One wears Gucci and appears on Jimmy Fallon, the other gives you nothing: Behind the women’s final

Aryna Sabalenka is no longer just a world-class tennis player. She is a bona fide brand.

Forget that she has steamrolled her way to this year’s Australian Open final without dropping a set. She is a Gucci ambassador, has guest starred on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, wears custom-made on-court bling and is cheered on by a wealthy Brazilian boyfriend.

Aryna Sabalenka is aiming for her third Australian Open title in four years.Credit: Eddie Jim

Like Serena Williams before her, she is transcending the sport.

“I always wanted to be something bigger than just a tennis player,” the confident Sabalenka revealed at the start of this year’s tournament.

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But while she fields as many questions about her fashion collaborations as she does about her game, Sabalenka’s opponent in Saturday night’s final, Russian-born Kazakh Elena Rybakina, could hardly be more different.

Rybakina, 26, is quietly spoken and reserved. She switched allegiance from Russia to Kazakhstan in 2017 on the promise of better financial support. She doesn’t wear on-court jewellery. She doesn’t even wear a necklace.

“She’s so chill. She doesn’t really give you anything, and I think that’s hard sometimes. You’re not really sure if she’s upset, or if she’s excited, or what it is,” her opponent Jessica Pegula said after their semi-final clash.

Rybakina has not won a grand slam title since her breakthrough 2022 Wimbledon success.

She reunited with 38-year-old Croatian coach, Stefano Vukov, in the lead up to this year’s Australian Open after he successfully appealed a 12-month ban from WTA events last year.

Vukov was suspended after a WTA investigation at the start of 2025 into a potential breach of its code of conduct, regarding “abusive conduct” and “abuse of authority”. Details of the case remained confidential.

Elena Rybakina has not dropped a set on her way to the Australian Open final.Credit: Eddie Jim

He denied any wrongdoing. Rybakina also insisted he never mistreated her during their time working together, and credited his influence when asked about his presence during this year’s Australian Open.

“I think it’s a big help because, of course, he knows me the best,” she said after beating Pegula on Thursday night. “With his advice on the court during the matches, it definitely makes a difference.”

Despite differences in demeanour, Rybakina and Sabalenka are fierce on-court rivals. Rybakina has also won her way through to the final without dropping a set.

They are heavy-hitting baseliners who have met 14 times. Sabalenka leads their head-to-head clashes 8-6, including a three-set victory (4-6, 6-3, 6-4) in the 2023 Australian Open final.

But a lot has happened in the three years since. While Rybakina had not made it to another grand slam final before this weekend, “Brand Sabalenka” has flourished.

As well as winning three more grand slam singles titles, the 182-centimetre right-hander has become a household name.

“I couldn’t dream about going to these shows [before],” she said of two guest appearances on The Tonight Show at the end of last year.

“It’s always a lot of fun. He’s very energetic, very fun. I really enjoyed my time there. I really hope I can do these kinds of shows more often. I think it is really cool.”

Aryna Sabalenka’s boyfriend Georgios Frangulis, left, sits courtside on Rod Laver Arena.Credit: Getty Images

On top of that, Sabalenka, 27, has found balance in her personal life. She cheekily floated the prospect of an engagement to entrepreneur Georgios Frangulis at the Brisbane International.

“Thank you to my boyfriend,” she said after winning the Brisbane event. “Hopefully, soon I’ll call you something else, right? No pressure.”

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Frangulis is the 36-year-old founder of Oakberry, a global health food brand known for its açaí products.

The couple first met in 2024 when the tennis ace became an Oakberry ambassador. Frangulis has been a constant courtside companion during this Australian summer.

She said the pair would be watching season two of Homeland in the lead up to the final.

The relationship came at a comforting time for Sabalenka whose former partner, 42-year-old Belarusian professional ice hockey player Konstantin Koltsov, fell to his death from a Florida resort balcony in March 2024 in an apparent suicide.

“Konstantin’s death is an unthinkable tragedy, and while we were no longer together, my heart is broken,” she said at the time.

In the midst of this year’s Australian Open, Sabalenka has captured worldwide attention for more than just her tennis, unveiling a bold collaboration with Gucci on social media.

The clip showed her hitting balls while wearing one of the luxury fashion house’s flowing gowns.

“I have it in my room,” she said of the dress during a post-match press conference. “You might see me walking around in that one.”

Sabalenka has also made a fashion statement on the court during this year’s open, wearing a colourful Nike outfit along with a custom-made earring-and-necklace set from luxury retailer Material Gold.

But in the end, a candid Sabalenka knows it all counts for little compared to the pursuit of grand slam success.

“I’m trying to take it one day at a time, one point at a time, one game, one set, and that’s my focus, you know,” she said.

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