The ice queen Elena Rybakina finds her fire in the Melbourne heat

For years, the book on Elena Rybakina has been written in shades of blue and silver. She is the “Ice Queen,” the stoic champion who greets a thunderous ace or a Grand Slam-winning point with the same minimalist fist pump.

But on Saturday night at Rod Laver Arena, as the 2026 Australian Open final threatened to slip through her fingers, the world saw something different. It wasn’t a scream or a shattered racquet, but a quiet, internal revolution.

When Rybakina trailed World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 0–3 in the deciding set, the ghosts of 2023 began to circle. Three years ago, on this same court, Rybakina had taken the first set against the same opponent, only to see the title vanish as Sabalenka’s power overwhelmed her.

History seemed destined to repeat itself. Sabalenka was roaring, her forehand screaming across the court nearly 20 kmph faster than her tournament average. Rybakina, by contrast, looked heavy.

“I didn’t expect to turn it around,” Rybakina admitted candidly in her post-match press conference, her second Grand Slam trophy sitting within arm’s reach. “It was a really tough battle.”

The turning point wasn’t a technical adjustment to her toss or a change in her footwork. It was a refusal to let the mounting pressure turn into a spiral of self-defeat. For a player often criticized — or praised, depending on people — for her lack of emotion, the third set was a masterclass in emotional regulation.

“I’m happy that being down I was able to calm myself down,” Rybakina said. “Not being frustrated anymore and just focus on each point and stay closer to the score.”

That shift in internal temperature changed the external reality of the match. While Sabalenka began to press, perhaps sensing the finish line, Rybakina’s “Ice Queen” persona transitioned into something more industrial. She stopped waiting. She stopped hoping for the Belarusian to miss.

“I knew even today if I get a chance to lead that I will need to try also kind of some risky shots and just go for it,” she explained. “Not definitely wait for any mistakes or even get to the long rally.”

The strategy was a gamble. In the high-stakes vacuum of a third set, most players retreat into “safe” tennis, hoping their opponent’s nerves will do the work for them.

But Rybakina, spurred on by her coach Stefano Vukov, who demanded more “energy” from the box, did the opposite. She met Sabalenka’s fire with a controlled burn of her own. She reeled off five consecutive games, turning a 0–3 deficit into a 5–3 lead in a matter of minutes.

The victory marks a staggering return to form for Rybakina, who has navigated a turbulent few years.

Between 2022 and 2026, she faced health struggles, coaching changes, and the lingering doubt of whether her Wimbledon triumph was a solitary lightning strike. She confessed that even she had moments where she questioned if she belonged on the podium again.

“I always believed that I can come back to the level I was,” she said. “Like I think everyone I thought oh maybe I will never be again in the final or even get a trophy. But it’s all about the work.”

That work has paid off. Rybakina is now the winningest player on the WTA tour since last summer, a streak defined by a 10-0 record against Top 10 opponents.

Her victory in Melbourne isn’t just a win for her trophy cabinet; it’s a warning shot to the rest of the tour. The “Ice Queen” has learned how to use the heat of the moment to her advantage.