128 ladies had entered the principle draw a fortnight again on the Melbourne Park. It all the way down to the ultimate two. World No.5 Aryna Sabalenka, one of many favourites at the beginning of the event, will likely be vying for her maiden Grand Slam title, in opposition to reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, who has scripted a shock run to the ultimate.
Sabalenka’s gorgeous run at the beginning of the season witha title in Adelaide and a remodeled strategy made her the favorite within the decrease half of the draw. Persevering with her kind, she beat No.12 seed Belinda Bencic within the fourth spherical, Donna Vekic within the quarters and shock semifinalist Magda Linette to make the ultimate. Rybakina, alternatively, left most, if not all, stunned along with her inspiring run on the Melbourne Park. Regardless of being a Grand Slam winner, Rybakina had began out her marketing campaign on the facet courts earlier than edging three Grand Slam winners, together with the new favorite and world no.1 Iga Swiatek, to make the ultimate.
Forward of the blockbuster Australian Open ultimate between Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina on the Melbourne Park, we check out the head-to-head report, key stats and data in line for the match…
HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD:
The 2 of have beforehand met one another thrice on WTA tour, all of which have been of three units. Sabalenka gained on all ocassions. Their final assembly was within the spherical of 16 of 2021 Wimbledon, the yr earlier than Rybakina had lifted the trophy on the SW19. The opposite two have been hard-court conferences, each within the quarterfinal spherical – in Abu Dhabi in 2021 and in Wuhan in 2019.
RANKING SCENARIO:
Rybakina had entered the event a fortnight again as world no.25. Along with her unbelievable run to the ultimate, she is assured to make a maiden look within the top-10. And with a second Grand Slam title to her identify, she will be able to transfer to as excessive as No.8 on Monday.
Sabalenka, presently ranked fifth on the planet, is assured to depart the event as the brand new world no.2 on Monday no matter the end result within the ultimate.
NUMBERS FROM AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2023:
| Aryna Sabalenka | Elena Rybakina | |
| 29 | Aces | 44 |
| 75.3 | 1st serve win % | 79.5 |
| 64.2 | 2nd serve win % | 53.1 |
| 25/30 | Break Factors saved | 15/24 |
| 39.9 | Return factors gained % | 42.4 |
| 24/49 | Break factors gained | 26/49 |
| 196/136 | Winners/Unforced errors | 158/149 |
RECORDS AT STAKE:
The stat that has completely outlined Rybakina’s great present in Melbourne Park has been her win over three former Grand Slam winners (Iga Swiatek, Jelena Ostapenko and Victoria Azarenka) en path to the ultimate. On Saturday, she is going to goal to grow to be the primary evet feminine participant to finish this run with the title since Jennifer Capriati in 2001 (Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport and Monica Seles).
Along with her victory, WTA can have two gamers as reigning Grand Slam winners of two Slams, a primary of its sort since 2004 when Justine Henin-Hardenne had lifted the Australian Open title. The German was then the reigning champion in Melbourne an Roland Garros whereas Serena Williams held the Wimbledon and US Open crown.
At 23, Rybakina can also be bidding to grow to be the youngest ever ladies’s participant to be the Wimbledon and Australian Open winner since Maria Sharapova in 2008.
Sabalenka, alternatively, will add to her marvelous profitable streak since 2023 – 10-0 with a win in Adelaide and grabbed 20 straight units. With that run, she turned the third feminine participant this century to win her first 10 seasonal matches with out dropping a single set after Anna Smashnova in 2002 and Agnieszka Radwanska in 2013.