Alert: Sabalenka wins Australian Open title

Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, the No 5 seed, edged out Kazakh Elena Rybakina, the No 22 seed, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to win the Australian Open trophy at Melbourne Park on Saturday night.

Ahead of her victory, Sabalenka, ranked No 5, defeated Czech Tereza Martincova (6-1, 6-4), American Shelby Rogers (6-3, 6-1), Belgian Elise Mertens, the No 26 seed (6-2, 6-3), Swiss Belinda Bencic, the No 12 seed (7-5, 6-2), Croat Donna Vekic (6-3, 6-2) and Pole Magda Linette (7-6 (1), 6-2).

Rybakina, ranked No 25, beat Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto (7-5, 6-3), Slovenian Kaja Juvan (6-2, 6-1), American Danielle Collins, the No 13 seed (6-2, 5-7, 6-2), Pole Iga Swiatek, the top seed (6-4, 6-4), Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, the No 17 seed (6-2, 6-4) and Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, the No 24 seed (7-6 (4), 6-3) in the previous rounds.