<p>An emotional Aryna Sabalenka battled back from a set down to beat Elena Rybakina and win the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/australian-open" target="_blank">Australian Open</a> on Saturday for her first Grand Slam title.</p>.<p>The hard-hitting Belarusian collapsed to the court in tears after winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 against the Wimbledon champion in a high-quality 2hr 28min arm-wrestle on Rod Laver Arena.</p>.<p>The 24-year-old Sabalenka wiped a tear from her right eye before getting a warm hug from Moscow-born Rybakina, who played a full part in an amazing match between to hard-hitters.</p>.<p>Sabalenka, the fifth seed, then ran to her player's box to celebrate joyously with her team.</p>.<p>It was a fitting finale to two weeks of drama at Melbourne Park, highlighted by brutal groundstrokes, precision serving and wonderful rallies from two players at the top of their game.</p>.<p>Rybakina cruised through the first set in just 34 minutes but Sabalenka scrapped her way back in a 57-minute second set to take it to a nervy decider.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/tennis/novak-djokovic-beats-tommy-paul-to-set-up-clash-with-stefanos-tsitsipas-in-australian-open-final-1185140.html" target="_blank">Novak Djokovic beats Tommy Paul to set up clash with Stefanos Tsitsipas in Australian Open final</a></strong></p>.<p>It was then a case of which of the big servers would blink first in a tremendous toe-to-toe battle.</p>.<p>At 3-3 Rybakina -- who represents Kazakhstan-- could not find enough first serves and though she saved two break points, a third was too much and Sabalenka had the finish line in sight.</p>.<p>An ace took her to 5-3 and Rybakina held to force Sabalenka to test her nerves and serve for the championship.</p>.<p>She was up to the challenge, but needed four nerve-shredding match points after a display where she hit an astonishing 51 winners and 17 aces to edge past the big-serving Rybakina.</p>.<p>Sabalenka will now rise to second in the world, equalling her career high.</p>.<p>Rybakina will have the consolation of breaking into the top 10 for the first time, after reaching her second Grand Slam final in seven months.</p>.<p>She was awarded no ranking points for her Wimbledon win because of the ban of Russian and Belarusian players there.</p>
<p>An emotional Aryna Sabalenka battled back from a set down to beat Elena Rybakina and win the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/australian-open" target="_blank">Australian Open</a> on Saturday for her first Grand Slam title.</p>.<p>The hard-hitting Belarusian collapsed to the court in tears after winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 against the Wimbledon champion in a high-quality 2hr 28min arm-wrestle on Rod Laver Arena.</p>.<p>The 24-year-old Sabalenka wiped a tear from her right eye before getting a warm hug from Moscow-born Rybakina, who played a full part in an amazing match between to hard-hitters.</p>.<p>Sabalenka, the fifth seed, then ran to her player's box to celebrate joyously with her team.</p>.<p>It was a fitting finale to two weeks of drama at Melbourne Park, highlighted by brutal groundstrokes, precision serving and wonderful rallies from two players at the top of their game.</p>.<p>Rybakina cruised through the first set in just 34 minutes but Sabalenka scrapped her way back in a 57-minute second set to take it to a nervy decider.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/tennis/novak-djokovic-beats-tommy-paul-to-set-up-clash-with-stefanos-tsitsipas-in-australian-open-final-1185140.html" target="_blank">Novak Djokovic beats Tommy Paul to set up clash with Stefanos Tsitsipas in Australian Open final</a></strong></p>.<p>It was then a case of which of the big servers would blink first in a tremendous toe-to-toe battle.</p>.<p>At 3-3 Rybakina -- who represents Kazakhstan-- could not find enough first serves and though she saved two break points, a third was too much and Sabalenka had the finish line in sight.</p>.<p>An ace took her to 5-3 and Rybakina held to force Sabalenka to test her nerves and serve for the championship.</p>.<p>She was up to the challenge, but needed four nerve-shredding match points after a display where she hit an astonishing 51 winners and 17 aces to edge past the big-serving Rybakina.</p>.<p>Sabalenka will now rise to second in the world, equalling her career high.</p>.<p>Rybakina will have the consolation of breaking into the top 10 for the first time, after reaching her second Grand Slam final in seven months.</p>.<p>She was awarded no ranking points for her Wimbledon win because of the ban of Russian and Belarusian players there.</p>