"Her low-key celebration was symbolic of her understated run through the tournament: a small fist pump, a quick embrace with Sabalenka, a handshake with the chair umpire, a smile, and a few hand claps on the strings of her racket and a wave to acknowledge the crowd. It happened quickly after Rybakina closed with an ace to cap a third-set comeback and a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win over a regular rival who beat her in the final here in 2023."
"She knew she had to capitalize quickly this time, after she admitted getting tight and needing almost a half-hour from her first match point to her match-winning point in a semifinal win over Jessica Pegula. Three years ago, Rybakina won the first set of the Australian final but lost it in three. This time, after breaking in the first game and taking the first set, she rallied after losing the second set and going down 3-0 in the third."
Elena Rybakina overcame early-season tumult, including her coach's suspension, to win the WTA Finals in November and then capture her second major at the Australian Open. She defeated top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, closing with an ace after a third-set comeback. Rybakina broke early, lost the second set, fell 3-0 down in the decider, then won five straight games to finish. The 26-year-old, born in Moscow and representing Kazakhstan, celebrated quietly and described intense internal emotions despite a calm exterior. The victory adds confidence for the rest of the season.
Read at www.npr.org
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