"We had a lot of things going on, I’m really glad that we achieved this result together": Elena Rybakina hints at previous Stefano Vukov drama after Australian Open win

Elena Rybakina capped a fortnight of commanding tennis by winning the 2026 Australian Open, defeating Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in a high-quality final at Rod Laver Arena to secure the second Grand Slam singles title of her career.

Calm under pressure and dominant when it mattered most, the Kazakh star held her nerve through a tight three-set battle, before turning her attention to her opponent, her team and the Melbourne crowd during an emotional on-court presentation.

“Yeah, it’s hard to find words now,” Rybakina said on court. “Of course, I want to congratulate Aryna on her amazing results over the past couple of years. I know it’s tough, but I really hope that we’re going to play many more finals together. And congratulations to your team as well — you’ve done a great job and made so many improvements.”

The match lived up to its billing, with both players trading heavy blows and momentum swings across two hours. After taking the opening set 6-4, Rybakina was pegged back as Sabalenka levelled the contest, before the champion produced her best tennis in the deciding set to close out the title.

Rybakina was quick to acknowledge the role played by the crowd in getting both players through the contest. “I want to say thank you to you guys for such an incredible atmosphere,” she said. “It was a battle, and honestly your support kept us going. Thank you so much.”

She also spoke warmly about the backing she received from home throughout the tournament.

“Thank you so much to Kazakhstan. I felt the support from that corner a lot,” Rybakina said. “Thank you to everyone who made this tournament possible.”

The Australian Open continues to be a tournament Rybakina holds in special regard, and she made that clear as she thanked organisers and staff for their hospitality.

“Thank you to Tennis Australia, and of course Craig, for making us feel so welcome here,” she said. “It’s a really happy Slam. I always enjoy coming here and playing in front of you guys.”

Behind the scenes, Rybakina credited her team for helping her navigate challenges on and off the court during the season especially surrounding Stefano Vukov who no doubt will be lauded for this after this time last season he was banned from the sport for alleged controlling behaviour but was reinstated.

When he was reinstated, Vukov continued his role and it chimed with Rybakina managing to win both the WTA Finals and now the Australian Open as well as titles in Asia prior to Riyadh.

“Of course, I would like to say thank you to my team,” she said. “Without you, it wouldn’t be possible. We had a lot of things going on, and I’m really glad that we achieved this result together. Thank you to all of you, and hopefully we can keep going strong this year.”

She also paid tribute to the tournament’s medical staff and those supporting her career away from the court.

“I’d like to say thank you to the medical team here — they’re always doing a great job,” Rybakina added. “Thank you to my sponsors as well, and to everyone who is always coming and supporting us.”

Rybakina highlighted the broader success of Kazakhstani tennis at the event, expressing pride in her fellow players’ performances during the tournament.

“Today we had a few other matches with Kazakhstan players, and I’m really proud,” she said. “Hopefully we can continue doing a great job.”

As confetti fell and the trophy was presented, Rybakina closed her remarks with a final message of gratitude to the Melbourne crowd. “Thank you so much, everyone.”

With her 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory over Sabalenka, Rybakina leaves Melbourne Park once again as Australian Open champion — reaffirming her place at the very top of the women’s game.