Saturday, January 31, 2026

Top Button, Undone

What does it look like when Elena Rybakina's "button-down game" finally undoes the top button," Well...




In an Australian Open final featuring the world's two best hard court players, a rematch of the AO23 title clash that went three sets, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina once again proved that when an immovable object meets an unstoppable force, well, something's gotta give. Predictably, with neither having lost a set at this slam, the women's champion was the one who could bring her best game to the court in the clutch closing moments when the holder of the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Trophy would be determined.

#1 Sabalenka was playing in her seventh straight final at a hard court major, and her fourth in a row in Melbourne, where last year she'd followed up consecutive title runs with a three-set defeat as she came up short of a three-peat championship vs. Madison Keys. Still, not only did Sabalenka come into this night having won two of the last three AO, but she could say the same about the U.S. Open, where last summer she ended her slam campaign by finally winning a '25 major after narrow misses in the first three on the schedule.

11-0 in '26 without dropping a set, her ongoing dominance on hard court majors in general, and in Australia in particular, has continued to be more than impressive, to the tune of an active 45-2 AO/US stretch (26-1 in Melbourne), as well as a 44-2 run Down Under.

Always one to wear her heart on her sleeve, Sabalenka's tendency to "walk in through the out door" (with or without a raspberry beret) stood in stark contrast to her "button-down" opponent, as Rybakina's decided lack of emotion on court has come to be her most enduring -- and maybe most endearing -- trait, and one openly belied by her big serve, powerful shots and quiet dominance when conditions allow her to reach full flight.

Rybakina was playing in her third career slam final, but first in three years (the '23 AO loss to Sabalenka), after having claimed the '22 Wimbledon crown (but being unrewarded for it in any way other than financially, as she received no ranking points due to a wrongheaded compromise precipitated by the AELTC's originally wrongheaded decision to ban RUS/BLR players after the start of the Russian-Ukraine war). Since then, she's often been dogged by lingering health issues and controversy surrounding her possibly abusive relationship with (still) coach Stefano Vukov, who served a tour suspension of twelve months before returning last year.

Once Vukov was back, though, Rybakina hit her stride in the 4Q of 2025, running off a string of results that saw her qualify for the WTA Finals and the dominate the event on her way to the title.

Ahead of their 15th career meeting (w/ Sabalenka holding an 8-6 edge), the most recent memory of the two of them on court together was Rybakina's "mic drop" 7-0 tie-break win over "tie-break queen" Sabalenka to finish off her WTA Finals title in Riyadh last fall.

In their last nine meetings, neither player had managed to string together back-to-back match wins in the series, so it seemed that it could be Sabalenka's "turn."



Rybakina was the first of the two out of the gate. While Sabalenka had to wring out some early unforced errors from her racket, the Kazakh was jumping on her opponent's second serve. On her second BP of the opening game, Rybakina got the break, then backed it up with a love hold. Sabalenka got on the board, securing her first hold with a GP ace, at 2-1.

Across the heart of the opening set, Rybakina continued to shine, rarely missing and even moving forward into the court to assert her control. Sabalenka quickly got her serve in order with consecutive holds, but was still playing from behind due to the break of serve to start the match. She'd yet to make a dent in Rybakina's serve.



After getting to within 40/30 after Rybakina had been up 40/love in game 6, Sabalenka saw her first opening two games later when she stepped in to whack a forehand winner, then the Kazakh missed on a forehand to fall behind 15/40. But after Vukov could be heard from the on-court player's box telling Rybakina to respond with "two big serves," she proceded to do just that, and added a third to take control of the game and get the hold. Sabalenka got an easy hold of her own moments later, but Rybakina then stepped up for her opportunity to serve out the set at 5-4.

Rybakina overhit a crosscourt forehand to knot the game 10 score at 30/30, but a Sabalenka ball bounced off the net cord and onto her own side of the court in the following point, giving Rybakina a SP. When a Sabalenka forehand floated long, Rybakina took the opener 6-4 to end the world #1's 22-0 mark in sets this season, becoming the first woman to take a set off Sabalenka since, hmmm, *herself* at last year's WTA Finals.



But in their meeting in the AO23 final, Rybakina had claimed the 1st set, as well, only to see Sabalenka charge back to drop just seven total games in the final two sets en route to her first title in Melbourne. It was the last time Rybakina lost in a final after taking the opener, having going 7-0 since (2-0 vs. Sabalenka).

After having played a good 1st set, recording just three fewer points than Rybakina and never facing a BP after her first service game, yet never being able to move out of "chase mode" on her way to falling behind in the match, Sabalenka *got* the quick hold of serve to open the 2nd, firing off an ace on GP to take the early lead.

In Rybakina's first service game of the set, Sabalenka make the Kazakh work, but again couldn't *quite* break through. After going up 15/30, she had to save a GP with a step-in second serve return winner, then saw Rybakina double-fault on her second GP. From there, Sabalenka saw three BP opportunities come and go, saved by Rybakina with a rare volley, kick serve and sweeping forehand winner combo, and then a serve-and-backhand-down-the-line one-two. Rybakina had saved her first five BP of the match. Finally, on her fourth GP, Rybakina held in the 10+ minute game to knot the score.

Sabalenka quickly held at love to stay ahead 2-1, and the two continued to exchange holds for the bulk of the set, with Sabalenka staying a step ahead on the scoreboard, hoping for an open door to jam her foot into. With the aid of a rare battle at the net (four consecutive volleys in a single point), Sabalenka went up 40/15 in game 7, but then saw the game nearly slip away as she faced a deuce point for the first time since the opening game of the match. She managed to get the hold to stay ahead 4-3 and avoid any further courting of disaster.



With every service game a must hold, Sabalenka won at 15 to stay ahead at 5-4, then got the chance she was looking for.

On the opening point of game 10, Sabalenka's swiping backhand drop shot while moving away from the baseline went directly to Rybakina, who pushed the ball into the net to give Sabalenka the early lead. The world #1 seized on the moment, firing a forehand winner in the next point, then after a Rybakina forehand error (shades of her late-match issues vs. Pegula in the SF) going up triple BP/SP. A blazing forehand pass bounced off the racket of a lunging Rybakina at the net, and the set was Sabalenka's at 6-4, as the final was suddenly now a one-set battle.



In the 3rd, it was Sabalenka who came out strong, holding at 15 to start, then winning a huge-hitting baseline rally in game 2 to carve out an an early BP chance. A second serve return winner got her the set lead as she claimed a fourth straight game. Rybakina saw an opening to get things back on serve a game later, holding a BP (her first since the opening game), but Sabalenka served her way out of trouble to hold for 3-0.

And, so, here we were again, with Sabalenka seemingly in control of a slam final in the deciding set. Often times in the past, things hadn't gone well for her from this point forward, and then it happened again.

Sabalenka saw a slight chance to take full control in game 4, as a return winner tied the score at 30/30, but Rybakina (with her team calling for a higher energy output on her part with her back against the wall) responded with an ace and service winner to get the hold, then carried over her momentum into Sabalenka's service game. After a big return and put-away volley to start the game, Rybakina gave a tiny fist pump (!!!), then proceded to hit her way to a break to get the set back on serve.

In game 6, again Sabalenka had an opening, reaching BP after a deep second serve return that Rybakina couldn't get back, and then a backhand error by the Kazakh. But Sabalenka missed wide on a second serve return, and Rybakina got the hold. A game later, Sabalenka fell behind 15/40. After saving the first BP with a big serve, she netted a forehand on the second and Rybakina, after nearly staring at a 4-0 deficit (at 3-0, 30/30) not long before, was suddenly up a break at 4-3, having won four straight games.

As Sabalenka's frustrations became more visible, she harshly bounced her racket (possibly cracking the frame) as Rybakina went about holding for 5-3 to get within a game of the title, but the Belarusian managed to hold to force her to serve it out.

After an opening point forehand error, Rybakina didn't allow her sometimes-wonky stroke to put a title run in jeopardy. She followed up by hitting forehand winners down both lines in the next two points, then after a Sabalenka return winner fired a big serve to reach MP. Holding true to the form she's shown since last fall, Rybakina blasted an ace to close the deal, taking her first AO crown and second career major with a 6-4/4-6/6-4 victory.



So, in the end, the Unstoppable Force proved to be the last one standing in the battle against the Immovable Object, which comes as equally both a "surprise" and something far less than that, for as much as we've known for years that a "right" (i.e. healthy and untroubled) Rybakina can beat anyone at any time, and do so while looking like she's barely breaking a sweat or crinkling her brow, it's also a truth that for all for Sabalenka's big event consistency, hard court prowess and secure hold on the #1 ranking for the past fifteen months, she's still left a great deal of accomplishments on the table. AO26 is just the latest instance to be placed atop the heap of missed opportunities for historic greatness.

In 2025 alone, she fell in the Australian Open, Roland Garros and WTA Finals title matches, and now she's started '26 on the same foot. After winning three times in her first four slam appearances in major finals, she's lost in three of the last four times she's gotten so far. All four of her defeats in her eight career slam final losses have come in three-setters, and in most she had late leads (as she did tonight) that were given up to her opponent.



But we'll have ample opportunities later to dissect Sabalenka's slam career, one -- with its 12 SF+ results in her last 13 majors, but "only" four titles to show for it -- that is starting to adhere somewhat closely to that of Ivan Lendl, who won eight major titles, but lost in eleven other slam finals during a tremendously consistent run during which he reached at least the SF of 27 of 34 majors from 1982-91. Now is the time to sing Rybakina's praises.

She'll match her career high by rising to #3 in the rankings on Monday, and will stand just 368 points behind #2 Iga Swiatek (#1 Sabalenka remains a whopping 3380 away), but the fact is that she's been the very best player on tour since sometime last fall. Over that stretch, she's gone 20-1, clocking ten consecutive Top 10 wins (she has 11 overall since the U.S. Open). Her ninth career #1 win is the most by any active player other than Venus Williams (whose last such victory came in 2017), and all have come since 2020 (the player with the next most this decade is Jessie Pegula, with five).



With her wins over both the #1 and #2 (Swiatek) ranked players in the world at this tournament, Rybakina is the second straight champion to pull of the feat en route to the AO title (after Madison Keys in '25), and has now pulled off the accomplishment three times this decade. No other woman has done it more than once in the 2020s, while Rybakina has done it twice in her last three events.

She's won two straight over #1 Sabalenka, two straight over #2 Swiatek, three straight over #6 Pegula and claimed her only meeting vs. #4 Amanda Anisimova, all since last year's U.S. Open. Surprisingly, she and #3 Coco Gauff haven't played since 2022.



If the Kazkah can maintain her health, form and mindset over the course of 2026, we might finally set a look-see at what true "Peak Rybakina" actually looks like.

Is there still *another* button that can be undone?









=AO NOTES=
...a slew of other champions were crowned in Melbourne *before* the women's singles final, leaving just the men's and junior singles finals left to contest on the final day of play.

#4-seeded Elise Mertens & Zhang Shuai defeated #7 Anna Danilini & Aleksandra Krunic to claim the women's doubles title. It's their first slam win as a duo, but not the first major title for either woman, as Mertens (who returns to the #1 WD spot on Monday) has now claimed six doubles slams (three AO) with four different partners (the first two came with Sabalenka). It's Zhang's third WD win, including the AO in 2019.



...in the wheelchair singles final, Li Xiaohui showed once again that she might just be the best roller in the world at the moment, as she handled Diede de Groot 6-1/6-2 in the first major final appearance for the 23-time slam singles champ since her hip surgery in 2024. The loss is de Groot's first in a slam singles final since the 2019 Wimbledon, as well as her worst defeat (w/ just three games won) of her four major losses.



It's Li's first slam singles crown, and deepens her role as a true nemesis for de Groot, as it was Li who ended the Dutch legend's 145-match singles winning streak in 2024, and 52 consecutive slam match streak at last year's Roland Garros. This time she ended de Groot's 17-match AO run after she won titles in her last four appearances from 2021-24.



Also the doubles champ along with Wang Ziyang after the Chinese won their second straight AO title this year, Li and her countrywoman have combined to claim six of the last ten major s/d wheelchair crowns. They've won four of the last five doubles slams, with both also picking up a singles win (Wang won at last year's Wimbledon).

In the junior wheelchair singles final, Belgium's top-seeded Luna Gryp secured the title with a 6-4/6-4 win over #2 Seira Matsuoka of Japan, after Matsuoka had been part of the duo that defeated Gryp in the doubles final.



...the junior girls' single final will pit #3-seeded Pastry Ksenia Efremova against unseeded Hordette Ekaterina Tupitsyna. Efremova defeated another Russian, Rada Zolotareva, in the semis, while Tupitsyna upset #8-seeded Bannerette Thea Frodin.



The last French girl to win the AO title was Virginie Razzano in 1999, with the last overall Pastry slam winner being Elsa Jacquemot at Roland Garros in 2020. There have been five Hordettes crowned the AO junior champ, with the most recent being Alina Korneeva in 2023 (w/ a win in the final over Mirra Andreeva).

In the girls' doubles, top seeded sisters Alena & Jana Kovackova def. Tereza Hermanova & Denisa Zoldakova in an all-Crusher final, winning their second straight major and becoming the first Czech duo to win in Melbourne since 2015.

Alena needs only the RG title for a Career Junior Doubles Slam, something which no junior girl has ever accomplished. Recently, Tyra Grant won three of the four majors from 2023-24, but then didn't play in the U.S. Open event (the only one she was missing) at the end of her final junior season.



...and in Manila, Camila Osorio defeated Donna Vekic to claim the Alex Eala Open, err, I mean the 125 event there. The Colombian had previously upset crowd favorite, and the only reason the tournament exists in the first place, Eala in the QF.







...THIS HAS TO BE BECOMING TOO FAMILIAR FOR HER on Day 14:




...TAKITO ODA HAS THE SAME SORT OF GRIP ON MEN'S WC TENNIS THAT DE GROOT DID ON THE WOMEN'S NOT LONG AGO on Day 14:




...DAPHNE on Day 14:



With the AO women's competition complete, we once again got to know Daphne, aka The Daphne Akhurst Memorial Trophy given to the women's singles champion. Like the other hardware handed out at the majors to women's slam champs, it has its own story and can be referred to by name, along with the Coupe Suzanne-Lenglen (RG), the Venus Rosewater dish (WI) and... ummm, the U.S. Open trophy?

Yeah, what's the deal with that? Why haven't either of the men's or women's U.S. trophies been named for someone, at the very least to keep their names alive in the tennis lexicon?

Akhurst played in the 1920s and the Aussie player would largely be unknown today (she didn't enter the Internatinal Tennis Hall of Fame until 2013) if not for the memorial trophy being named in her honor after her untimely death in 1933 at age 29 due to an ectopic pregnancy. Lenglen is, well, Lenglen. While the Wimbledon dish isn't named for anyone, it still can be referred to by name, and is really the most unique of all the trophies. But the U.S. Open's hardware, while fine, looks like most other trophies, but neither have names to give them any personality.

Why not name them for past players worthy of the honor? Althea Gibson would be an easy choice for the women's cup, but the tournament already honors her historic career quite often. So why not someone like Maureen "Little Mo" Connolly, a nine-time singles slam champion, and the first woman to win the Grand Slam, claiming all four major titles in 1953 (she's the only player to do it without losing a set in *any* of the four events). Soon after, her career was cut short at age 19 after a horse riding accident in 1954, and then she tragically died of cancer at age 34 in 1969.

Hers is an unbelievably successful, albeit brief, career that is quickly slipping, if not having already slipped, away as far as general public knowledge is concerned. It wouldn't be a bad thing to revive the memory of one of the original teen superstars in tennis history, and it would give the U.S. Open trophy (aka "The Little Mo?") something extra in the process, too.

I'm just sayin'.

BTW, The Little Mo International junior series just kicked off its annual competition last week, which eventually features the tallest junior trophy in the world (playing off Connolly's small size and nickname). Alex Eala was a champion in 2013.




...NOT A BAD EITHER/OR on Day 14:










=WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL=
#5 Elena Rybakina/KAZ def. #1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR 6-4/4-6/6-4

=WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL=
#4 Mertens/Zhang (BEL/CHN) def. #7 Danilinia/Krunic (KAZ/SRB) 7-6(4)/6-4

=MIXED DOUBLES FINAL=
(WC) Gadecki/Peers (AUS/AUS) def. (PR) Mladenovic/Guinard (FRA/FRA) 4-6/6-3 [10-8]

=WHEELCHAIR SINGLES FINAL=
#3 Li Xiaohui/CHN def. Diede de Groot/NED 6-1/6-2

=WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL=
#1 Li/Wang (CHN/CHN) def. #2 Kamiji/Zhu (JPN/CHN) 6-4/6-3

=GIRLS' SINGLES FINAL=
Ekaterina Tupitsyna/RUS vs. #3 Ksenia Efremova/FRA

=GIRLS' DOUBLES FINAL=
#1 A.Kovackova/J.Kovackova (CZE/CZE) def. Hermanova/Zoldakova (CZE/CZE) 6-1/6-3

=GIRLS' WHEELCHAIR SINGLES FINAL=
#1 Luna Gryp/BEL def. #2 Seira Matsuoka/JPN 6-4/6-4

=GIRLS' WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL=
#2 Foyster/Matsuoka (GBR/JPN) def. #1 Gryp/Heald (BEL/USA) 6-3/7-5








kosova-font

*RECENT WOMEN'S SLAM WINNERS*
2020 AO: Sofia Kenin, USA*
2020 US: Naomi Osaka, JPN
2020 RG: Iga Swiatek, POL*
2021 AO: Naomi Osaka, JPN
2021 RG: Barbora Krejcikova, CZE*
2021 WI: Ash Barty, AUS
2021 US: Emma Raducanu, GBR*
2022 AO: Ash Barty, AUS
2022 RG: Iga Swiatek, POL
2022 WI: Elena Rybakina, KAZ*
2022 US: Iga Swiatek, POL
2023 AO: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR*
2023 RG: Iga Swiatek, POL
2023 WI: Marketa Vondrousova, CZE*
2023 US: Coco Gauff, USA*
2024 AO: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2024 RG: Iga Swiatek, POL
2024 WI: Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
2024 US: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2025 AO: Madison Keys, USA*
2025 RG: Coco Gauff, USA
2025 WI: Iga Swiatek, POL
2025 US: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2026 AO: Elena Rybakina, KAZ
--
* - first-time slam champ

*AGE OF 2020s SLAM WINNERS*
18 = Emma Raducanu, GBR (2021 US)
19 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2020 RG)
19 = Coco Gauff, USA (2023 US)
21 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2022 RG)
21 = Sofia Kenin, USA (2020 AO)
21 = Coco Gauff, USA (2025 RG)
21 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2022 US)
22 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2023 RG)
22 = Naomi Osaka, JPN (2020 US)
23 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2024 RG)
23 = Naomi Osaka, JPN (2021 AO)
23 = Elena Rybakina, KAZ (2022 WI)
24 = Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (2023 AO)
24 = Marketa Vondrouosva, CZE (2023 WI)
24 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2025 WI)
25 = Ash Barty, AUS (2021 WI)
25 = Ash Barty, AUS (2022 AO)
25 = Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2021 RG)
25 = Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (2024 AO)
26 = Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (2024 US)
26 = Elena Rybakina, KAZ (2026 AO)
27 = Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (2025 US)
28 = Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2024 WI)
29 = Madison Keys, USA (2025 AO)

*AUSTRALIAN OPEN FINALS - ACTIVE*
4...ARYNA SABALENKA (2-2)
2...Naomi Osaka (2-0)
2...Victoria Azarenka (2-0)
2...ELENA RYBAKINA (1-1)
2...Venus Williams (0-2)
1...Sofia Kenin (1-0)
1...Madison Keys (1-0)
1...Danielle Collins (0-1)
1...Jennifer Brady (0-1)
1...Zheng Qinwen (0-1)
--
ALSO: Wozniacki (1-0)

*SLAM FINALS IN 2020s*
8 - ARYNA SABALENKA, BLR (4-4)
6 - Iga Swiatek, POL (6-0)
3 - Coco Gauff, USA (2-1)
3 - ELENA RYBAKINA, KAZ (2-1)
3 - Ons Jabeur, TUN (0-3)
2 - Ash Barty, AUS (2-0)
2 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2-0)
2 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (2-0)
2 - Sofia Kenin, USA (1-1)
2 - Amanda Anisimova, USA (0-2)
2 - Jasmine Paolini, ITA (0-2)
1 - Madison Keys, USA (1-0)
1 - Emma Raducanu, GBR (1-0)
1 - Marketa Vondrouosva, CZE (1-0)
1 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (0-1)
1 - Jennifer Brady, USA (0-1)
1 - Danielle Collins, USA (0-1)
1 - Leylah Fernandez, CAN (0-1)
1 - Karolina Muchova, CZE (0-1)
1 - Garbine Muguruza, ESP (0-1)
1 - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS (0-1)
1 - Jessie Pegula, USA (0-1)
1 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (0-1)
1 - Zheng Qinwen, CHN (0-1)

*DEFEATED #1 and #2-RANKED PLAYERS IN A SLAM*
1979 U.S. Open - Tracy Austin
1985 U.S. Open - Hana Mandlikova
1999 Roland Garros - Steffi Graf
1999 U.S. Open - Serena Williams
2000 Wimbledon - Venus Williams
2000 U.S. Open - Venus Williams
2001 Australian Open - Jennifer Capriati
2002 Roland Garros - Serena Williams
2003 Roland Garros - Justine Henin-Hardenne
2005 Australian Open - Serena Williams
2005 Wimbledon - Venus Williams
2006 U.S. Open - Maria Sharapova
2009 Roland Garros - Svetlana Kuznetsova
2025 Australian Open - Madison Keys
2026 Australian Open - Elena Rybakina
[in tour-level events, 2020-26]
2022 WTA: #7 Sabalenka (L) = #2 Jabeur, #1 Swiatek
2023 DUB: #30 Krejcikova = #2 Sabalenka, #1 Swiatek
2023 IW: #10 Rybakina = #1 Swiatek, #2 Sabalenka
2024 WTA: #3 Gauff = #2 Swiatek, #1 Sabalenka
2025 AO: #14 Keys = #2 Swiatek, #1 Sabalenka
2025 IW: #11 M.Andreeva = #2 Swiatek, #1 Sabalenka
2025 STUTT: #24 Ostapenko = #2 Swiatek, #1 Sabalenka
2025 WTAF: #6 Rybakina = #2 Swiatek, #1 Sabalenka
2026 AO: #5 Rybakina = #2 Swiatek, #1 Sabalenka

*CAREER WTA #1 WINS - active*
15 - Venus Williams, USA
9 - ELENA RYBAKINA, KAZ
7 - Elina Svitolina, UKR
5 - Jessie Pegula, USA
5 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
4 - Belinda Bencic, SUI
4 - Coco Gauff, USA
3 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR
3 - Sofia Kenin, USA
3 - Alona Ostapenko, LAT
--
ALSO: Wozniacki (4)

*WTA #1 WINS - 2020-26*
9 - ELENA RYBAKINA, KAZ
5 - Jessie Pegula, USA
4 - Coco Gauff, USA
4 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2 - Ekaterina Alexandrova, RUS
2 - Madison Keys, USA
2 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
2 - Alona Ostapenko, LAT
2 - Zheng Qinwen, CHN
[all-time]
18 - Martina Navratilova
17 - Serena Williams
15 - Venus Williams*
15 - Lindsay Davenport
11 - Steffi Graf
10 - Gabriela Sabatini

*SLAM FINALS BY NATION - 2020s*
11 - USA (4-7)
9 - BLR (4-5)*
6 - POL (6-0)
5 - CZE (3-2)
3 - KAZ (2-1)*
3 - TUN (0-3)
2 - AUS (2-0)
2 - JPN (2-0)
2 - ITA (0-2)
1 - GBR (1-0)
1 - CAN (0-1)
1 - CHN (0-1)
1 - ESP (0-1)
1 - RUS (0-1)
[AO 2020-26]
4 - BLR (2-2)*
4 - USA (2-2)
2 - KAZ (1-1)*
1 - AUS (1-0)
1 - JPN (1-0)
1 - CHN (0-1)
1 - ESP (0-1)

*WOMEN'S SLAM WINNERS, post-Barty ret. (since '22 RG)*
9/16 = won by Swiatek/Sabalenka
11/16 = won by Swiatek/Sabalenka/Gauff
13/16 = won by Swiatek/Sabalenka/Gauff/Rybakina
13/16 = won by Swiatek/Sabalenka/Gauff or Czech
15/16 = won by Swiatek/Sabalenka/Gauff/Rybakina or Czech

*CAREER SLAM SINGLES TITLES - ACTIVE*
7...Venus Williams, USA
6...Iga Swiatek, POL
4...Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
4...Naomi Osaka, JPN
2...Victoria Azarenka, BLR
2...Coco Gauff, USA
2...Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
2...ELENA RYBAKINA, KAZ

*LOW-SEEDED AO CHAMPIONS - OPEN ERA*
Unseeded - 1978 Chris O'Neil, AUS
Unseeded - 2007 Serena Williams, USA
#19 - 2025 Madison Keys, USA
#14 - 2020 Sofia Kenin, USA
#12 - 2001 Jennifer Capriati, USA
#7 - 2016 Angelique Kerber, GER
#7 - 2005 Serena Williams, USA
#5 - 1979 Barbara Jordan, USA
#5 - 2008 Maria Sharapova, RUS
#5 - 2023 Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
#5 - 2026 ELENA RYBAKINA, KAZ
#4 - 1995 Mary Pierce, FRA
#4 - 1997 Martina Hingis, SUI
#4 - 2014 Li Na, CHN
#4 - 2019 Naomi Osaka, JPN

*LONGEST STREAKS WITHOUT BACK-TO-BACK SLAM WINS BY WOMAN*
20 = 2021 AO to current
...Back-to-Back: Osaka, 2020 US/2021 AO
...ENDED: ??
========================================
19 = 2004 AO to 2008 US
...Back-to-Back: Henin-Hardenne, 2003 US/2004 AO
...ENDED: S.Williams wins 2008 US/2009 AO
========================================
18 = 1976 US to 1980 US
...Back-to-Back: Evert, 1976 WI/1976 US
...ENDED: Mandlikova wins 1980 AO/1981 RG

*2020-26 WTA SINGLES TITLES*
25 - 1/2/8/6/5/3/0 = Iga Swiatek
17 - 3/2/0/3/4/4/1 = Aryna Sabalenka
11 - 1/0/1/2/3/3/1 = ELENA RYBAKINA
10 - 0/1/0/4/3/2/0 = Coco Gauff
8 - 1/5/2 = Ash Barty (ret.)
8 - 0/3/2/2/1/0/0 = Barbora Krejcikova
8 - 0/0/1/2/2/3/0 = Jessie Pegula

*MOST WTA FINALS - 2020-26*
33 - 3/3/3/6/7/9/2 = SABALENKA (17-16)
29 - 1/2/9/8/5/4/0 = Swiatek (25-4)
21 - 5/0/3/4/5/3/1 = RYBAKINA (11-10)
18 - 1/0/2/5/4/6/0 = Pegula (8-10)
14 - 0/4/2/2/6/0/0 = Kasatkina (6-8)
13 - 0/1/1/4/3/4/0 = Gauff (10-3)
12 - 0/4/3/4/1/0/0 = Krejcikova (8-4)
12 - 1/7/4/0 ret...Kontaveit (5-6-1)
12 - 0/3/6/3/0/0/0 = Jabeur (5-7)

*MOST 2020-26 WTA FINAL MATCHUPS *
5...Sabalenka vs. Swiatek - 2022,23,24 = Swiatek 4-1
5...RYBAKINA vs. SABALENKA - 2023,24,26 = Rybakina 4-1
3...Gauff vs. Sabalenka - 2023,25 = Gauff 2-1
3...Pegula vs. Sabalenka - 2024,25 = Sabalenka 3-0
3...Pegula vs. Swiatek - 2023,25 = Swiatek 2-1

*2026 TOP 10 WINS *
3 - Marta Kostyuk
3 - ELENA RYBAKINA
2 - Bencic, Muchova, Pegula, Svitolina
1 - Bartunkova, Bouzas Maneiro, Gauff
1 - Jovic, Mboko, Sabalenka
[most Top 10 wins in event]
3 - Marta Kostyuk (Brisbane)
3 - ELENA RYBAKINA (Australian Open)
2 - Belinda Bencic (United Cup)
2 - Karolina Muchova (Brisbane)
2 - Jessie Pegula (Australian Open)
2 - Elina Svitolina (Australian Open)

*WTA HARD COURT TITLES IN 2020s*
14 - Aryna Sabalenka (3/1/0/2/4/3/1)
13 - Iga Swiatek (0/1/5/3/2/2/0)
8 - Coco Gauff (0/0/0/4/3/1/0)
7 - ELENA RYBAKINA (1/0/0/1/2/2/1)
6 - Ash Barty (1/3/2 ret)
5 - Belinda Bencic (0/1/0/2/0/2/0)
5 - Leylah Fernandez (0/1/1/1/0/2/0)
5 - Dasha Kasatkina (0/2/2/0/1/0/0)
5 - Anett Kontaveit (0/4/1/0 ret)
5 - Barbora Krejcikova (0/1/2/2/0/0/0)
5 - Jessie Pegula (0/0/1/2/1/1/0)

*CAREER OVERALL SLAM TITLES - ACTIVE*
[singles/doubles/mixed]
23 - Venus Williams, USA (7-14-2)
12 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2-7-3)
11 - Katerina Siniakova, CZE (0-10-1)
9 - Sara Errani, ITA (0-6-3)
9 - Kristina Mladenovic, FRA (0-6-3)
9 - Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA (0-5-4)
9 - Hsieh Su-wei, TPE (0-7-2)
6 - ELISE MERTENS (0-6-0)
6 - Iga Swiatek, POL (6-0-0)
6 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (4-2-0)

*AO WOMEN'S DOUBLES CHAMPIONS - since 2012*
2012 Svetlana Kuznetsova / Vera Zvonareva, RUS/RUS
2013 Sara Errani / Roberta Vinci, ITA/ITA
2014 Sara Errani / Roberta Vinci, ITA/ITA
2015 Bethanie Mattek-Sands / Lucie Safarova, USA/CZE
2016 Martina Hingis / Sania Mirza, SUI/IND
2017 Bethanie Mattek-Sands / Lucie Safarova, USA/CZE
2018 Timea Babos / Kristina Mladenovic, HUN/FRA
2019 Samantha Stosur / Zhang Shuai, AUS/CHN
2020 Timea Babos / Kristina Mladenovic, HUN/FRA
2021 Elise Mertens / Aryna Sabalenka, BEL/BLR
2022 Barbora Krejcikova / Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2023 Barbora Krejcikova / Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2024 Hsieh Su-wei / Elise Mertens, TPE/BEL
2025 Katerina Siniakova / Taylor Townsend, CZE/USA
2026 Elise Mertens / Zhang Shuai, BEL/CHN

*RECENT WD SLAM CHAMPIONS*
2020 AO: Timea Babos/Kristina Mladenovic (HUN/FRA)
2020 US: Laura Siegemund/Vera Zvonareva (GER/RUS)
2020 RG: Timea Babos/Kristina Mladenovic (HUN/FRA)
2021 AO: Elise Mertens/Aryna Sabalenka (BEL/BLR)
2021 RG: Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova (CZE/CZE)
2021 WI: Hsieh Su-wei/Elise Mertens (TPE/BEL)
2021 US: Samantha Stosur/Zhang Shuai (AUS/CHN)
2022 AO: Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova (CZE/CZE)
2022 RG: Caroline Garcia/Kristina Mladenovic (FRA/FRA)
2022 WI: Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova (CZE/CZE)
2022 US: Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova (CZE/CZE)
2023 AO: Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova (CZE/CZE)
2023 RG: Hsieh Su-wei/Wang Xinyu (TPE/CHN)
2023 WI: Hsieh Su-wei/Barbora Strycova (TPE/CZE)
2023 US: Gaby Dabrowski/Erin Routliffe (CAN/NZL)
2024 AO: Hsieh Su-wei/Elise Mertens (TPE/BEL)
2024 RG: Coco Gauff/Katerina Siniakova (USA/CZE)
2024 WI: Katerina Siniakova/Taylor Townsend (CZE/USA)
2024 US: Lyudmyla Kichenok/Alona Ostapenko (UKR/LAT)
2025 AO: Katerina Siniakova/Taylor Townsend (CZE/USA)
2025 RG: Sara Errani/Jasmine Paolini (ITA/ITA)
2025 WI: Veronika Kudermetova/Elise Mertens (RUS/BEL)
2025 US: Gaby Dabrowski/Erin Routliffe (CAN/NZL)
2026 AO: Elise Mertens/Zhang Shuai (BEL/CHN)

*CAREER WOMEN'S DOUBLES SLAM TITLES - active*
14 - Venus Williams
10 - Katerina Siniakova
7 - Barbora Krejcikova
7 - Hsieh Su-wei
6 - Sara Errani
6 - ELISE MERTENS
6 - Kristina Mladenovic
5 - Bethanie Mattek-Sands

*2020-26 WTA DOUBLES TITLES*
26 - Katerina Siniakova (1/6/6/3/5/4/1)
15 - Barbora Krejcikova (1/5/3/4/1/1/0)
15 - ELISE MERTENS (1/4/2/2/3/2/1)
12 - Hsieh Su-wei (4/2/0/2/3/0/1)
12 - Nicole Melichar-Martinez (2/2/2/0/3/3/0)
12 - Erin Routliffe (0/1/1/3/3/4/0)
12 - Luisa Stefani (1/1/2/3/1/4/0)
11 - Gaby Dabrowski (0/1/3/2/2/3/0)
11 - Anna Danilina (0/1/2/1/5/2/0)
11 - Demi Schuurs (2/2/1/2/2/2/0)
11 - Laura Siegemund (1/0/3/5/1/1/0)
11 - Taylor Townsend (1/0/0/3/3/4/0)
10 - Desirae Krawczyk (2/2/1/3/1/1/0)
10 - Jasmine Paolini (0/1/0/1/4/4/0)

*CAREER WTA DOUBLES TITLES - active*
36 - Sara Errani
36 - Hsieh Su-Wei
33 - Latisha Chan
33 - Katerina Siniakova
30 - Bethanie Mattek-Sands
30 - Kristina Mladenovic
29 - Timea Babos
24 - ELISE MERTENS
22 - Venus Williams

*AO WC SINGLES CHAMPIONS*
2002 Classic 8's: Esther Vergeer/NED
2003 Classic 8's: Esther Vergeer/NED
2004 Classic 8's: Esther Vergeer/NED
2005 Classic 8's: Mie Yaosa/JPN
2006 Classic 8's: Esther Vergeer/NED
2007 Esther Vergeer/NED
2008 Esther Vergeer/NED
2009 Esther Vergeer/NED
2010 Korie Homan/NED
2011 Esther Vergeer/NED
2012 Esther Vergeer/NED
2013 Aniek Van Koot/NED
2014 Sabine Ellerbrock/GER
2015 Jiske Griffioen/NED
2016 Jiske Griffioen/NED
2017 Yui Kamiji/JPN
2018 Diede de Groot/NED
2019 Diede de Groot/NED
2020 Yui Kamiji/JPN
2021 Diede de Groot/NED
2022 Diede de Groot/NED
2023 Diede de Groot/NED
2024 Diede de Groot/NED
2025 Yui Kamiji/JPN
2026 Li Xiaohui/CHN

*WC SLAM SINGLES FINALS - active*
31 - Yui Kamiji, JPN (11-20)
27 - DIEDE DE GROOT, NED (23-4)
17 - Aniek Van Koot, NED (3-14)
7 - Jiske Griffioen, NED (4-3)
2 - LI XIAOHUI, CHN (1-1)
1 - Wang Ziying, CHN (1-0)
1 - Kgothatso Montjane, RSA (0-1)
1 - Momoko Ohtani, JPN (0-1)
1 - Zhu Zhenzhen, CHN (0-1)

*JUNIOR WHEELCHAIR CHAMPIONS*
[singles]
2022 US: Jade Moreira Lanai BRA
2023 US: Ksenia Chasteau, FRA
2024 RG: Ksenia Chasteau, FRA
2024 US: Yuma Takamuro, JPN
2025 AO: Vitoria Miranda, BRA
2025 RG: Vitoria Miranda, BRA
2025 US: Sabina Czauz, USA
2026 AO: Luna Gryp, BEL

*AO GIRLS SINGLES CHAMPIONS - RUS*
2006 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
2007 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
2009 Ksenia Pervak
2014 Elizaveta Kulichkova
2023 Alina Korneeva

*AO GIRLS SINGLES FINALS - FRA*
1981 Corinne Vanier
1982 Pascale Paradis
1988 Emmanuelle Derly
1996 Nathalie Dechy
1999 Virginie Razzano (W)
2018 Clara Burel
2026 Ksenia Efremova

*AUSTRALIAN OPEN GIRLS DOUBLES CHAMPS - since 2015*
2015 Miriam Kolodziejova / Marketa Vondrousova, CZE/CZE
2016 Anna Kalinskaya / Tereza Mihalikova, RUS/SVK
2017 Bianca Andreescu / Carson Branstine, CAN/USA
2018 Liang En-shou / Wang Xinyu, TPE/CHN
2019 Natsumi Kawaguchi / Adrienn Nagy, JPN/HUN
2020 Alexandra Eala / Priska Madelyn Nugroho, PHI/INA
2021 DNP
2022 Clervie Ngounoue / Diana Shnaider, USA/RUS
2023 Renata Jamrichova / Federica Urgesi, SVK/ITA
2024 Tyra Caterina Grant / Iva Jovic, USA/USA
2025 Annika Penickova / Kristina Penickova, USA/USA
2026 Alena Kovackova / Jana Kovackova, CZE/CZE

*RECENT GIRLS DOUBLES SLAM CHAMPIONS*
2023 AO: Renata Jamrichova/Federica Urgesi (SVK/ITA)
2023 RG: Tyra Caterina Grant/Clervie Ngounoue (USA/USA)
2023 WI: Alena Kovackova/Laura Samsonova (CZE/CZE)
2023 US: Mara Gae/Anastasiia Gureva (ROU/RUS)
2024 AO: Tyra Caterina Grant/Iva Jovic (USA/USA)
2024 RG: Renata Jamrichova/Tereza Valentova (SVK/CZE)
2024 WI: Tyra Caterina Grant/Iva Jovic (USA/USA)
2024 US: Malak El Allami/Emily Sartz-Lunde (MAR/NOR)
2025 AO: Annika Penickova/Kristina Penickova (USA/USA)
2025 RG: Eva Bennemann/Sonja Zhenikova (GER/GER)
2025 WI: Kristina Penickova/Vendula Valdmannova (USA/CZE)
2025 US: Alena Kovackova/Jana Kovackova (CZE/CZE)
2026 AO: Alena Kovackova/Jana Kovackova (CZE/CZE)

**RECENT AO "DOUBLES STAR" WINNERS**
2018 Timea Babos & Kristina Mladenovic, HUN/FRA
2019 Astra Sharma, AUS
2020 Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
2021 Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
2022 Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2023 Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2024 Hsieh Su-wei/Elise Mertens, TPE/BEL
2025 Katerina Siniakova/Taylor Townsend, CZE/USA
2026 Olivia Gadecki, AUS

**RECENT AO "Ms. OPPORTUNITY" WINNERS**
2016 Johanna Konta, GBR
2017 CoCo Vandeweghe, USA
2018 Caroline Wozniacki, DEN
2019 Danielle Collins, USA
2020 Sofia Kenin, USA
2021 Jennifer Brady, USA and Karolina Muchova, CZE
2022 Danielle Collins, USA
2023 Magda Linette, POL and Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2024 Zheng Qinwen, CHN
2025 Paula Badosa, ESP
2026 Elena Rybakina, KAZ




kosova-font









TOP QUALIFIER: Guiomar Maristany/ESP
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #6 Jessie Pegula/USA (lost 5 games in 1r/2r)
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #6 Jessie Pegula/USA (def. DC Keys and #4 Anisimova to reach first AO semi)
TOP LATE ROUND (SF-F): #5 Elena Rybakina/KAZ
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2 - Guiomar Maristany/ESP def. Tatiana Prozorova/RUS 6-2/2-6/7-6(10-7) - saved four MP (at 6-5 in the 3rd), reached maiden slam MD
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - Elsa Jacquemot/FRA def. #20 Marta Kostyuk/UKR 6-7(4)/7-6(4)/7-6(10-7) - 3:31; first three-TB women's match at AO; Jacquemot saves MP in 2nd set, wins 10-7 MTB in 3rd for first Top 20 win
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 3rd Rd. - #1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR def. Anastasia Potapova/AUT 7-6(4)/7-6(7) - Sabalenka sweeps TB, wins in two after led 2nd 4-0 and failed to serve out match at 5-4, then fell behind 6-3 in TB and saved 4 SP
TOP LATE RD. MATCH (SF-F/WC/Doub.): Final - #5 Elena Rybakina/KAZ def. #1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR 6-4/4-6/6-4 - rallies from 3-0 down (30/30 in game 4) in 3rd to win first AO title
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: (WC) Talia Gibson/AUS (def. Anna Blinkova/RUS)
FIRST SEED OUT: #26 Dayana Yastremska, UKR (1r- lost to Gabriela Ruse/ROU)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Nikola Bartunkova/CZE (1st slam MD), Linda Klimovicova/POL (1st), Petra Marcinko/CRO (1st), Taylah Preston/AUS (3rd), Oksana Selekhmeteva/RUS (5th)
PROTECTED RANKING BEST: Karolina Pliskova/CZE (3rd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSER BEST: 0-1 in 1r
UPSET QUEENS: The Crush of Czechs
REVELATION LADIES: Australia (6 in 2r most since 1992)
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Russia (4-5 1st Rd.; only 9 in MD after AO-best 9 to 2r in '25; has lost 7 notable players to other nations since '23; lost 2 Top 20 seeds)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Maddison Inglis/AUS (4r)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Talia Gibson/AUS, Priscilla Hon/AUS and Taylah Preston/AUS (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST AUSSIE STANDING: Maddison Inglis (4th Rd.)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: Elena Rybakina/KAZ
IT (Beloved Turk): Zeynep Sonmez/TUR
COMEBACK PLAYER: Diede de Groot/NED (WC)
CRASH & BURN: #26 Dayana Yastremska/UKR and #20 Marta Kostyuk/UKR (first two seeds out lose in back-to-back ANZ Arena matches on Day 1
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF MELBOURNE: Maddison Inglis/AUS (saved 2 MP vs. Leyre Gormaz Romero in 3-hr. Q1 match, then won back-to-back 3-hr. matches in 1r/2r en route to maiden slam Round of 16)
KIMIKO VETERAN CUP: Venus Williams/USA (at 45 years and 7 months, breaks 2015 record of Kimiko Date as the oldest woman in an AO singles MD match)
LADY OF THE EVENING: Elina Svitolina/UKR
AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGE ARTS AWARD: ["Show Pony Fashion Sense"] Naomi Osaka's jellyfish-inspired, "My Fair Lady" nighttime intro outfit
DOUBLES STAR: Olivia Gadecki, AUS (con. AO MX titles)
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Nominees: Kovackovas, Efremova, Tupitsyna






All for now. More soon.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 11:28 AM 

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