Elena Rybakina produced a memorable comeback to defeat World No1 Aryna Sabalenka and lift the Australian Open title.
Rybakina came back after losing the second set to win 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 on Saturday and capture her maiden title at Melbourne Park.
Sabalenka had led head-to-head 8-6 but they were tied at two apiece last year, with Rybakina winning their most recent meeting in the final of the WTA Finals in November.
And it was Rybakina who maintained her upper hand. In the first Grand Slam final since 2008 featuring players yet to drop a set, top seed Sabalenka blinked first as Rybakina broke in the opening game.
The Kazakh fifth seed used her ball-striking abilities to gain set point in the 10th game and clinched it in emphatic style.
Four-times major winner Sabalenka started the second set positively but Rybakina saved three breakpoints to hold for 1-1.
A wayward forehand from Rybakina gave Sabalenka the chance to level at one set apiece. The Belarusian obliged to turn the final set into a shootout for the title.
Having beaten Rybakina from a similar situation in the 2023 title clash, Sabalenka unleashed a flurry of winners to go ahead 3-0, but the Kazakh erased the deficit and broke for 4-3 before securing the victory to add to her 2022 Wimbledon triumph.
It will be another bitter pill to swallow for Sabalenka, who led decisively in the third set, only for Rybakina to stage a fightback.
Having won back-to-back titles in Melbourne in 2023 and 2024, Sabalenka has now lost close finals two years in a row after Madison Keys got the better of her 12 months ago.
Last year she lost five of her nine finals, including bitterly to Coco Gauff at the French Open and to Rybakina at the WTA Finals. While she claimed a fourth major title at the US Open, the pattern is undeniable.
Rybakina, who has now won 10 consecutive matches against top-10 opponents, served out the victory with her sixth ace, celebrating in typically understated fashion with a clench of the fist.
“It's hard to find words now but I want to congratulate Aryna for her amazing results in the last couple of years. I hope we're going to play many more finals together,” Rybakina said.
“I want to say thank you to you guys (fans). Thank you so much to Kazakhstan. I felt the support from that corner a lot. It's really a Happy Slam and I always enjoy coming here and playing in front of you guys.”
Sabalenka, denied an Australian Open “three-peat” by Keys in last year's final, was gracious in defeat.
“I'm really speechless right now,” she said, before turning to her victorious opponent.
“I want to congratulate you on an incredible run and incredible tennis. Such an incredible achievement. I love being here, love playing in front of you all. You guys are incredible support. Let's hope next year is going to be a better year.”
Also, sixth seeds Neal Skupski and Christian Harrison defeated Australia's wildcard pairing of Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans 7-6(4), 6-4 to win the men's doubles title.
The British-American duo's victory at Rod Laver Arena gave Harrison his first Grand Slam title and marked Skupski's fourth in doubles and mixed doubles, though his first outside Wimbledon.
