In a commanding display, Aryna Sabalenka successfully defended her Australian Open title, triumphing over Zheng Qinwen in straight sets on Saturday morning in Melbourne.
The Belarusian second seed, Sabalenka, secured her second Grand Slam singles trophy without dropping a set, defeating the Chinese 12th seed with a score of 6-3, 6-2.
Despite Zheng enjoying fervent support from the Chinese crowd, Sabalenka seized control early on, establishing a 3-0 lead before ultimately claiming the first set at 6-3.
Notably, Sabalenka’s composed performance effectively drained both her opponent and the crowd of energy.
This victory marks Sabalenka as the first woman to achieve back-to-back Australian Open titles since her compatriot Victoria Azarenka in 2013.
The 25-year-old emerged as a strong favorite after the top seed, Iga Swiatek, was eliminated in the third round.
Sabalenka’s efficient and dominant play mirrored Azarenka’s achievement, wrapping up the final in just over an hour.
Looking ahead, the men’s singles final is set for Sunday, with Russia’s Daniil Medvedev aiming for his second Grand Slam title.
He faces Italy’s Jannik Sinner, who garnered attention by upsetting defending champion Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.
The stage is set for an exciting conclusion to the Australian Open.