Russian-born player advances to the final of the Australian Open
Elena Rybakina advanced to the Australian Open final, where she will face Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka, following her victory over Victoria Azarenka in straight sets. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Elena Rybakina is set to pursue her second Grand Slam title this weekend as she faces Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open final. The Moscow-born player made her way into the final by defeating Victoria Azarenka in straight sets on Thursday.
At just 23 years old, Rybakina has proudly represented Kazakhstan on the world stage for several years, showing exceptional form throughout the tournament. She has only dropped one set on her path to the final, bolstered by her powerful game that has yielded 44 aces—more than any other competitor in the event.
Although Azarenka posed some challenges in the first set, Rybakina managed to fend off a 0-40 deficit when the score was tied at 5-5, eventually winning the set in a tiebreaker. The second set saw Rybakina gain confidence, as she cruised to a 6-3 victory, sealing the match in straight sets and earning another chance to make history.
Reflecting on her performance, Rybakina stated, “I was focusing on myself because conditions were completely different.” She noted that the night match conditions impeded her ability to secure easy points on serve compared to her daytime matches. “I knew that I need just to adjust. I was doing correct things. It was just a matter to be more focused on these important moments,” she added.
Even though she typically maintains a composed demeanor on the court, Rybakina expressed her excitement about playing in a Grand Slam final with her family present in the Rod Laver Arena—a moment that was missing during her Wimbledon triumph last summer. “It’s the first time they’re all together here. I’m super happy that we can spend evenings together and they can watch me live,” she said.
While Rybakina has dominated the tournament thus far, she will enter the final as a notable underdog against fifth-ranked Sabalenka, who secured her spot by defeating Magda Linette in straight sets in the other semifinal. Acknowledging the challenge ahead, Sabalenka remarked, “She’s an amazing player. She’s playing great tennis, super aggressive and she already got one Grand Slam so she has kind of had this experience playing the final. It’s going to be great. I’m really looking forward to this final.”
Max Fischer for TROIB News
At just 23 years old, Rybakina has proudly represented Kazakhstan on the world stage for several years, showing exceptional form throughout the tournament. She has only dropped one set on her path to the final, bolstered by her powerful game that has yielded 44 aces—more than any other competitor in the event.
Although Azarenka posed some challenges in the first set, Rybakina managed to fend off a 0-40 deficit when the score was tied at 5-5, eventually winning the set in a tiebreaker. The second set saw Rybakina gain confidence, as she cruised to a 6-3 victory, sealing the match in straight sets and earning another chance to make history.
Reflecting on her performance, Rybakina stated, “I was focusing on myself because conditions were completely different.” She noted that the night match conditions impeded her ability to secure easy points on serve compared to her daytime matches. “I knew that I need just to adjust. I was doing correct things. It was just a matter to be more focused on these important moments,” she added.
Even though she typically maintains a composed demeanor on the court, Rybakina expressed her excitement about playing in a Grand Slam final with her family present in the Rod Laver Arena—a moment that was missing during her Wimbledon triumph last summer. “It’s the first time they’re all together here. I’m super happy that we can spend evenings together and they can watch me live,” she said.
While Rybakina has dominated the tournament thus far, she will enter the final as a notable underdog against fifth-ranked Sabalenka, who secured her spot by defeating Magda Linette in straight sets in the other semifinal. Acknowledging the challenge ahead, Sabalenka remarked, “She’s an amazing player. She’s playing great tennis, super aggressive and she already got one Grand Slam so she has kind of had this experience playing the final. It’s going to be great. I’m really looking forward to this final.”
Max Fischer for TROIB News
