2026 Australian Open Final: Sabalenka (1) v. Rybakina (5)

Who wins?


  • Total voters
    58
  • Poll closed .
are we moving the goal post now from GOAT to peak level? And why not direct responses to my addresses? No need to say anything if you dont have intelligent things to say you know
EDIT:
"bionic poster" started in 2019....

I said this earlier, so are you interested in answering?

They didn't have to deal with peak Serena either. It goes both ways. Serena's peak level is the highest of them all IMO.
 
Glad the quieter one won tonight.
How chill was her right after the championship point. That is pretty cool in my book.
Also glad the loud one lost, again. That is also pretty cool. Lol
 
I like Rybakina's demeanour or, at least, I would but for the cloud hanging over her box.
I just don't know enough about her and her team to make any assumptions here, and I 100% don't know Elena and what is going on mentally here but it did seem odd to me that Elena has continued to be in the ice cold robot mode even after winning.

That may just be the introvert in her, but this seems slightly off.
 
Interesting how much Rybakina brought up Kazakhstan in her speech. I wonder how much of a connection she truly feels to the country.
I think she may have mumbled “show me more money!!!!!” when she went up to her tennis federation dude after the championship point… lol
 
Sabalenka found the strength to be funny during the speech, kudos to her. It must have been hard for her.
I listened to one of her interviews or press conferences and she said she definitely lost too many big finals in close matches in 2025, definitely learned from this and won't make the same mistakes again.

Then she starts 2026 with another 3-set loss in a Slam final lol.

Not a bad loss overall I would say, Rybakina was the better player. It's not like Sabalenka choked or missed chances.
 
Gotta question Sabalenka as #1. That’s her 3rd slam final loss in the last 5 slams.

2025 AO final loss to Keys
2025 RG final loss to Gauff
2026 AO final loss to Rybakina
Sure.
She's the only player who permanently plays in the latest stages of slams and 1000s for the last 4 years. She's 3000 points ahead of Swiatek and 8000 ahead of the WTA's N 10. But some still want to question her Nr 1 position.
 
I listened to one of her interviews or press conferences and she said she definitely lost too many big finals in close matches in 2025, definitely learned from this and won't make the same mistakes again.

Then she starts the year with another 3-set loss in a Slam final lol.
Yeah, not an easy time for her. Still, I appreciate her maturity and ability to control herself and even make jokes during the speech.
 
Sure.
She's the only player who permanently plays in the latest stages of slams and 1000s for the last 4 years. She's 3000 points ahead of Swiatek and 8000 ahead of the WTA's N 10. But some still want to question her Nr 1 position.
You gonna give it to her, Rybakina may be in red hot form, but Sabalenka keeps making semis or finals in pretty much every tournament she enters. Rybakina will have some work to do if she wants to be the world no 1 this year, but it's definitely doable.
 
Ryba is a wonderful excuse for Kazakh nomenklatura to bring all their relatives and friends to Australia etc. on a state money.
 
Sure.
She's the only player who permanently plays in the latest stages of slams and 1000s for the last 4 years. She's 3000 points ahead of Swiatek and 8000 ahead of the WTA's N 10. But some still want to question her Nr 1 position.
Yes, she’s the most consistent player on tour and I’m her biggest fan on this forum but 3 slam runner ups from 5 slams. All where she choked and should have won (she was up 3-0 today, she was up in the Gauff match and Keys match too). That’s my point. She’s dominant but she’s not the best player on the day and that’s what a #1 should be.
 
I listened to one of her interviews or press conferences and she said she definitely lost too many big finals in close matches in 2025, definitely learned from this and won't make the same mistakes again.

Then she starts 2026 with another 3-set loss in a Slam final lol.

Not a bad loss overall I would say, Rybakina was the better player. It's not like Sabalenka choked or missed chances.

I agree. Rybakina was overall just a little better, and certainly mentally stronger in the final stages.
 
I listened to one of her interviews or press conferences and she said she definitely lost too many big finals in close matches in 2025, definitely learned from this and won't make the same mistakes again.

Then she starts 2026 with another 3-set loss in a Slam final lol.

Not a bad loss overall I would say, Rybakina was the better player. It's not like Sabalenka choked or missed chances.
Well she did choke though after she had 3:0 lead and then when she had a break point and made an unforced.
 
The last time Rybakina won a slam? Wimbledon 2022.

Who was the men’s champ then with Elena? Novak Djokovic.

@Hitman and other Novak fans hoping for a good repeat there tomorrow with these two together again.

Novak v Alcaraz tomorrow.
 
I listened to one of her interviews or press conferences and she said she definitely lost too many big finals in close matches in 2025, definitely learned from this and won't make the same mistakes again.

Then she starts 2026 with another 3-set loss in a Slam final lol.

Not a bad loss overall I would say, Rybakina was the better player. It's not like Sabalenka choked or missed chances.
Reminds me of Sinner. He said he would change after uso.
Come AO, same bad habits of playing important points worse
 
I do like Sabalenka but I'm sorry, no world number 1 should be losing 5 games in a row in the final set of a GS final. She seems to get too tight in the biggest moments and as a result she's squandering so many opportunities at becoming one of the true ATGs of the sport. Such a shame.
 
Maybe Rybakina has turned a corner with this match? I'd like to see her dominate tennis.

She's tall. She's slim. And she plays Yonex. It doesn't get any better.
 
A fantastic final. Really enjoyed the momentum shifts. Some of the power hitting was breathtaking.

Ryba is just a rock when playing the top players. I hope she doesn't stay long on two majors and keeps it going.

I said it before and I'll say it again - until Sabalenka is more honest with herself, and us, about the pressure she feels as a dominant No. 1 and develops a strategy to cope with it she will keep leaving trophies on the table.
 
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