Elena Rybakina didn’t hide that she was thrilled to beat new world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka at the WTA Finals and also warned the competition that she will aim for Grand Slams and the top ranking in 2025.
On Wednesday, the Kazakh tennis star won the rematch of the 2023 Australian Open final after overcoming the Belarusian 6-4 3-6 6-1 in Riyadh.
Early in the match, Rybakina was 1-3 down but recovered with two breaks on her own to bag the first set. In the second set, the two players were tied to three games apiece before Sabalenka won the following three games to take the match to the distance. However, the 2022 Wimbledon champion stepped up again in the third set and won five games in a row from 1-1 to complete her win.
Unfortunately for Rybakina, the win itself didn’t bring her much since she had been 0-2 going into the match and had already lost all her chances of qualifying for the semifinal.
“It was a tough match. I’m really happy I managed to win. It’s nice to finish the year with at least one win against the world #1. She has all the chances to win also. Good luck to her. I’m just happy. Thank you so much guys for the support… Every match I played here was a bit better. It’s not easy after such a long break. Today I served really well. From both sides…
