Australian Open 2026: Sabalenka and Pegula Semifinal Highlights and Results

In a wild twist at the Australian Open 2026, Jessica Pegula—America’s last singles hope—fell to Elena Rybakina in the women’s semifinals.

This sets up a high-voltage final: Rybakina will face world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who beat Elina Svitolina in the other semifinal.

Fans are buzzing for this rematch of the 2023 Australian Open final. Both players are famous for their aggressive styles, so it’s bound to be intense.

The Semifinal Showdowns

The 2026 semifinals didn’t disappoint. Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka both powered through to the final.

Rybakina, the fifth seed, took down Jessica Pegula in straight sets: 6-3, 7-6(7). Pegula wanted this one badly but couldn’t handle Rybakina’s calm and heavy serves.

Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka, the top seed, rolled past 12th seed Elina Svitolina with a confident 6-2, 6-3 win.

Elena Rybakina vs. Jessica Pegula

Rybakina really showed her grit and sharp tactics against Pegula. She came out swinging, dominating the first set with big baseline shots and serves for a 6-3 win.

The second set got tight, both players refusing to let up. It all came down to a tense tiebreak, and Rybakina edged it 7-6(7) with nerves of steel.

After the match, Rybakina looked back on her last showdown with Sabalenka in the 2023 final. She said the match was close and stressed how much experience matters now, especially when it comes to serving under pressure.

*Since we are both very aggressive players, the serve is going to be important. I will fight until the end, and hopefully this time it goes my way.*

Aryna Sabalenka vs. Elina Svitolina

Sabalenka kept her hot streak going on hard courts, overpowering Svitolina in straight sets. Her relentless groundstrokes and attacking mindset left Svitolina struggling, especially on serve.

Even when she got hit with an early hindrance call, Sabalenka didn’t let it rattle her. In fact, it fired her up.

She didn’t hold back in her reaction. *I think it was the wrong call … how do I say in a nice way? She really p—ed me off, and it actually helped me and benefited my game. I was more aggressive and it really helped me to get that game.*

Looking Ahead to the Final

This final between Sabalenka and Rybakina? Can’t miss it. Both have monster serves and go for broke on every point.

Sabalenka leads their head-to-head 8-6, but Rybakina’s been looking sharp lately. Could she flip the script?

Key Factors to Watch

A few things could swing this final either way:

• Serve: Both have huge serves. Whoever lands more first serves and keeps the pressure on probably takes the edge.
• Mental Toughness: Staying cool matters. Rybakina’s ice-cold focus and Sabalenka’s fiery drive will both get tested.
• Experience: Rybakina’s grown since their last final. How they use what they’ve learned could decide the match.
• Fitness: After tough semifinals, whoever recovers better might have the legs to finish strong.

Rybakina said she wants to keep things light before the final. *Maybe to switch my mind off (before the final) I will go to the city, do a bit of shopping. I need to do something different.*

Impact Beyond the Court

This year’s Australian Open has meant more than just tennis. Elina Svitolina, even after losing, talked about how much inspiration sports can give—especially to folks back in Ukraine.

*This exchange of positivity is something that helps people. That’s what I get the feedback from them and for me is something unbelievable.*