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Watch Aryna Sabalenka vs Elena Rybakina live streams to see who will emerge victorious at the Australian Open 2026. Will the world No. 1 claim a fifth Grand Slam title or will the fifth seed gain revenge for her final defeat three years ago?
You can watch Sabalenka vs Rybakina in the Australian Open 2026 final from anywhere with a VPN and potentially for FREE.
Sabalenka vs Rybakina takes place on Saturday, January 31.
► Start time — 3.30 a.m. ET / 8.30 a.m. GMT / 7.30 a.m. AEDT
• U.S. — ESPN Unlimited / ESPN & ESPN2 via Sling
• FREE STREAMS — 9Now (Australia)
• Watch anywhere — Try NordVPN 100% risk free
“I just love this place,” declared Sabalenka after defeating Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-3 in the semi-finals on Thursday. It’s easy to see why the top seed has such affection for Melbourne Park as she prepares to play in the final for the fourth straight year. The 27-year-old has a 34-6 record at the Australian Open and this year has not dropped a single set en-route to the showpiece event.
She’s also hit a staggering 172 winners throughout this year’s tournament and has limited the number of unforced errors. This makes Sabalenka even tougher to beat on what is clearly her favorite surface, having won all four of her major titles on hard courts and now reached her seventh straight hard-court final at a Grand Slam.
While many stats favor Sabalenka, Rybakina will enter the final full of confidence after producing crushing victories over second seed Iga Świątek in the quarters and sixth seed Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals. The 2022 Wimbledon champion has won 19 of her last 20 matches and possesses a huge serve that has been firing on all cylinders in Melbourne.
The 26-year-old is also yet to drop a set and does lead the head-to-head over Sabalenka on hard courts, having won six of their 11 meetings on the surface. However, she will have to overcome some bad memories from three years ago when she won the first set of the final against the Belarusian before losing the next two.
Here's how to watch Sabalenka vs Rybakina online and on TV — starting with free streaming options.
Can I watch Sabalenka vs Rybakina free of charge?
Every Australian Open 2026 match, including Sabalenka vs Rybakina, is free-to-air in Australia courtesy of Channel 9 and 9Gem, with streaming available via the 9Now platform.
Just register an account using a valid Aussie postcode (e.g. NSW 2000).
Away from home? You may not be able to watch the action like you normally would due to regional restrictions. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution. Use a VPN to watch Sabalenka vs Rybakina for free — we’ll show you how below.
How to watch Sabalenka vs Rybakina from anywhere
Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the tennis on your usual subscription?
You can still watch Sabalenka vs Rybakina live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear as if they're back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. So ideal for viewers away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN. It's the best on the market:
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you want to watch the free Sabalenka vs Rybakina coverage on 9Now, choose 'Australia' from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to 9Now, sign in, and watch Sabalenka vs Rybakina live.
How to watch Sabalenka vs Rybakina live streams in the U.S.
In the U.S., Sabalenka vs Rybakina is being shown across ESPN and ESPN Unlimited.
There are many way to tune in, but we recommend Sling TV because it's the most cost-efficient way of getting comprehensive Australian Open coverage.
The Sling Orange plan carries ESPN and ESPN2, and costs $5 per day, $10 for three days, $15/week, $46/month or $115/quarter.
Click through for more options ▼
Although Sling is the most cost-efficient option, it isn't the only cable TV alternative you can use.
ESPN's coverage is available to live stream on ESPN Unlimited, which costs $29.99/month or $299.99/year, but for a limited time you can bundle it with Disney Plus and Hulu for $29.99/month for 12 months, after which it'll cost $35.99/month.
Fubo, YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV will let you tune in too.
How to watch Sabalenka vs Rybakina live streams in Canada
In Canada, Australian Open 2026, including the final between Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, is being shown on TSN and TSN Plus, which grants access to everything TSN has to offer for just CA$8/month or CA$80/year.
If you're outside Canada but have a subscription, you can watch the tennis with the aid of a VPN, such as NordVPN.
How to watch Sabalenka vs Rybakina live streams in the U.K.
In the U.K., Sabalenka vs Rybakina is being shown on TNT Sports 1. Subscriptions for TNT Sports start at £18/month through Virgin Media or £25/month on Sky TV.
Alternatively, tennis fans can live stream TNT Sports via Discovery+, from £30.99/month.
Away from the U.K. right now? NordVPN will unblock your stream of the Australian Open.
How to watch Sabalenka vs Rybakina live streams in Australia
There are two ways to watch Sabalenka vs Rybakina in Australia, including a FREE option.
As explained above, free-to-air Channel 9, 9Gem and 9Now are showing every single match live. All you need is an account with a valid Australian postcode (e.g. NSW 2000).
You can also live stream all the action in 4K and ad-free on Stan Sport. The service costs AU$20/month on top of a Stan plan, which itself starts at AU$12/month.
If you're on holiday outside Australia, you can still follow your usual AO26 live streams by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN.
Can I watch Sabalenka vs Rybakina in 4K UHD?
If you want to watch Sabalenka vs Rybakina in 4K, you'll need Stan Sport. It offers ad-free coverage of every match on every court, with the Stan Sport add-on costing AU$20. You'll also need a Stan base plan, which starts at AU$12/month.
More from Tom's Guide
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
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