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:
ESPN’s revamped streaming platform offers thousands of exclusive live events, original studio shows, and acclaimed series that air across ESPN’s suite of 7 linear channels, as well as exclusive content on ESPN+, ABC on ESPN, SEC+, ACCNX, and some content from NFL Network and NFL RedZone. The Unlimited tier costs $29.99/month or $299.99/year.
DirecTV’s Entertainment tier gets you access to loads of channels where you can tune in to college and pro sports, including ESPN, TNT, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, and, depending on where you live, local affiliates for ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC.
Whichever package you choose, you’ll get unlimited Cloud DVR storage and access to ESPN+’s new streaming tier, ESPN Unlimited.
DirecTV’s Entertainment tier package is $89.99/month. But you can currently try all this out for free for 5 days. If you’re interested in trying out a live-TV streaming service but aren’t ready to commit, we recommend starting with DirecTV.
Fubo’s skinny sports bundle includes local broadcast stations owned-and-operated by ABC, CBS and FOX, plus additional affiliates in select markets, as well as ACC Network, Big 10 Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, Fox News, FS1, FS2, Fubo Sports Network, ION, NFL Network, SEC Network and Tennis Channel. It also includes free access to ESPN’s new ESPN+ unlimited plan. Fubo subscribers get unlimited cloud DVR storage too.
You can get $10 off your first month of this Fubo sports bundle, which brings the cost to $45.99; after that, it goes up to $55.99/month.
$45.99 for your first month at FuboWhere to watch the 2026 Australian Open without cable:
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 offers “internet without borders,” meaning you can catch free coverage of the 2026 Australian Open without a cable package. All you’ll need to do is sign up for ExpressVPN, change your server location to Australia, and then find free livestream coverage via 9Now. Plus it’s Engadget’s pick for the best premium VPN. ExpressVPN offers three tiers of subscriptions: The Basic Plan (starting at $3.49/month), the Advanced Plan (starting at $4.49/month) and the Pro Plan (starting at $7.49/month).
ExpressVPN also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, in case you’re nervous about trying a VPN.
From $3.49/month at ExpressVPNAustralian 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.
More ways to watch the 2026 Australian Open:
Sling TV’s Day Pass gives consumers the freedom to watch what they want, when they want, without committing to a monthly streaming subscription.
A single-day pass costs $4.99 and lets you watch every channel available through Sling Orange, which includes ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, Disney Channel, and 30 more with no other subscriptions or commitments necessary. No strings attached.
