No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka is returning to the Australian Open final for her fourth consecutive year. This time around, she’ll face No. 5 Elena Rybakina. This pair has had quite the run to the finals of this tournament, with neither of them dropping a single set so far. The last time Sabalenka and Rybakina faced off was at the WTA Finals, where Rybakina was victorious.
The women’s final match will (unfortunately for U.S. viewers) begin at 3:30 a.m. ET. Sabalenka vs. Rybakina will be broadcast on ESPN and stream live on ESPN+ for ESPN Unlimited subscribers. Here’s what you need to know about watching the 2026 Australian Open women’s final.
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How to watch Aryna Sabalenka vs. Elena Rybakina at the Australian Open:
Date: Saturday, Jan. 31
Time (estimated): 3:30 a.m. ET
Location: Rod Laver Arena
TV channel: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN Unlimited, DirecTV, Fubo and more
When is the 2026 Australian Open women’s final?
The final match between Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina at the Australian Open will be on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026 (or late Friday night, for U.S. viewers).
Aryna Sabalenka vs. Elena Rybakina match start time:
The match between Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina starts at 3:30 a.m. ET. The match will air on ESPN and stream live on ESPN+ for ESPN Unlimited subscribers.
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Australian Open channel:
In the U.S., the entire Australian Open tournament is streaming on ESPN+ for Unlimited subscribers. ESPN will broadcast the semifinals and final matches.
How to watch the 2026 Australian Open:
If you want to catch every match of the Australian Open and don’t currently subscribe to ESPN+, cable or a live TV streaming service, in Australia a majority of the action will be streaming free with ads on 9Now.
Don’t live in the land down under? Don’t worry, you can still stream like you do with the help of a VPN. A VPN (virtual private network) helps protect your data, can mask your IP address and is perhaps most popular for being especially useful in the age of streaming. Whether you’re looking to watch Friends on Netflix (which left the U.S. version of the streamer back in 2019) or tune in to tennis coverage without a cable package, a VPN can help you out. Looking to try a VPN for the first time? This guide breaks down the best VPN options for every kind of user.
ExpressVPN also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, in case you’re nervous about trying a VPN.
Australian Open 2026 schedule:
All times Eastern
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Friday, January 30
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(Day 13) Men’s Semifinal: 3:30 a.m.
Saturday, January 31
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(Day 14) Women’s Final: 3:30 a.m.
Sunday, February 1
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(Day 15) Men’s Final: 3:30 a.m.
Australian Open prize money:
For 2026, the men’s and women’s singles winners of the Australian Open each get $4,150,000, with the runner-up receiving $2,150,000 and Semi-finalists $1,250,000.
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