Jimmy Connors Thinks Aryna Sabalenka Lacks ‘Killer Instincts’ After Another Grand Slam Final Defeat
Elena Rybakina improved her head-to-head record over World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka 7-8 after their Australian Open final meeting.
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Aryna Sabalenka, Jimmy Connors (Image via X/HQ Pics, Sports Infos)
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Aryna Sabalenka once again lost in a Grand Slam final, this time, at the hands of Elena Rybakina in the recently concluded Australian Open. The Belarusian was the heavy favorite to win the title, given that she has a good record in Melbourne to boast about.
Sabalenka made her fourth consecutive final in the Major Down Under. It was here back in 2023 that she came from a set down to beat Rybakina to win her career’s first Grand Slam singles final. The following year, she defended her crown against Qinwen Zheng, while last year, Madison Keys dashed her hopes of completing the three-peat.
Sabalenka now holds a 4-4 win-loss record in Grand Slam finals. She won titles at the 2023 and 2024 Australian Open and at the 2024 and 2025 US Open. The defeats that she suffered were in the finals of the 2025 Australian Open, 2025 French Open, and this year’s Melbourne event.
Following the final, Jimmy Connors gave his verdict on the match. He thinks the Belarusian lacks the killer instinct to win the Major finals. Connors said on his Advantage Connors podcast:
Sabalenka, once again, I think she was 3-0 up in the third, right? I might take a little ribbon for this, but you got to have that killer instinct. When you get somebody, especially in the finals like that, you’ve got to get on top, and you got to do everything you can to stay on top and to keep the pressure on and cut down on your mistakes and don’t give any points away and make your opponent earn everything.
The win helped Rybakina improve her head-to-head record over the World No.1 to 7-8. En route to the win, she also knocked out six-time Major champion Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals and 2024 US Open finalist Jessica Pegula in the semifinals.
I know she’s had bad luck in the past, losing a number of finals that maybe she shouldn’t have, but up 3-0 in the third in a Major like that, you’ve got to close the deal.
Jimmy Connors added
It was Rybakina’s second Grand Slam title following her 2022 Wimbledon triumph (beat Ons Jabeur). Rybakina also registered her second consecutive win over Sabalenka, as she also beat her in last year’s WTA Finals championship match.
Pat Cash says Aryna Sabalenka capitulated against Elena Rybakina
On the back of powerful service games, Elena Rybakina clinched the first set against Aryna Sabalenka but suffered a drop in level in the second set. In the third set, Rybakina was trailing 0-3, and then she made an incredible comeback, winning five consecutive games before eventually ending the match with an ace. Former ATP player Pat Cash gave his verdict on the match.
Sabalenka will go away with a lot of things to think about. She basically capitulated. What a great performance! Elena Rybakina was gone for all money really in that third set, with Aryna Sabalenka not far away from that double break, but she started making those first-serve returns, and they were absolutely crucial.
Pat Cash told BBC Radio 5
In that final, both players lost a set for the first time in the tournament. Sabalenka, in fact, lost a set for the first time this year; before arriving in Melbourne, she had defended her crown at the Brisbane International without dropping a set.
Sabalenka beat Marta Kostyuk in the final. The Kazakh ace suffered defeat in the quarterfinals at the hands of Karolina Muchova in Brisbane. Rybakina is back in her career-best No.3 rankings. Sabalenka has once again strengthened her position in the rankings.
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