Rybakina vs Sabalenka: The Gladiators’ Battle From The Past

Rybakina and Sabalenka To Play The US Open Final

Rybakina, the new World no. 1 in Women’s Tennis, got past a tough Coco Gauff in three sets to set up yet another final with arch-rival Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday evening at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. The US Open 2026, now nearing culmination, has the stage set for another battle of the gladiators.

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A Battle from the Past

Rybakina and Sabalenka’s first final was at the 2023 Australian Open. A match which I certainly can never forget. It was a contest which showcased finesse and brutal power in one frame. It was amazing to watch and wonder how good Rybakina and Sabalenka were. The girl from Belarus won the tie, but the Kazakh girl left the court with her head held high. I wrote a post on that match, which is being reproduced for the sake of nostalgia.

‘A beautiful Melbourne night, a picturesque Rod Laver Arena akin to a colosseum draped in blue,  a sporting audience packed to the rafters and two amazing female gladiators locked in an enthralling battle for supremacy. It was like Rome re-lived; the contest was fierce, no one giving an inch, but sadly a draw was not possible; there had to be a winner, and so it happened.

Aryna Sabalenka, the Belarusian, was pitted against Elena Rybakina, the Russia-born Kazakh, the reigning Wimbledon Champion, for the coveted Australian Open Tennis Championship in Melbourne. Both women, in breathtaking form, had arrived with huge confidence when they took to the court on Saturday evening. Rybakina had beaten a string of top players, including the World No. 1, on her way into the Finals, while Sabalenka was ruthlessly dominating, playing some extraordinary tennis. A close contest was on the cards, and eventually what transpired on the court was a treat to watch.

Rybakina drew first blood by winning the First Set 6-4. She was more consistent with her play while Sabalenka was struggling a bit with her rhythm. In the first game of the second set too, Rybakina had a few break points and had a great chance to forge ahead, but she could not take advantage, with some light play at important points. Sabalenka survived the early scare in the Second set, and then the game just turned on its head. Sabalenka began to find her range with some powerful and breathtaking strokes, putting great pressure on Rybakina. The belligerence from Sabalenka just put off Rybakina, and by the time she could really fathom what was happening, Sabalenka had brought the match on equal terms with a 6-3 win of the Second set.

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The third set was a real humdinger, with both players exchanging blows and trying to pulverise the other, but Sabalenka still looked in great rhythm,  constantly pushing Rybakina with her explosive stroke play. Literally, Sabalenka’s powerful groundstrokes were getting difficult to handle, though Rybakina hung on gamely. She too gave it back with her fierce serve and equally damaging groundstrokes. Rybakina’s resistance eventually gave in when she lost her serve in the 7 th game of the final set. Sabalenka moved ahead, and though Rybakina gave it everything to come back, even holding a break point when Sabalenka was serving for the match. However, Sabalenka was not letting this go, having come so near and produced a few thunderous serves and matching strokeplay to get past Rybakina 6-4 in the final set. Sabalenka was the winner.

Looking back at the game, the quality of Tennis was of the highest order, and I have to admit that I have not seen such power and finesse both in equal measure in a women’s tennis match. They truly fought like gladiators, no different from men. The power and speed on the strokes were even more than some of the top players in the Men’s draw. Absolutely unbelievable. The serving, too, was top-notch, with speeds up to 195 kmph, easily comparable to Men’s tennis. I was amazed by the strength and stamina Sabalenka and Rybakina displayed. This goes to show how much the game has evolved and how hard the players train. The power tennis in the Women’s game was brought to the fore by the Williams sisters, but what I saw on Saturday is that the power game has taken a few more strides and is almost there with Men’s Tennis. No wonder, and rightly so, the Prize Money at this year’s Australian Open has been equal for both the Men’s and the Women’s competition.’

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