Aryna Sabalenka started her Australian Open speech by instantly acknowledging Elena Rybakina's "incredible" form and congratulating the Kazakh on winning the Happy Slam.
The Belarusian, who was the top seed at this year's Australian Open, fell just short of winning it all at Melbourne Park for the second year in a row after Rybakina handed her a 6-4 4-6 6-4 defeat.
What's a tough pill to swallow for Sabalenka is the fact that she led 3-0 in the third set and put herself in a strong position to win before collapsing – losing the next five games – and ultimately the final.
A year ago, the 27-year-old Belarusian went through something similar after Madison Keys won the deciding set of their Australian Open final with a 7-5 scoreline.
Sabalenka to Rybakina: I want to congratulate you on an incredible run and an incredible achievement
“I want to start with Elena. I want to congratulate you on an incredible run and incredible tennis. Congrats to you and your team on such an incredible achievement. Thank you everyone who makes this tournament possible. I always look forward to playing in front of you. Let’s hope maybe next year is going to be a better year for me," the world No. 1 said.
Aryna Sabalenka after losing to Rybakina in Australian Open final:
“I wanna start with Elena. I wanna congratulate you on an incredible run and incredible tennis. Congrats to you and your team on such an incredible achievement. ❤️Thank you everyone who makes this tournament… pic.twitter.com/Igcu3S13Uk
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 31, 2026
One thing is for sure, using the word "incredible" is exactly the word that should be used to Rybakina's current form. Since late 2024, Rybakina has won three titles – Ningbo, the WTA Finals, and now the Australian Open. The Kazakh also picked up 10 wins over the top-10 players during that stretch.
Meanwhile, Sabalenka remains on four Grand Slam titles. The Belarusian now has a 4-4 record in her Grand Slam finals.
