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12 Jan-1 Feb

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Gallery: The AO 2026 women's final, from all angles

  • ausopen.com

In a rematch of their classic 2023 final, the AO 2026 women's singles decider between Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka, again, did not disappoint.

World No.1 Sabalenka, the reigning US Open champion, was playing for her second straight Grand Slam title and fifth overall, and surged to a 3-0 lead in the final set.

Yet Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon winner, powered her way out of trouble and sealed a 6-4 4-6 6-4 triumph with an ace to capture her second major title.

We pay tribute to this high-quality affair in pictures, beginning from when the two women entered Rod Laver Arena from the reimagined Walk of Champions.

Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina enter Rod Laver Arena for the AO 2026 women's singles final. [Getty Images]
Aryna Sabalenka was contesting her fourth consecutive AO final, the most since Martina Hingis reached her sixth straight in 2002. [Getty Images]
Rybakina (L) and Sabalenka were meeting in their second AO final, after their three-set clash in 2023 which Sabalenka won. [Getty Images]
Rybakina began beautifully, breaking immediately and building a 2-0 lead. [Getty Images]
Sabalenka struggled to adjust to Rybakina's power and clean hitting early. [Getty Images]
Rybakina, the women's ace leader at AO 2026, was appearing in her first major final in three years. [Getty Images]
Fans packed into Rod Laver Arena to watch the 15th career meeting between Rybakina (L) and Sabalenka, a series Sabalenka led 8-6. [Getty Images]
After dropping her first set of 2026, Sabalenka turned the match around in the second set. [Getty Images]
Behind 3-0 in the third set, Rybakina began to stage a magnificent comeback. [Getty Images]
Sabalenka became increasingly stressed as her lead evaporated, as her entourage tried to keep her spirits up. [Getty Images]
With her sixth and final ace, Rybakina completed an incredible comeback, winning 6-4 4-6 6-4. [Getty Images]
Rybakina's AO 2026 victory marked her first major title in three-and-a-half years, after Wimbledon in 2022. [Getty Images]
Rybakina will rise to world No.3, equalling her career-high ranking, when the new WTA rankings are released on Monday. [Getty Images]
Rybakina (R) hugged Sabalenka after beating the world No.1 for the first time at a Grand Slam tournament. [Getty Images]
Sabalenka cut a dejected figure after falling to 4-4 in her eight Grand Slam finals. [Getty Images]
During the trophy presentation, Sabalenka addressed the fans in Melbourne, where she is a popular figure. [Getty Images]
Sabalenka and Rybakina pose with Jennifer Capriati (R), the AO 2001 and 2002 champion who presented Rybakina with the trophy on the 25th anniversary of her first title. [Getty Images]
Rybakina waves to fans as she holds the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup. [Getty Images]
Rybakina became the first player to win the season-ending WTA Finals, then the Australian Open two months later, since Caroline Wozniacki in 2018. [Getty Images]
Rybakina was the winner in the 100th Australian Open women's singles final. [Getty Images]

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