Kim Clijsters says where Aryna Sabalenka is better than Elena Rybakina ahead of the final

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The women’s Australian Open finalists have been decided, and now the excitement and anticipation can begin to build.

Aryna Sabalenka will face Elena Rybakina in a rematch of their thrilling 2023 final at this very event.

Many have clamoured to offer their verdict on this showdown, with Kim Clijsters the latest.

She believes she knows exactly what will decide the result of this final. 

Kim Clijsters makes bold Australian Open final claim

Chatting on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast, there was understandable excitement when discussing what should be a blockbuster final.

Clijsters, assessing both players’ chances, then stated what she thinks could decide the match.

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She first noted: “I think we are going back to the point that we just made, which is whoever is able to be the most dominant early on in the rally is going to win the match.

“Of course, the first serve percentages have to be high. They have to be consistent with the return. But if they are both at their best, it will be whoever is capable of dictating the point early on, to the second or third shot of the rally, is going to win this match.

“We are probably going to see a bit more unforced errors because the quality of the shots is going to be high on both sides of the court. It is going to be aggressive, low over the net, a little bit flat.

“So there are a few reasons why it’s going to be high-risk tennis, but whoever is able to really dictate the points early on is going to win.”

Then speaking on Sabalenka specifically, the Belgian, who won the Australian Open in 2011, added: “She is a better mover, I feel, than Rybakina. She has the variety. I think Max Miryni has done a really good job of letting her use the slice a bit more, coming in and using the volleys.

“I think it’s a lot harder against a player who hits the ball hard and deep like Rybakina to get into the net and use that slice to break your opponent’s rhythm a little bit, but I have definitely seen since the off season, and a little bit at the end of last year in Riyadh, when she was trying to add a bit of variety into her game. We always talk about the greatest players are trying to learn and add new tools to their game. She is doing that; she is not just that hard hitter that dominates and overpowers players; she has that variety.

“So if she has the chance, I think she is definitely going to try and use some of the new tools she has learned and being more confident to use them in the final.”

Jessica Pegula has said if she thinks Rybakina can beat Sabalenka, and she will not be alone in her assessment.

Jim Courier and Lindsay Davenport preview Aryna Sabalenka vs Elena Rybakina

Elsewhere, Jim Courier and Lindsay Davenport were obviously also keen to provide their outlook on the final, which promises to be a thriller.

Speaking on Tennis Channel, it was the latter of the two who first previewed the clash, stating: “The two best players right now in women’s tennis are going to compete for the first Grand Slam title of 2026.

“It’s going to be big hitting, it’s going to be big serving. Not a lot between these two.

“It’ll be so interesting. You’ve got to look at first serve percentage when all is said and done from the two and returns of play. It’s first-strike tennis; these two do it better than anybody out on tour, but really tough to play that style against someone who plays similarly.

“Rybakina had a lot of time to return the Pegula serve. She’s not going to be afforded that time against Sabalenka, so both players are going to have to make some pretty quick adjustments early in the rallies.”

This led Courier to state where he feels like the match will be won and lost: “Most of these matches, when you watch players that are big hitters playing, you’ll notice their opponents on the serve, they might be leaning to cover one side or the other. When these players play, their opponents have to lean to cover a corner of the court off ground strokes. That’s how big they hit the ball, and you just can’t get there if you’re not, if you don’t have a good hunch.

“So I think that it’s going to really be important for the coaches to do their due diligence and look for the patterns of play that these players like to have and be in front of those patterns, because you’re going to need to be in position to use your weaponry, because it’s coming at you the whole time otherwise.

“So the coaches are going to earn their money big time in the build-up to this match, in my opinion.”