MELBOURNE: Elena Rybakina battled past Jessica Pegula into the Australian Open final on Thursday with the fifth seed setting up a repeat of her 2023 title match against Aryna Sabalenka.
Kazakhstan's Rybakina, who is targeting a second Grand Slam crown, downed the American sixth seed 6-3, 7-6 (9/7) in a 1hr 40min arm-wrestle on the Rod Laver Arena and is yet to drop a set all tournament.
The 26-year-old's reward is an all-or-nothing clash on Saturday against the Belarusian world number one, who shattered her dreams three years ago by rallying from a set down to lift the trophy.
"It was such a battle. It was an epic second set. I'm really glad I managed to win it," she said.
"I'm really proud that no matter the situation, I was leading, and then, of course, it was very tight, I still stayed there. I was fighting for each point and just happy.
"Overall, it's a lot of positives to take."
Moscow-born Rybakina, who defeated second seed Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals, is trying to get back on the Grand Slam title board for the first time in three-and-a-half years after winning Wimbledon in 2022.
She has been in sizzling recent form, beating Sabalenka to win the WTA Finals in Riyadh in November and winning 19 of her last 20 matches.
Dubai-based Rybakina made a statement start, holding to love, then forced a break when a nervy Pegula slapped a backhand into the net.
Pegula started to find her radar and ask more questions in the baseline rallies, but still slid 3-0 behind.
A service hold boosted Pegula's confidence, but she then failed to win a point in the next game.
She did well to save two break points and cling on at 2-4, but it was delaying the inevitable and Rybakina raced through the set in 32 minutes.
The writing was on the wall, with the laser-focused Kazakh winning her last 22 matches after taking the first set.
A netted volley from Pegula handed her a break point at 1-1 and a crushing return sealed an early advantage in set two.
An agitated Pegula refocused to break back but Rybakina's high-powered groundstrokes proved too much for her and she conceded her third break of the match immediately after.
The battling American saved three match points on serve at 3-5 then pulled off a stunning break as the jittery fifth seed was serving for the match.
It was a short-lived comeback, broken once more, but as the crowd got behind her she broke again to take it to a tense tiebreak.
Rybakina kept her cool to reach only her third Grand Slam final.
