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Aryna Sabalenka (WTA 5) has won the Australian Open in Melbourne. The 24-year-old Belarusian beat Elena Rybakina (WTA 25) in three sets: 6-4, 3-6 and 4-6.
Jens Heylen
Rybakina (WTA 25) was able to win a Grand Slam for the second time in her fledgling career. In July last year, she won on the grass at Wimbledon. Now the Kazakh had to pass Sabalenka, the former doubles partner of Elise Mertens and the number five in the WTA ranking. She has never won a Grand Slam.
After two breaks and a convincing impression in the rallies, the Wimbledon winner won the first set 6-4 after 34 minutes on the track.
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Sabalenka, who was only in a final at a Grand Slam for the first time, came into the match better thanks to a better serve. Rybakina did not immediately have an answer and was soon behind a 1-4 deficit. She never came back from that: 3-6 in favor of Sabalenka, who hit 21 winners in this second set. Rybakina only 11.
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The momentum was visible for Sabalenka, who continued on her momentum in the final set. At 3-3, she broke the serve of her one year younger Kazakh opponent and that paved her way to her first grand slam victory. Rybakina put up a brave fight, but at the fourth championship point it was settled: 4-6.
Sabalenka is the second Belarusian tennis star to win a Grand Slam after Victoria Azarenka in 2012 and 2013.
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