Australian Open | Pakistan

Elena Rybakina took revenge over world number one Aryna Sabalenka to win a nail-biting Australian Open final on Saturday and clinch her second Grand Slam title. The big-serving Kazakh fifth seed held her nerve to pull through 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne in 2hrs 18mins. It was payback after the Belarusian Sabalenka won the 2023 final between two of the hardest hitters in women’s tennis. The ice-cool Rybakina, 26, who was born in Moscow, adds her Melbourne triumph to her Wimbledon win in 2022. “Hard to find the words now,” said Rybakina, and then addressed her beaten opponent to add: “I know it is tough, but I hope we play many more finals together.” Turning to some Kazakh fans in the crowd, she said: “Thank you so much to Kazakhstan. I felt the support from that corner a lot.” This was more disappointment in a major final for Sabalenka, who won the US Open last year for the second time but lost the French Open and Melbourne title deciders. She was into her fourth Australian Open final in a ro...

Fifth seed Elena Rybakina booked her place in the Australian Open semi-finals on Wednesday with a dominant second-set display to hand six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek a 7-5 6-1 defeat at Melbourne Park. Looking to lift the trophy for the first time, the 28-year-old will take on American Jessica Pegula for a place in Saturday’s final. Rybakina fired 11 aces and 26 winners as she ended Swiatek’s career Grand Slam bid on Rod Laver Arena, winning eight of the last nine games to underline her authority. Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina celebrates after winning her quarter final match against Poland’s Iga Swiatek. —Reuters ‘Really pleased with the win,’ said Rybakina. ‘We know each other pretty well and I was just trying to stay aggressive. ‘I feel like in the first set for both of us the first serve wasn’t working so we were trying to step in on the second serve to put pressure on each other. ‘I think in the second I just started to play more free, serve better and I’m really happy with the win.’ Swiatek had ma...