The Australian Open women’s final did not go according to the script on Saturday, with fifth-seeded Elena Rybakina taming the world No. 1 and top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka.
The 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory, stretching to two hours and 18 minutes, was as much a mental contest as a physical one.
And throughout, the Russian-born who now represents Kazakhstan, was egged on by her support team from the coach’s pod.
Having lost the second set, Rybakina was down 0-3 in the third too. And just as it seemed that Sabalenka will be able to get a vice-like grip on the match, Rybakina was egged on by her coach Stefano Vukov. “More energy, bring moreenergy,” he prompted, giving her a pep talk that workedlike magic.
The calmness that Rybakina showed changed to a steely resolve and she not only held serve, but raced to a 5-3 lead. And then, serving for the match, an ace on match point gave her the Australian Open title, her first at Melbourne Park and second overall, denying Sabalenka a three-peat Down Under.
Vukov kept reminding her through the match that her calm would not be enough against one of the tour’s most explosive players, and it worked. Rybakina is naturally composed, almost stoic, and the message from the pod was clear — pump in energy.
Rybakina’s victory highlighted the growing significance of courtside coaching in elite tennis.
For most of tennis’s history, in-match coaching was taboo. The sport prized the idea of the player as a lone strategist. Under the traditional rulebook, any audible or visible communication between coach and player during a match could result in warnings or penalties.
Remember the 2018 US Open final? An alleged communication between Serena Williams and her coach Patrick Mouratoglou became a flashpoint in the match. Serena lost to Naomi Osaka, but the match is remembered more for Serena’s meltdown.
Courtside coaching was officially put on trial at grand slams during the 2022 US Open. Soon, the other majors followed and a permanent rule change for all tournaments took place in 2025.
At this Australian Open, courtside coaching became a champion’s ally.
Rybakina’s edge over Sabalenka on Saturday came from how early and decisively she took control of the match’s rhythm — something very few players manage against the power game of Sabalenka.
The biggest factor was how she dealt with Sabalenka’s serve. She read the serves well, stood slightly closer than usual, blocked returns deep through the middle, and took pace off rather than trying to overpower the serve. Not just her own serves, Rybakina aced the returns as well.
In the longer rallies,Rybakina’s flat groundstrokes and the way she drewSabalenka to the net madethe difference.
At the site of her 2023 heartbreak, Rybakina was determined to write the script differently this time. And so, in the first grand slam final since 2008 featuring players yet to drop a set, it was Rybakina, energised by her team, that had the last laugh, smashing an ace to win her second grand slam trophy.