Rybakina stayed calm in an opening set where her first serve let her down and, despite her biggest weapon not firing on all cylinders, was able to execute a devastating returning game which left Sabalenka frustrated.
Sabalenka’s groundstrokes improved as Rybakina’s level dropped slightly in a tighter second set, taking her third opportunity to force a decider when she swarmed over Rybakina’s second serve in the 12th game.
But the loose shots from Sabalenka reappeared in the third set – as did the negativity.
Rybakina’s deep returning pinned Sabalenka to the baseline as she broke for a 2-1 lead, which allowed the incoming world number one to grow in stature.
There was a sign of nerves when Rybakina produced a double fault on her first championship point, but she reset admirably to hammer down an ace and underline her status as the best player in the world.
Leave a Reply