The final set aside, both players were dominant on serve, with only three of the first 19 games featuring break point opportunities.
Rybakina made her intentions clear with an immediate break on Rod Laver Arena, coming back from 0-30 down on the Sabalenka serve to register the perfect start.
The Kazakh dropped just three points across her opening three service games and dismissed two break points with successive, accurate first serves to hold for a 5-3 lead before closing out the opener.
Seeking an immediate response, Sabalenka applied further pressure at the start of set two but an unshakeable Rybakina served her way out of three break points.
There would be no escape, however, when Sabalenka forced three more break points with Rybakina serving to stay in the set, the top seed seizing her chance to force a decider.
It was there that the final truly ignited. Rybakina refused to panic as Sabalenka threatened to storm to victory with a five-game run from 4-4 in the second to 3-0 up in the third.
Sabalenka capitalised on a weak service game from her opponent, in which Rybakina made just one first serve, before resisting a break point to stretch her lead in the deciding set.
But Rybakina broke back two games later as the unforced errors began to seep in for Sabalenka, who allowed her emotions to get the better of her in last year’s Grand Slam final losses.
Energised by renewed belief, Rybakina reset on serve after Sabalenka spurned the chance to break for a 4-2 lead – and then struck again in the following game as the top seed faltered.
Serving for the championship, she did not blink when Sabalenka closed to 30-30, blocking out the pressure impressively and producing two huge serves to clinch victory.
