Sabalenka: This Was Most Painful Loss

By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Photo credit: Darrian Traynor/Getty for Australian Open Facebook

Playing professional tennis requires you to accept a couple of consequences, says Aryna Sabalenka: You win or your learn.

World No. 1 Sabalenka said squandering a 3-0 lead in the final set of the 2026 Australian Open final was an education in processing pain.

Spiraling through a five-game slide, Elena Rybakina teetered on the edge of oblivion in the Australian Open final.

A resilient Rybakina responded with a rousing title run.

Rybakina reeled off six of the last seven games stunning Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to capture her maiden Australian Open championship with a committed comeback.

After defeating Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-4 to reach the Miami Open quarterfinals, Sabalenka said her 2026 AO final loss was more painful than her three-set defeat to Madison Keys in the 2025 Melbourne major final. Sabalenka will play American Hailey Baptiste in tonight’s quarterfinals with the winner facing either the third-seeded Rybakina or fifth-seeded American Jessica Pegula.

“I mean, they all super painful,” Sabalenka said. “I would say that this year was more painful than last year
because last year Madison just overplayed me. She played incredible points. I couldn’t do anything. Was
basically in her hands.

“This year, yeah, I think I just screw up myself.”

That self-implosion came with the top seed holding a seemingly secure 3-0 lead in the final set.

“I felt like I was playing really great tennis. I was 3-Love up. It felt like everything was in my hands,” Sabalenka said. “I felt like Elena in that point of the match, she didn’t really confident or anything. I just felt like I basically gave it, just gave that final.

“Of course, then she stepped in. Then she felt, okay, I still in the match, all of that. But yeah, that one was very painful. As soon as I left Australia Open, I kind of like forgot it. We just spoke with my team. We did some let’s say mental changes the way I approach the finals now.”

The reigning US Open champion edged Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6) in a classic Indian Wells final to avenge her AO loss. Sabalenka said learning from loss is one reason she’s been able to hold the top spot.

“We changed some preparation. I mean, it’s always a work process,” Sabalenka said. “You win, you lose.
You never lose actually, you learn. You just try to do better next time.”