Aryna Sabalenka WINS Australian Open after beating Elena Rybakina 4-6 6-3 6-4

The tennis world’s policy of allowing players from outlawed nations to carry on competing yielded its first neutral champion at the Australian Open.

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus may not have a flag by her name but now she has a first Grand Slam trophy, presented to her by Billie Jean King.

The image will not sit comfortably with all amid the current global turmoil but it should be said that, seen through the prism of tennis alone, her triumph was well-deserved after an excellent final.

Aryna Sabalenka won the Australian Open after beating Elena Rybakina 4-6 6-3 6-4

She defeated Moscow-born Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina 4-6 6-3 6-4 in two and a half hours, and having suffered from nerves on the big occasion throughout her career she held it together to clinch it on a fourth match point.

It was the serve which carried her home, somewhat poignantly for a player who has endured bouts of the yips on her second serve. She served 56 of them in making the fourth round at Melbourne Park last year.

This was not, in truth, a match-up to capture the wider imagination or provide a much-needed boost to the women’s game. Yet the quality of tennis elevated it above any indifference that might have been felt.

Patches of empty seats in the stadium told of this not being an easy sell, and tickets were going for less than a third of what is being demanded for the men’s final, not that £150 to watch the women was a trifling sum.

The Belarusian was overcome with emotions after serving out to clinch the first Grand Slam title of her career in a thrilling final at Melbourne Park

Sabalenka and Rybakina received their trophies from tennis great Billie Jean King

The Belarusian paid tribute to her team in her acceptance speech at Rod Laver Arena

Since the invasion of Ukraine that her government has assisted in Sabalenka has stayed neutral, asking what she is meant to do about it as an athlete with relatives living in Belarus.

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There was no awkwardness or embarrassment in the handing over the trophy, which had her name engraved on it but not followed by that of her country.

She was reluctant to comment on that, saying: ‘I think everyone knows that I am a Belarus player and that’s it. I think people (there) will be proud of me.’

In terms of the tennis she was emotional in the immediate aftermath of the match, having finally delivered on the physical talent which always suggested a Major was within range.

Rybakina won the first set 6-4 and looked on her way to win a second Grand Slam title after triumphing at Wimbledon in July last year 

But the Kazakh had no answers for Sabalenka as the world No5 roared back into the contest

The Belarusian landed 80 percent of her first serve, putting pressure on Rybakina

‘It really was the best match that I have played. I was just happy that I was able to handle all the emotions in the last game,’ she said, having seen her first attempt at match point end in a double fault.

Both these player strike the ball with enormous power. 

In Sabalenka’s case she is able to call on a strapping physique, while the slighter figure of Rybakina relies more on acute timing, as she showed at Wimbledon.

Sabalenka’s dreaded double faults struck in the first set when she delivered five of them, but her second serve improved thereafter and the points she was able to win on that turned the match around.

She was able to muscle her way back into the match, and from a long way out it was clear that if she held her nerve she would win the match.