Elena Rybakina stunned world number one Aryna Sabalenka to win the second Grand Slam of her career at the Australian Open.
Rybakina surpassed a Serena Williams record on her way to lifting her first Grand Slam title since Wimbledon in 2022.
The world number three was a break down in the deciding set, but won five games in a row to fight back and win the Melbourne event.
Following her landmark win, Rybakina has responded when asked if she now has her sights set on the world number one spot.
Elena Rybakina shares ‘big goals’ after winning the Australian Open
Rybakina is now comfortably up to World No. 3 in the world, 380 ranking points above Amanda Anisimova in fourth.
The Kazakhstani now has a genuine chance of becoming the world number one in the rankings after receiving 1760 points for winning the Australian Open.
Is Rybakina the best player on the WTA Tour right now?
If not, who is better?
There is currently 3380 points between Rybakina and Sabalenka in the world number one spot, but the Australian Open champion does not have many points to defend throughout the year.
The star did not win a Masters title in 2025 and she did not reach past the fourth round of a Grand Slam event.
Asked if she had the world number one spot on her mind after winning her first Grand Slam in three and a half years, she said: “Yeah, I have big goals.
“Of course, time will show, but definitely we will keep on working, and hopefully I achieve my goals. Yeah, I’m going to keep on working. Let’s see what’s going to happen.”
Rybakina has never been as high as world number three, but she could make yet more history in the 2026 season.
Elena Rybakina reveals what it’s like to defeat Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka at the same tournament
Rybakina had a near-flawless Australian Open, where she dropped just one set in her seven matches in Melbourne.
The star even dispatched the two best players in the rankings, Iga Swiatek and Sabalenka, which has rarely been done in the past few years.
Who wins more Grand Slams in their career – Elena Rybakina or Aryna Sabalenka?
Rybakina said beating Swiatek and Sabalenka made the Grand Slam victory even more special for her. “Of course, they’re tough opponents, and they have great results, and for so long they are at the top and it stable,” she said.
“I’m happy that now I’m getting back to this level, and hopefully I can be stable again throughout the whole season and keep on showing great tennis, good results.
“It’s a lot of tough matches I had here. Yeah, I’m glad that the opportunities which I was getting during the match, I managed to take it and, yeah, win in the end.”
What Elena Rybakina learned from her 2023 defeat to Aryna Sabalenka
Rybakina’s Australian Open final against Sabalenka was a replica of her last final appearance in Melbourne.
The star lost a three-set battle to Sabalenka three years ago, but she managed to flip history to lift the trophy this year.
Rybakina was asked if her experiences against the world number one in 2023 helped her get over the line this time.
“It was very close match in 2023. I felt that if I get my chances here that I need to maybe risk a little bit more and go for my shots,” she said.
“Second set was very tough, as much as the first one, but I got a lead and the break early in the first set, so it kind of was easier, but then in the second it was very close. I didn’t raise my level.
“She played well, and it was tough to come back in the third. I’m happy that being down, I was able to calm myself down, not being frustrated anymore, and just focus on each point and stay closer to the score.”
Rybakina narrowed her head-to-head record with Sabalenka by beating her in Melbourne, but the world number one still holds a slender 8-7 lead.
