Melbourne: Aryna Sabalenka continued to be an unstoppable force in Australian Open as she recorded a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Chinese 12th seed Zheng Qinwen on Saturday to successfully defend her title and add a second Grand Slam trophy to her cabinet.
The Belarusian second seed barely put a foot wrong in what has become her happiest hunting ground as she became the first woman to retain the Melbourne Park crown since compatriot Victoria Azarenka in 2013.
“It’s been an amazing two weeks and I never imagined myself lifting this trophy again,” Sabalenka said.
“I want to congratulate you Qinwen on an incredible two weeks here in Australia. I know it’s really hard to lose in the final but you are such an incredible player.
“You’re such a young girl and you’re going to be in many more finals and you’re going to get it.”
Sabalenka entered the match without dropping a set at the first major of the year and remained perfect to join Ash Barty, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Lindsay Davenport in the elite club of players who have achieved the feat since 2000.
She unleashed monster groundstrokes to win the final by the scruff of the neck with an early break and thousands of Chinese fans and millions at home watched Zheng fall behind 3-0.
Sabalenka did not have her country’s flags in the stands due to a ban linked to her country’s role in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but the charismatic 25-year-old has a large fan base. fans in Melbourne and she rode with the support of Rod Laver Arena to win the first set. .
Zheng, who had saved four set points, showed she was slowly gaining confidence in her second meeting with Sabalenka by unleashing a big forehand of her own amid the rallying cry of “Jia You” from her compatriots in the crowd.
A clean crosscourt winner earned Sabalenka a break point in the opening game of the second set and Zheng’s double fault put the ball back on a board.
The 21-year-old first-time finalist, trying to match her idol Li Na – Melbourne Park champion 10 years ago and the first Asian and Chinese player to win a major tournament – saw her hopes fade after two Other service errors left her 4. -1 down.
Sabalenka shrugged off a shaky service game to close out the most one-sided final since Azarenka beat Maria Sharapova 6-3, 6-0 in 2012 by crushing a forehand winner.
“It’s my first final and I feel a little pity, but it is what it is,” Zheng said. “I feel very complicated because I could have done better than what I did in this match.”
