Elena Rybakina delivered a clinical performance on Thursday, January 29, to secure her place in the Australian Open final and keep her title ambitions alive in Melbourne.

The fifth seed dismissed American Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-6 (7) at Rod Laver Arena, showing poise under pressure to close out the match after one hour and 40 minutes on court.

Rybakina now stands one win away from a second grand slam crown, but her path runs through world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who earlier dominated Elina Svitolina in the first semifinal.

Rybakina controls early before late drama

From the opening games, Rybakina imposed herself with depth and precision, repeatedly finding the lines to take control of the first set. She wrapped it up with authority, finishing with a forehand winner that underlined her aggressive intent.

The second set followed a similar pattern, with Rybakina earning an early break and appearing set for a routine finish. Pegula, however, refused to fade quietly, extending rallies and forcing errors as the match suddenly tightened.

Composure in the tiebreak seals rematch

Despite holding multiple match points and failing to convert on serve, Rybakina steadied herself when it mattered most. She reset in the tiebreak, unleashing a decisive backhand down the line to finally close the door.

After the match, Rybakina acknowledged the challenge posed by Pegula and the significance of reaching another major final. Her victory also sets the stage for a highly anticipated showdown with Sabalenka, a repeat of the 2023 Australian Open final that ended in heartbreak for the Kazakh.

This time, Rybakina will have a chance to flip the script on the sport’s biggest stage.