History on the line for Sabalenka and Rybakina in AO 2026 final

Records are on the line as we approach the pointy end of Australian Open 2026.

A slice of history beckons for both Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina in their blockbuster women’s final on Saturday, a rematch of their 2023 three-set epic at Melbourne Park.

Should two-time winner Sabalenka get her hands on the trophy again, it’s not hyperbole to say she would cement herself as one of the hardcourt greats of the 21st century so far.

The world No.1 would become just the fourth woman in the Open era to collect five major hardcourt singles titles since the US Open and Australian Open moved to the surface in 1978 and 1988 respectively.

The only other three to have done it? Serena Williams, Steffi Graf and Monica Seles.

A third AO title would also place Sabalenka in legendary company on the event’s honour roll.

Only five women would have earned more AO singles titles in the Open era – Williams (seven), Graf and Seles plus Australian superstars Margaret Court and Evonne Goolagong Cawley (four). 

Should Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon winner, emerge victorious over the world No.1, she would be the first woman since Naomi Osaka in 2019 to beat three top-10 players on her way to AO glory.

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Regardless of Saturday night’s outcome, both Sabalenka and Rybakina have already written themselves into the record books in their run to the finale.

Neither has dropped a set en route to the decider, underscoring just how dominant they have been over their opponents at Melbourne Park.

It’s the first time that’s happened in the women’s singles draw at any Grand Slam since the Williams sisters faced off in the 2008 Wimbledon final.

It also hasn’t happened at the Australian Open in 22 years, since Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters met in the 2004 final. In fact, only eight AO women’s singles finals in the Open era have featured competitors who had won every prior match in straight sets.

Not that the understated Rybakina is getting carried away with the statistic, telling reporters in Melbourne that not yet having lost a set is “a little success”.

“We did a great job with the team that actually, let's say, not maybe my best, but almost the best form,” the 26-year-old said.

Open era AO women’s singles finals where both players hadn’t lost a set prior:

And with her 6-2 6-3 semifinal win over Elina Svitolina, Sabalenka became just the third woman in the Open era to reach four AO finals in a row, after Goolagong Cawley and Martina Hingis.

“I just love this place,” Sabalenka said. “I love this stadium. Every time I'm competing there, I really enjoy my time.”

“We have a great history,” the 27-year-old added, of her match-up with Rybakina.

“She's an incredible player. We had a lot of great battles, a lot of finals we played … I'm looking forward to battle this power,” she said with a smile.

Underlining Rybakina’s scary form ahead of the final, the Kazakhstani is only the third player in the past 10 years to reach the AO women’s final immediately after making the decider of the WTA finals, in which she bested Sabalenka in straight sets.

Speaking of records, Olivia Gadecki and John Peers delighted local fans on Friday by hoisting the mixed trophy following a deciding match tiebreak, 4-6 6-3 [10-8].

The all-Aussie duo are the first pair to successfully defend the AO mixed doubles title since 1989, having also won in a super tiebreak last year.

They also kept alive the streak of at least one Australian earning silverware every year at Melbourne Park going back to 2012.

The other remaining Australian pairing, wildcards Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans, face off against Christian Harrison and Neal Skupski in Saturday’s men’s doubles final at Rod Laver Arena.

In the women’s doubles final, fourth seeds Elise Mertens and Shuai Zhang take on seventh seeds Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic, with Mertens aiming for a third AO doubles trophy.