bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

SCMP Sport

An authoritative Aryna Sabalenka blew China’s Zheng Qinwen off court on Saturday to successfully defend her Australian Open title - the first woman to do so in more than a decade.
The Belarusian world No 2 proved too powerful for the 12th seed with a 6-3, 6-2 drubbing in 76 minutes to claim her second grand slam crown on Rod Laver Arena.
Zheng, in her maiden grand slam final, was bidding to become the first Chinese player to win a major singles title since Li Na triumphed in Melbourne 10 years ago.
Sabalenka raced into a 2-0 lead and then fought back from 0-40 on her own serve to go 3-0 up. She had the chance to wrap up the first set at 5-2 on Zheng’s serve but the Chinese player rallied from 0-40 down to extend the set.
Sabalenka sealed the set in the next game with little difficulty, although 12th seed Zheng seemed to be settling.
Three double-faults from Zheng though handed the Belarusian an immediate break in the second set and her opponent never looked back.

“First of all I want to say congratulations to you Aryna – you had such a wonderful match here,” Zheng said in an on-court interview. “It was my first final and I’m feeling a little bit [of] pity but that’s how it is, an experience for me.
“I want to say thanks for all the fans who come here to watch me. I feel I could do better but I didn’t in this match but I wanted to say thanks to my team to help me arrive here.
“I really enjoyed to play in this Australian Open. An amazing memory for me. I’m sure there is going to be more and better for me in the future and thanks for all the sponsors, and thanks to all of you guys.”
Sabalenka, who is the first player to win the women’s singles title at the Australian Open for consecutive seasons since her compatriot Victoria Azarenka in 2012 and 2013, said she knew how Zheng felt but called the 21-year-old an incredible player.
“I want to congratulation Qinwen on an incredible couple of weeks in Australia,” she said. “I know this feeling. It’s really tough to lose in the finals but you are such an incredible player and such a young girl, you are going to be in many more finals and you’re going to get it. Congrats to you and your team on an amazing job.”
The 25-year-old Belarusian was the ninth player in the Open Era to secure consecutive women’s singles titles in Melbourne after Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Jennifer Capriati, Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka.
She was the second player over the past three seasons to secure a women’s singles grand slam title without a single set dropped on the way to the final, after Ashleigh Barty did the same at the 2022 Australian Open.


Chinese Olympic champ Zheng Qinwen to tackle Australian Open without 2024 coach Pere Riba

Novak Djokovic loses No 1 spot to Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek increases lead in ATP rankings

‘Tenniscore’ fashion aces it for summer 2024: from TikTok trends to Zendaya’s new Challengers film, preppy courtside styles are being served by Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu and Ralph Lauren

Australian Open: Jannik Sinner stages remarkable comeback to snatch title from Daniil Medvedev

Australian Open

Australian Open: defending champion Sabalenka powers to second grand slam win, Zheng no match for world No 2

Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka hits a return against China’s Zheng Qinwen during their women’s singles final at the Australian Open. Photo: AFP

China’s Zheng Qinwen hits a return during her women’s singles final against Aryna Sabalenka. Photo: EPA-EFE

Australian Open: Zheng Qinwen aims to follow Li Na into history books and become China’s second grand-slam singles champion

Zheng Qinwen of China stands one victory from the title in Melbourne. Photo: EPA-EFE

Zheng Qinwen will aim to punish her opponent Sabalenka with her potent backhand. Photo: Kyodo

Who is Queen Wen? China’s newest tennis star watched Li Na make history and will enter world top 10 after Australian Open heroics

Zheng Qinwen has earned herself a place in the world top 10 with her recent results. Photo: AP

Zheng Qinwen (top right) and her classmates watch Li Na win the Australian Open in 2014. Photo: Sina

Sport

Tennis

Aryna Sabalenka downs Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-2, claims back-to-back titles in Melbourne


World No 2 Aryna Sabalenka downs Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-2, claims back-to-back titles in Melbourne.


WTA (Women's Tennis Association)

Zheng Qinwen