Melbourne, January 29, 2026 – Fifth seed Elena Rybakina booked her place in the Australian Open 2026 women’s singles final after a composed yet dramatic straight-sets victory over sixth-seeded American Jessica Pegula, winning 6-3, 7-6(7) under the lights at Rod Laver Arena on Thursday.
The former Wimbledon champion overcame a fierce late challenge from Pegula to reach her third career Grand Slam final and her second Australian Open final, setting up a highly anticipated rematch against World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka.
Rybakina Dominates Early, Survives Late Pegula Surge
Rybakina seized control early, dictating play with her powerful serve and clean ball-striking to take the opening set 6-3. Despite a brief wobble while serving for the set, she brushed aside Pegula’s resistance with heavy deliveries and a forehand winner to close it out.
The second set unfolded as a tense, high-quality contest. Rybakina earned an early break and moved within touching distance of victory at 5-3, but Pegula—seeking to become the first woman in the Open Era to reach her first two Grand Slam finals after turning 30—refused to surrender.
The American saved three match points, held her nerve, and broke Rybakina twice as the Kazakhstani attempted to serve out the match at 5-4 and 6-5, forcing a dramatic tiebreak.
Clutch Play Seals the Match
The tiebreak featured long rallies and constant momentum swings. Pegula struck first with a gruelling 19-shot rally, but Rybakina responded with clutch serving, firing aces at crucial moments to stay level.
At 7-7, Rybakina found her breakthrough, pressuring Pegula’s second serve with aggressive returns before sealing victory with a booming backhand down the line, sparking a roar from the Melbourne crowd.
“It was such a battle. I’m glad I was able to win it and super happy to be in the final,” Rybakina said after her one-hour-and-40-minute semifinal triumph.
Sabalenka Awaits in Final Showdown
Rybakina will now face Aryna Sabalenka, who earlier dismantled 12th seed Elina Svitolina in the first semifinal. The final will be a rematch of the 2023 Australian Open final, where Sabalenka staged a comeback to deny Rybakina in a three-set classic.
It marks a rare repeat Melbourne final, with Rybakina and Sabalenka becoming only the fourth women’s pair this century to meet multiple times in Australian Open finals. Notably, neither player has dropped a set en route to the final, a feat last achieved at the tournament in 2004 and only the 23rd time in the Open Era.
Momentum Favors Rybakina
Rybakina enters the final in outstanding form, having won 19 of her last 20 matches since her loss to Sabalenka in Wuhan last October. That run includes nine consecutive victories over Top 10 opponents, and she recently defeated Sabalenka in straight sets at the 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh.
The semifinal win also improved Rybakina’s head-to-head record against Pegula to 4-3, underlining her growing consistency on the biggest stages.
With her serve firing and her composure holding firm under pressure, Rybakina now stands one win away from a second Grand Slam title—and a chance to exact revenge against her greatest rival on tennis’ biggest summer stage.