The Australian Open 2026 is set for a thrilling climax as Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka booked their places in the women’s singles final, renewing their rivalry from the 2023 Melbourne showdown. Meanwhile, local wildcards Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans delighted home fans by advancing to the men’s doubles final.
Rybakina brushes past Pegula to reach final
Fifth seed Elena Rybakina produced a composed performance to defeat sixth seed Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-6(7) under the lights at Rod Laver Arena. The Kazakhstani star, contesting her third career Grand Slam final and first since 2023, held firm in a tense second-set tiebreak, saving two set points before sealing victory in just over two hours.
Rybakina controlled the opening set with her powerful serve and aggressive baseline play. Serving at 5-3, she overcame a brief wobble, closing the set with a body serve and a clean forehand strike. Pegula, aiming to become the first woman in the Open Era to reach her first two Grand Slam finals after turning 30, fought back in the second set. She saved three match points and broke Rybakina twice to force a tiebreak.
The decider was a battle of nerves, with both players exchanging mini-breaks. At 7-7, Rybakina struck decisively, pressuring Pegula’s second serve before ripping a backhand down the line to clinch the match. The victory improved her head-to-head record against Pegula to 4-3 and extended her remarkable run of 19 wins in her last 20 matches, including nine straight against Top 10 opponents.
Sabalenka powers past Svitolina to enter final
World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka continued her dominance with a commanding 6-2, 6-3 win over Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in the other semi-final. The Belarusian needed just over an hour to secure her fourth consecutive Australian Open final appearance, underlining her status as the tournament’s most consistent performer in recent years. Sabalenka’s power game proved too strong for Svitolina, as she won 67 per cent of points on her first serve and an impressive 79 per cent on her second. She converted four of seven break-point opportunities while restricting Svitolina to just one break. The two-time champion also outscored her opponent 65 points to 46, leaving little doubt about her superiority.
Svitolina, despite her resilience, struggled to match Sabalenka’s pace and consistency, committing three double faults and winning only half of her second-serve points. Sabalenka, who lost the 2023 final to Madison Keys, now stands on the brink of her third Australian Open crown.
Repeat final promises high drama
Rybakina and Sabalenka will contest a rare repeat Australian Open final, becoming only the fourth pair this century to meet multiple times in Melbourne. Neither player has dropped a set en route to the final, a feat last achieved in 2004 and only the 23rd time in the Open Era.
Their rivalry is finely poised. Sabalenka edged Rybakina in the 2023 Melbourne final, but Rybakina has enjoyed success in subsequent encounters, including a straight-sets victory at the 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh. With both players in peak form, Saturday’s final promises to be a battle of power, precision and mental resilience.
Kubler-Polmans delight home crowd in doubles
In men’s doubles, Australian wildcards Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans continued their dream run, defeating Great Britain’s Luke Johnson and Poland’s Jan Zielinski 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in the semi-final. Kubler, already a doubles champion in 2023 with Rinky Hijikata, will bid for his second crown, while Polmans will contest his maiden Grand Slam final.
The duo started strongly, breaking serve twice in the opening set. Kubler, despite a heavily bandaged knee, showcased his athleticism with a slam-dunk smash and sharp returns. Polmans held firm under pressure, particularly in the deciding set, as the Australians broke Johnson late before sealing victory when Zielinski returned long.
Awaiting them in the final are sixth seeds Neal Skupski of Great Britain and American Christian Harrison, who ousted third seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in straight sets. Skupski and Harrison, both experienced campaigners, joined forces earlier this month and have quickly established themselves as a formidable pairing.
Mertens-Zhang to face Danilina-Krunic women’s doubles final
Elise Mertens and Zhang Shuai advanced to the Australian Open 2026 women’s doubles final with a commanding 6-3, 6-2 win over Ena Shibahara and Vera Zvonareva on Margaret Court Arena. The fourth seeds, who previously survived match points in the second round and rallied from a set down in the quarterfinals, controlled the semifinal with strong serving and consistent play, sealing their second Grand Slam final appearance after Wimbledon 2022.
Earlier, seventh seeds Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic battled past Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4 in a dramatic contest lasting nearly two and a half hours.
Having upset top seeds and defending champions Siniakova and Townsend in the quarterfinals, they overcame a rain delay and late resistance to clinch victory with a decisive break to love.
Both pairs, familiar with heartbreak in past finals, will now meet in Saturday’s showdown for the Melbourne crown.