Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka won her second consecutive Australian Open championship by defeating teenager Qinwen Zheng. Sabalenka easily defeated Zheng in two straight sets of 6-3, 6-2 in a match that lasted one hour and sixteen minutes.
Sabalenka, 25, became the first player since Serena Williams in 2016 and 2017 to make it to two Australian Open finals after defeating American Coco Gauff in the semis. She is now the second woman, following Victoria Azarenka in 2013, to successfully defend her women’s title at Melbourne Park.
Sabalenka began the opening set in an expected powerful way, winning the first three games with ease to take a 3-0 lead. Zheng, 17, hit back, hoping to turn the momentum in her favour. However, the experienced Belarusian kept her calm and stormed to a 6-3 victory to take the opening set in only 33 minutes.
The reigning champion Sabalenka easily defeated the youngster in the first two games of the second set, showcasing even more of her dominance. Zheng was able to win one game back, but Sabalenka was unstoppable as she went on an even stronger rampage, winning the following three and causing trouble to Zheng.
Sabalenka was one game away from victory and felt she had Zheng in her sights. However, the Chinese teenager showed incredible tenacity by pushing Sabalenka one game further away from win and clinching it to extend the set to 5-2.
In response, Sabalenka stormed to a 40-0 lead in the eighth game of the second set. However, a determined Zheng fought to draw the game and bring Sabalenka into three tie-breaks till Sabalenka eventually defeated Zheng and won the title.