The triumph of silence

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Elena Rybakina doesn't speak much, doesn't show many emotions, neither disappointment in defeat nor joy in victory. She just wants to play tennis as best as possible, and in these two weeks at the 2026 Australian Open, she has done it perfectly. With her serve as her main weapon and ignoring the predictions that labeled her as a contender, the Kazakh took down rivals along the way with a deafening silence.

Whether due to the culture of her country or her personality, Elena Rybakina is a woman of few words, not her forte, nor does she aspire to be. The same happens on the court, her poker face throughout the match, not revealing a hint of her inner fire, is another of her strong points. She may be burning inside, but she will never show it.

While she has regained her incisive, aggressive, and initiative-based game, her physical improvement has also been crucial in her comeback. In 2024 and 2025, the Kazakh withdrew from many tournaments due to health issues, and in many others, her physical condition collapsed when she had the match under control. Despite this, she clinched six titles in these two years (Brisbane 2024, Abu Dhabi 2024, Stuttgart 2024, Strasbourg 2025, Ningbo 2025, WTA Finals 2025).

However, her best tennis and physical form reappeared with the return of Stefano Vukov to her coaching staff. The controversial coach was suspended by the WTA in early 2024 for abusive behavior and was denied access to any tournament on the circuit. Yet, the Kazakh always defended him, claiming she never experienced any harassment. Once the ban was lifted, they reunited.

This has been Elena Rybakina's journey to the title of the 2026 Australian Open

Returning to the Australian Open, one aspect Rybakina emphasized was her excellent preseason. With no physical setbacks and having finished 2025 in early November, the Kazakh arrived in excellent form at Melbourne Park. The results started speaking for themselves.

She had no trouble in her debut against Kaja Juvan (6-4, 6-3), the same situation in the second round against Varvara Gracheva (7-5, 6-2), and dominating Tereza Valentova (6-2, 6-3) in the third round. As the tournament progressed, her level rose significantly, starting the second week by easily defeating Elise Mertens (6-1, 6-3), and facing her first major challenge against the world number two, Iga Swiatek. She accepted the challenge of the first set and crushed her opponent in the second (7-5, 6-1).

Her name began to be touted as a top contender for the title, but she remained focused, silent, and determined as ever to win her first Australian Open. Just two matches away from achieving it, she faced Jessica Pegula and endured her only setback, almost losing the match in the second set. Nonetheless, she resisted the American's challenge, saving three set points against her (6-3, 7-6(9)) to set up a final showdown with Aryna Sabalenka.

A final between complete opposites: calm against tempest, shouts against silence, anxiety against composure. The match was full of intense rallies, with each player taking a set and a critical moment in the third set, with Sabalenka leading 3-0.

At that point, it would have been easiest to give up and finish the match gracefully against the world number one, but Rybakina had only one thing on her mind: the title. Once again, without making a sound but relying on her powerful serve, she turned the tide in the blink of an eye (6-4, 4-6, 6-4), to the frustration of Sabalenka, who was on the brink of her third Australian title, only to have it snatched away.

It was a triumph of hard work and perseverance, away from the spotlight, the media, the predictions, and everything that Rybakina doesn't care about. She just wants to play tennis and win all possible titles. With the first major of the season in her pocket and this performance in Melbourne, she emerges as the clear favorite for the rest of the season. The future is uncertain, but one thing is sure: how Elena Rybakina will act, as she always has throughout her career. Silently.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El triunfo del silencio