Elena Rybakina vs Aryna Sabalenka odds, betting trends, predictions and preview for Australian Open final

Kieran Francis

Elena Rybakina vs Aryna Sabalenka odds, betting trends, predictions and preview for Australian Open final image

Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka - two of the biggest servers in the game - will square off in the Australian Open final on Sunday night at Rod Laver Arena.

Having dropped only one set between each other all tournament, the two combatants promise to put on a brutal decider full of power-hitting and huge aces.

Will Sabalenka claim her first Grand Slam title in her maiden final? Or can Rybakina add the Australian Open to her Wimbledon 2022 crown?

The Sporting News has all the details you need to make your punting decisions.

Elena Rybakina vs Aryna Sabalenka odds

To Win USA (BetMGM) UK (Skybet) Australia (Sportsbet)
Elena Rybakina +115 11/10 2.12
Aryna Sabalenka -135 8/11 1.73

 

Spread USA (BetMGM) UK (Skybet) Australia (Sportsbet)
Elena Rybakina (+1.5 games) -120 5/6 1.88
Aryna Sabalenka (-1.5 games) -120 5/6 1.88

Elena Rybakina vs Aryna Sabalenka form and betting trends

Both Rybakina and Sabalenka have been extremely impressive throughout their runs to the Australian Open final, with the Kazakh dropping only one set and the fifth seed yet to lose one herself.

Rybakina looked a bit shaky against Victoria Azarenka in the semi-final, but she still beat the in-form veteran in straight sets - which underlines how dangerous she can be at her best.

Winning Wimbledon 2022 has elevated Rybakina to the elite level and she seems poised to be a contender at Grand Slams going forward, as evidenced by her elimination of world No.1 Iga Swiatek in the fourth round.

The 22nd seed also comfortably accounted for an in-form Jelena Ostapenko in the quarter-final, showing she can blunt a powerful opponent, which will certainly come in the form of final foe Sabalenka.

In her breakthrough tournament, the fifth seed has reached her first Grand Slam final with an almost-flawless two-week display, not dropping a set and dismissing the likes of Belinda Bencic, Donna Vekic and Magda Linette with brute power at Melbourne Park.

Prior to the Australian Open, Sabalenka didn't drop a set on her way to winning the Adelaide International 1 and only just fell short in last year's season-ending WTA Finals to Caroline Garcia.

Sabalenka has an impressive 3-0 head-to-head win record over Rybakina, with a victory at Wimbledon 2021, but none have come in a pressure cooker anywhere near as big as a Grand Slam final.

Elena Rybakina vs Aryna Sabalenka head-to-head results

The pair have met on three occasions, with Sabalenka claiming victory every time.

Year Winner Score Event Round
2021 Aryna Sabalenka 6-3 4-6 6-3 Wimbledon Round 4
2021 Aryna Sabalenka 6-4 4-6 6-3 Abu Dhabi Open Quarter Final
2019 Aryna Sabalenka 6-3 1-6 6-1 Wuhan Open Quarter Final

MORE: Australian Open schedule 2023: Full draws, TV coverage, channels & how to watch every tennis match

Elena Rybakina vs Aryna Sabalenka preview and prediction

It's a battle between two of the biggest servers in the game.

Rybakina and Sabalenka are queens of the ace, with their booming serves aiding them both throughout the tournament.

On countless occasions, the pair have served their way out of trouble, but how will they go against each other?

The intensity shown by Sabalenka throughout the tournament has been unmatched, but she is in unchartered waters playing in her first Grand Slam final. Can she maintain her composure?

Wimbledon champion Rybakina has been in the pressure cooker winning her first major, but there is no doubt that if she repeats a performance like the semi against Azarenka, she will likely lose to Sabalenka.

It seems Sabalenka is destined to win multiple slams throughout her career and this could be the start of a supreme rivalry with Rybakina.

The world No.5 seems to have overcome her struggles late in majors and will lift the Australian Open title on Saturday.

Prediction: Sabalenka in 3.

What time is Elena Rybakina vs Aryna Sabalenka?

  UK USA Canada Australia
Date Saturday, January 28 Saturday, January 28 Saturday, January 28 Saturday, January 28
Time 8:30am BST 3:30am ET 3:30am ET 7:30pm AEDT

How to watch Elena Rybakina vs Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open final

  UK USA Canada Australia
TV channel Eurosport 1 or 2 ESPN/ESPN2 TSN1/TSN5 Channel 9
Streaming eurosport.uk ESPN+ and fuboTV TSN+ 9Now/Stan Sport

Australia: The Nine Network is the free-to-air broadcaster of the Australian Open 2023.

The Australian Open can also be watched on SmartTV's 9Now and Stan Sport as well as 9Gem.

Fans can also stream the Australian Open through 9Now and Stan Sport.

UK: Coverage of the Australian Open 2023 will be broadcast in the UK live and exclusively on Eurosport.

Eurosport 1 and 2 will provide daily coverage of the action in Melbourne.

UK fans can also stream the Australian Open through the discovery+ app, the Eurosport app, or through eurosport.co.uk

USA: Tennis fans based in the United States will be able to watch this year's Australian Open via ESPN. Matches will be broadcast on both ESPN and ESPN2.

ESPN+ and fuboTV will both offer live streaming during the 2023 Australian Open. FuboTV offers a free trial.

Canada: The 2023 Australian Open will be broadcast in Canada by TSN.

Matches will be shown on either TSN1 or TSN5.

Canadian fans are able to live stream the action from Melbourne Park on TSN+.

The full TSN+ broadcast schedule can be accessed here.  

Kieran Francis

Kieran Francis Photo

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has now returned to The Sporting News where his passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket - when he is not on holiday.