"Follow THAT, Stef and Novak" - Tennis fans marvel at quality of Australian Open women's final between Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina

Aryna Sabalenka remained the last woman standing at the 2023 Australian Open, beating reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the final to win her maiden Grand Slam title.Despite losing the opening set - her first at the tournament - Sabalenka held her nerves in the biggest match of her career so far to see off a determined Rybakina on Saturday night. With a break of serve each in the second and third sets, the Belarusian prevailed in the end, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in her maiden Grand Slam final.There was not much to differentiate the duo in the battle that lasted more than two and a half hours, with Rybakina winning 103 points -- only seven fewer than what Sabalenka managed to win. Aryna Sabalenka's serve, which many pundits and fans consider her main strength, helped her more often than not, with 17 aces (seven double faults) raining down from the soon-to-be World No. 2's racquet.While Sabalenka garnered enough attention for her win, Rybakina's efforts did not go unnoticed by tennis fans on social media, who were delighted by the high-quality they were treated to in the summit clash.One fan wondered how Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas were going to follow up a performance like that in the men's final on Sunday, writing:&quot;Follow THAT, Stef and Novak.&quot;Scott Barclay@BarclayCard18Follow THAT, Stef and Novak.1144Follow THAT, Stef and Novak.Another user dubbed it a &quot;phenomenal match from two phenomenal players,&quot; praising Rybakina for showing her sportsmanship throughout the contest and particularly at the end.&quot;Huge respect to Rybakina who showed utter class and sportsmanship hugging and congratulating her opponent on her win!! A phenomenal match from two phenomenal players!!&quot;Here are a few more reactions from fans:Musab@Musab_AbidGreat tournament for Rybakina too, who has silenced her doubters &amp; shown that she belongs to the big stage.You suspect she’d have won the final against anyone other than Sabalenka. The serve has truly become a force of nature, and she’ll be the Wimbledon favourite this year.366Great tournament for Rybakina too, who has silenced her doubters &amp; shown that she belongs to the big stage.You suspect she’d have won the final against anyone other than Sabalenka. The serve has truly become a force of nature, and she’ll be the Wimbledon favourite this year.Eleanor Crooks@EleanorcrooksPAWhat an absolutely tremendous match. Sabalenka a thoroughly deserving grand slam champion. She stepped up and really took that title with a brilliant performance. Credit Rybakina, too, she's going to a factor at slams for years to come.7What an absolutely tremendous match. Sabalenka a thoroughly deserving grand slam champion. She stepped up and really took that title with a brilliant performance. Credit Rybakina, too, she's going to a factor at slams for years to come.Laurence Rosen@LaurenceRosenWill happily watch Sabalenka and Rybakina battle it out for the next decade. #AusOpen10Will happily watch Sabalenka and Rybakina battle it out for the next decade. #AusOpenTom Jones 🏳️&zwj;🌈 🇺🇦@JomTones12Wanted Rybakina to win but fair play Sabalenka. Provided an amazing final and fully deserves the title. Played fabulous tennis in sets 2+3, brilliant rally tolerance and power and just got better and better, piling on the pressure as the match went. What an amazing final!!10Wanted Rybakina to win but fair play Sabalenka. Provided an amazing final and fully deserves the title. Played fabulous tennis in sets 2+3, brilliant rally tolerance and power and just got better and better, piling on the pressure as the match went. What an amazing final!!Akshit Bedi@AkshitBedi3@josemorgado Was rooting for Rybakina but Sabalenka deserves this, what a match41@josemorgado Was rooting for Rybakina but Sabalenka deserves this, what a matchDM@Gamesetmatch11Rybakina played so well, Sabalenka hung on, dug in and wrestled that away from Elena. Class match. Class. Both women. Incredible. A classic. Big hitting, clean, hard and true.7Rybakina played so well, Sabalenka hung on, dug in and wrestled that away from Elena. Class match. Class. Both women. Incredible. A classic. Big hitting, clean, hard and true.The Tennis Podcast@TennisPodcastARYNA SABALENKA IS THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN CHAMPIONShe beats Elena Rybakina 4-6, 6-3, 6-4One of the most magnificent finals you will ever, EVER see.1652139ARYNA SABALENKA IS THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN CHAMPIONShe beats Elena Rybakina 4-6, 6-3, 6-4One of the most magnificent finals you will ever, EVER see.Ben Lewis@BenLewisMPCDreams do come true. Aryna Sabalenka plays the best match of her career and beats Elena Rybakina 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to win the 2023 Australian Open.It's a first career major for Sabalenka, who's been one of the world's best players the last 4-5 years.An awesome final.#AusOpen5Dreams do come true. Aryna Sabalenka plays the best match of her career and beats Elena Rybakina 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to win the 2023 Australian Open.It's a first career major for Sabalenka, who's been one of the world's best players the last 4-5 years.An awesome final.#AusOpenMaxTipster@MaxTipster1What a final that was! Really good tennis from both Sabalenka and Rybakina, one of the most enjoyable finals in a while!Cash in our Sabalenka outright too!14What a final that was! Really good tennis from both Sabalenka and Rybakina, one of the most enjoyable finals in a while!Cash in our Sabalenka outright too!Katie Lambeski@katielambeskiThis is a women’s final of the highest quality. Sabalenka has some of the fiercest strokes I’ve seen, Rybakina is so well rounded, great clash of styles. #AusOpen #AO202371This is a women’s final of the highest quality. Sabalenka has some of the fiercest strokes I’ve seen, Rybakina is so well rounded, great clash of styles. #AusOpen #AO2023Tick Tock Tennis@TickTockTennisAgainst virtually any other player, either player in this final would have won in straight sets at this level.Incredible, incredible performance from both Sabalenka and Rybakina.253Against virtually any other player, either player in this final would have won in straight sets at this level.Incredible, incredible performance from both Sabalenka and Rybakina.Both Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina inside top 10 after Australian Open resultAryna Sabalenka at the 2023 Australian OpenFollowing their finishes at the 2023 Australian Open, both Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina will be inside the top 10 of the women's rankings. While Sabalenka will retake her career-high World No. 2 spot after the 2,000 ranking points from Melbourne Park, Rybakina will break into the top 10 for the first time ever thanks to the 1,200 points from Melbourne.Iga Swiatek still remains at the top of the WTA rankings with over 10,000 points to her name. Aryna Sabalenka is more than 4,000 points behind her with 6,100 points, while Ons Jabeur follows in third place with 5,210 ranking points. Rybakina, meanwhile, has 2,815 points to her name at the moment, which would have been 4,815 (could have been World No. 5) had Wimbledon awarded ranking points last year.

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