(January 27, 2024) World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus won her second straight Australian Open title in Melbourne on Saturday when she defeated No. 12 seed Zheng Qinwen of China 6-3, 6-2. Sabalenka, 25, won the title without dropping a set. The last woman to win back-to-back Australian Open titles, was her countrywoman Victoria Azarenka 2012-2013.
The win fulfilled a dream that she and her father had that by the time she turned 26, she would have won 2 major titles. She lost her father suddenly four years ago.
Sabalenka is now 2 out of 3 in major title finals, losing only the 2023 US Open final to Coco Gauff. She defeated the world No. 4 in Thursday’s semifinal.
The match lasted 76 minutes. Sabalenka broke Zheng’s serve in the second game of the match and took off with her powerful shots.
The was Zheng’s first major final. Sabalenka was the first top 50 player that she faced in the tournament. The woman from China will move up to No. 7 in the world when the rankings come out on Monday.
“It’s been an amazing couple of weeks. It’s an unbelievable feeling right now,” Sabalenka said during the trophy presentation. “As usual, my speech is going to be weird…… it’s not my super power.”
More to follow…..
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