Aus Open Day 13: Aryna Sabalenka wins women's final, Aussie duo win men's doubles title
An Aussie duo has won the Australian Open men's doubles title again as Jason Kubler and Rinky Hijikata triumphed in wild scenes.
Matthew Sullivan
2 min read
January 28, 2023 - 2:29PM
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 29: Rinky Hijikata and Jason Kubler of Australia pose with the championship trophy in the Men’s Doubles Final against Hugo Nys of France and Jan Zielinski of Poland during day 13 of the 2023 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 29, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
Against the odds, an Australian duo has won the Australian Open men's doubles title for the second year in a row.
Jason Kubler and Rinky Hijikata completed off their fairytale run with a 6-4 7-6 win over Hugo Nys and Jan ZIelinski that ended with an absurd match point.
Journeyman Kubler and 21-year-old Hijikata, who took a set off Rafael Nadal at last year's US Open, had never played doubles together and entered the Australian Open as a wildcard.
But they proved a perfect pairing and looked at home in a grand slam final, with Hijikata bouncing around like an energiser bunny.
Kubler and Hijikata had the upper hand in the first set but the second set was much tighter and went to a tiebreak.
On match point, Jason Kubler showed incredible volleying reflexes at the net to keep the rally going, eventually forcing an error from the opposing pair as the ball floated long.
Aussie doubles legend Todd Woodbridge described it as "the point of the match on match point."
Rinky Hijikata and Jason Kubler of Australia pose with the championship trophy in the Men’s Doubles Final. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Absolute scenes. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
Kubler and Hijikata were presented with the trophy by legendary American doubles pairing Mike and Bob Bryan.
It comes 12 months after Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis won the Australian Open doubles title last year.
They were known as their Special Ks but the best nickname we can come up with for this new duo is the Ice Men – for the Ice Kube (Kubler) and the Ice Rink (Hijikata).
It's the first time in 40 years that two different Australian pairings have won back-to-back Australian Open doubles titles.
John Fitzgerald and John Fitzgerald won in 1982 and were followed up by Mark Edmonson and Paul McNamee in 1983.
Earlier, Aryna Sabalenka fought back from a set down to win an all-time classic women's final over Elena Rybakina 4-6 6-3 6-4.
In her first grand slam final, Sabalenka played the match of her life to beat the reigning Wimbledon champion and win her first grand slam title.
It's a remarkable turnaround for the 24-year-old, who was taunted by the Melbourne crowd five years ago for grunting in a match against Barty, and had a severe case of the serving yips 12 months ago that threatened to derail her career.
Aryna Sabalenka receives the Australian Open trophy from Billie Jean King. Photo: Manan Vatsyayana/AFP
Updates
Aussie duo win doubles title!
They've done it.
Aussie duo Jason Kubler and Rinky Hijikata have won the Australian Open men's doubles title, defeating Hugo Nys and Jan ZIelinski 6-4 7-6.
The Australians had the upper hand in the first set but the second set was much tighter and went to a tiebreak.
On match point, Jason Kubler showed incredible volleying reflexes at the net to keep the rally going, eventually forcing an error from the opposing pair.
Todd Woodbridge described it as "the point of the match on match point."
You beauty Jason Kubler and Rinky Hijikata! Grand Slam men’s doubles champions. A special night for the Aussies. #AusOpen
It's the second year in a row an Australian pair has won the Australian Open men's doubles title after Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis triumphed last year.
Aussie doubles duo win first set
Could we see an Aussie duo win the men's doubles title for the second year in a row?
Jason Kubler and Rinky Hijikata are well on their way after claiming the first set 6-4 against another unseeded pairing Hugo Nys and Jan Zieliński.
Last year it was the Special Ks, so do Kubler and Hijikata have a nickname?
The best we can come up with is the Ice Men – for the Ice Kube and the Ice Rink.
Aryna Sabalenka has prevailed in an epic Australian Open women's final against Elena Rybakina to claim her maiden grand slam title.
After dropping the first set, Sabalenka took her game to another level to win an all-time classic final 4-6 6-3 6-4.
The Belarusian fell on her back after sealing victory in two-and-a-half hours, shedding a tear as Rybakina walked to the other side of the court to embrace her opponent.
Sabalenka and Rybakina are two of the hardest strikers of the ball in the women's game and their brutal power was on show during a rapid fire shootout of a first set that had aces galore.
Rybakina broke serve early in the first set and took advantage of five double faults from Sabalenka to claim the opener in quick time.
But Sabalenka kicked into gear in the second set, putting Rybakina on the ropes with scintillating serving and shotmaking in a career-best performance.
Aryna Sabalenka receives the Australian Open trophy from Billie Jean King. Photo: Manan Vatsyayana/AFP Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina played out an all-time classic. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
The fifth seed broke serve when she needed to in the second and third set, before overcoming some nerves to seal victory on her fourth championship point.
Making the victory even more astonishing was the fact it was Sabalenka's seventh consecutive win at a grand slam after losing the first set. She is yet to lose a match in 2023.
Rybakina had been aiming to win her second grand slam title in seven months and succeed Ash Barty as Australian Open champion just as she did at Wimbledon last year. But it wasn't to be.
It's a remarkable turnaround for Sabalenka, who was taunted by the Melbourne crowd five years ago for her grunting in a match against Barty, and had a severe case of the serving yips 12 months ago that threatened to derail her career.
“This I think is setting a new bar for women's tennis,” Alicia Molik said on Channel 9 Nine.
“The rest of the field are going to have to catch up to this level that these women have set tonight.”
Sabalenka goes in front
Sabalenka was threatening to take control of the match and now she has, breaking Rybakina to take a 4-3 lead in the deciding set.
She's gone to another level and is just two games away from the title.
Thrilling finish on the cards
It's going down to the wire.
The third set has become a dogfight at 3-3 and there is yet to be a break of serve.
Sabalenka is hammering her shots with immense power but Rybakina is hanging in there and playing exceptional tennis herself.
Aryna Sabalenka went to another level in the second set, taking it 6-3 to force a third and deciding set.
She looks the more dangerous player now and it's worth noting she has somehow won her last six grand slam matches when losing the first set.
But Rybakina won't give up without a fight. It's all set up for a thrilling finish.
Sabalenka fights back in 2nd set
We have a match on our hands.
After a nervy first set, Aryna Sabalenka has settled into the final and is playing out of her skin in the second set.
The Belarusian broke serve early in the second set and is putting some serious heat on her shots now, and with less unforced errors.
Rybakina takes first set
Elena Rybakina has one hand on the Australian Open trophy after claiming a rapid fire first set 6-4.
She broke serve early before Aryna Sabalenka broke back to level at 4-4, before Rybakina immediately broke back.
Both players possess monster serves but Sabalenka hit five double faults to Rybakina's none.
It's the first set Sabalenka has lost in 2023 and the first opening set Rykabina was won against her.
Wild start to Aus Open final
The Australian Open women's final is underway and it seems it could well be a shootout between the lightning serves of Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka.
Sabalenka started the match with a double fault but easily held serve, before Rybakina showed her serve was just as lethal, nailing a flurry of aces.
There were five aces in the opening two games of the match, but Rybakina managed to get the early break and go up 2-1.
Rybakina just untouchable on serve. 4-2, two points lost.
