pretty proud that no matter what the situation was, I still stayed in the match and was fighting for every point. The match started pretty well compared to previous matches, so overall, a lot of positives to take. Thank you for coming. I hope to see you on Saturday."

And so, after 13 days of Melbourne magic - breakthroughs, heartache, record heat and downpours - two women are left to fight it out for the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.

It is a rematch of 2023's high-octane blockbuster between big-punchers Rybakina - looking to clinch a maiden Australian Open title - and Sabalenka, seeking her third in four years. Hold on to your hats, people, powerful quakes predicted.

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