"Still getting goosebumps" - Aryna Sabalenka looks back at her Australian Open final against Elena Rybakina and maiden Grand Slam win
Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elena Rybakina to lift her first Grand Slam title at the 2023 Australian Open.
Sabalenka, seeded No. 5, was playing her maiden Grand Slam final and went on the backfoot early as Rybakina took the first set. The Belarusian got back into the contest after breaking Rybakina's serve once in the second set to level the scoreline. Another break of the Kazakh's serve in the third set helped Sabalenka seal the victory and take home the title, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
A recap of the final was recently posted by the Australian Open's official Instagram account. The clip featured the best points and top moments from the title clash.
"BIG POWER v SMOOTH OPERATOR," the Reel was captioned.
Aryna Sabalenka responded to the clip and reminisced about the biggest moment of her career so far. She reshared the clip on her Instagram account and stated that looking back on that eventful day still gives her chills.
"Still getting goosebumps watching it," she said.
En route to her title in Melbourne, Sabalenka beat Tereza Martincova, Shelby Rogers, No. 26 seed Elise Mertens, No. 12 seed Belinda Bencic, Donna Vekic, Magda Linette, and Elena Rybakina. The Belarusian took home the cash prize of $2,975,000 alongside the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.
A look into Aryna Sabalenka's top performances after Australian Open triumph
Aryna Sabalenka rose to the World No. 2 ranking after collecting 2000 points from her Australian Open victory. In her next tournament, the Abu Dhabi Championships, she bowed out in the quarterfinal to eventual champion Barbora Krejcikova. The Belarusian's next big performance came at the Indian Wells Open, where she lost in the final to Elena Rybakina.
Aryna Sabalenka's next title came at the WTA 1000 Madrid Open, where she defeated Iga Swiatek in the final. She then reached the semifinals of the Roland Garros and the Wimbledon Championships. The 25-year-old also reached the final of the US Open and the WTA Finals, losing to Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek, respectively.
Sabalenka also reached the pinnacle of women's tennis in 2023 when she became the World No. 1 after the US Open in September. The exit of defending champion Swiatek in the fourth round in New York ensured Sabalenka's ascent to the top ranking.
She stayed at the No. 1 position till the WTA Finals in Cancun. Swiatek surpassed Sabalenka in the WTA Rankings after winning her first-ever year-end championship.