Aryna Sabalenka has pledged to use her Australian Open final defeat to Elena Rybakina as inspiration for the rest of the season, saying: "Today you're a loser, tomorrow you're a winner."

Sabalenka was a losing finalist at Melbourne Park for the second year in a row, having gone down to Madison Keys in 2025.

Rybakina defeated the Belarusian 6-4 4-6 6-4 in Saturday's showpiece match, with the fifth seed becoming the first woman to defeat top-six players in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final at a single edition of the Australian Open since Maria Sharapova in 2008.

And Sabalenka was gracious in defeat at her post-match press conference, acknowledging Rybakina played the better tennis on the day and vowing to improve.

"She played an incredible match. I tried my very best. I was fighting until the very last point," the world number one told reporters.

"I had my opportunities. It feels like I missed a couple, but it's tennis. Today you're a loser, tomorrow you're a winner. 

"Hopefully I'll be more of a winner this season than a loser."

92 - Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka have won the same total number of points at the Australian Open's final 2026 (92 each). Details.#AusOpen | @AustralianOpen @WTA pic.twitter.com/RrBtziI6lh

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) January 31, 2026

Rybakina is the fourth woman to win the Australian Open while seeded fifth in the Open Era, and the first since Sabalenka herself did so in 2023.

But Sabalenka always expected the Kazakh to be in the running following an eye-catching triumph at least year's WTA Finals, noting how much she has improved as a player.

"She has more confidence and she goes for her shots without any doubt, I would say. I still had my opportunities, but the level was incredible," she said of Rybakina.

"I feel like she just played more aggressively. She was able to build great confidence, starting from the WTA Finals. 

"She's definitely become a better player. As a result, she got a slam, which is an incredible achievement."