Relentless Elena Rybakina marches into Australian Open final with family around

Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan waves after defeating Victoria Azarenka of Belarus. AP

Melbourne: The conditions were far from perfect for the big hitters. It was windy, chilly, and the evening temperature had dipped to 15 degrees Celsius in Melbourne. Playing her first evening match of the fortnight, Elena Rybakina, who had struck 35 aces coming into the semi-final against Victoria Azarenka on Thursday, was finding the courts slower.

She had jointly struck the biggest serve of the Australian Open (among women) at 195 kmph but on the night, the best she produced was 189 kmph. Even more impressively, 53% of her first serves had gone unreturned. That dwindled to 42% as the balls got slower and the evening became bitter.

“Today it was a bit tougher for me because it was different conditions. I couldn’t play really aggressive tennis. The ball was not going so much,” she said.

It made no difference in the end as Wimbledon champion Rybakina progressed to the Australian Open final for the first time – beating two-time champion Victoria Azarenka 7-6, 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena.

The Moscow-born Kazakh needed an hour and 41 minutes to get past the 2012 and 2013 champion Azarenka who had chances on her racket but couldn’t make it count.

Rybakina has now beaten three Grand Slam champions in a row having already accounted for World No 1 Iga Swiatek and 2017 French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko. The run also includes last year’s finalist Danielle Collins.

In the final she will face an in-form Aryna Sabalenka, who will be seeking her first major final, having beaten unseeded Magda Linette 7-6, 6-2 in the second semi-final.

The 23-year-old Rybakina admitted to not feeling as nervous as she did last year at Wimbledon – when she beat Ons Jabeur in the final for her first major title. “For sure, I got a lot of experience from Wimbledon and, to be honest, I just want to come on court and really enjoy the moment, enjoy the atmosphere,” Rybakina said on what’s to come ahead on Saturday.

“This time I think I was focusing more on the match, what I have to do, and maybe not to think what’s going to come or what’s going to happen around and so on,” she added.

What’s going to be new from that moment is the presence of her parents and sister. Rybakina’s parents have been in Australia throughout the fortnight, unlike Wimbledon when they were denied a visa to the United Kingdom owing to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Also present is her sister who got a special mention in the on-court ceremony. “They are actually here, here from the beginning, so I’m super happy,” said Rybakina.

“It’s first time when everybody is here, parents and sister. So really amazing, and I’m looking forward to the next match to play in front of everybody, especially my parents,” she said.

The 22^nd seed recalled her sister travelling with her to the WTA tournament in Doha and then to Wimbledon. She emphasised that they would be proud of her irrespective of how things go in the final.

“Yeah, for sure it’s great for them. I mean, I didn’t even talk with them yet. I’m sure they’re happy. They don’t see me often, playing live, so I think this time, it’s a big result already. No matter how I play in the final, I think they’re very proud and happy,” she added.

It was also fitting that seven of the ‘Original 9’ members were honoured and sat courtside during the women’s semi-finals. Their pioneering $1 contracts in 1970 opened the path for the millions now offered in women’s tennis. “I want to say a big ‘Thank you’ from the players, because it’s unbelievable what you’ve done for us, for the new generation,” Rybakina said.

“It means a lot.”

For the record, the women’s champion will take home $2,975,000 and the runner-up will bag a check of $1,625,000.