MELBOURNE, Australia — Elena Rybakina pulled off the feat of feats Saturday night in Melbourne. Yes, she won the 2026 Australian Open, the second major singles title of her career, vaulting herself into the Hall of Fame in the process. But in addition to that, she passed one of the sternest tests in tennis, outbattling one of the sport’s great battlers, outstriking one of the sport’s great strikers, outserving a formidable server, and beating Sabalenka 6–4, 4–6, 6–4 in a crackling final.
Rybakina doesn’t always give you much. Not much public emotion, not many quotes and not many gestures. Even the broadcasters refer to her as the “Ice Queen” and the “Quiet Champion.” More importantly, she doesn’t give the opponent much opportunity. Her serve might be the most fearsome weapon in all of women’s tennis, but her game goes beyond that. She leathers forehands and backhands, and though she stands at 6' 0," she moves gracefully and doesn’t get enough credit for her defense.
