Aryna Sabalenka DEFENDS her Australian Open title in straight units win

Aryna Sabalenka has defeated Zheng Qinwen to win the Australian Open in straight units.

The world quantity two lifted her first grand-slam trophy at Melbourne Park 12 months in the past and has been untouchable this fortnight. 

Standing in her means was China‘s Zheng who, at simply 21 years of age, was competing in her first grand slam closing.

She didn’t drop a set in seven matches and defeated Zheng 6-3 6-2 to grow to be the primary participant since countrywoman Victoria Azarenka 11 years in the past to say back-to-back titles.

Zheng, who had not needed to face a top-50 participant by way of the primary six rounds, had hoped to emulate the watching Li Na and declare the title for China a decade on.

World No 2 Aryna Sabalenka has received the Australian Open for the second 12 months in a row

The Belarusian backed up a formidable 6-3 opening set with a 6-2 win to take victory

The pair share an embrace after the conclusion of the fiercely contested closing

But the 21-year-old, the twelfth first-time slam finalist within the ladies’s sport within the final three years, was up towards it from the beginning and Sabalenka wrapped up victory in solely 76 minutes regardless of a quick disruption from pro-Palestine protesters.

Zheng was the primary participant this century to achieve a slam closing with out going through a seeded opponent, and the low rankings of her opponents made this an enormous step up.

Early nerves had been evident and Sabalenka set straight about seizing on the Zheng serve, breaking for 2-0 after which holding from 0-40 in one other assertion of intent.

Zheng has struggled with the consistency of her serve this match however, when she has made the primary supply, it has been very efficient, and two aces helped her get on the board within the fourth sport.

The Chinese followers within the crowd had been making their presence felt however, whereas Zheng got here up with extra massive serving to avoid wasting three set factors at 5-2, Sabalenka completed it off decisively on her personal supply.

The Belarusian has ridden emotional highs and lows all through her profession, and her stellar 2023 might have introduced her a couple of slam title had she not wobbled in defeats by Karolina Muchova, Ons Jabeur and Coco Gauff.

Zheng fought again within the closing sport to carry Sabalenka to a couple deuces as she served for the match

China’s Zheng Qinwen was enjoying in her first ever Grand Slam title towards Sabalenka

A have a look at the Rod Laver Arena beneath the lights throughout this 12 months’s Australian Open closing

The latter got here within the US Open closing after Sabalenka had dominated the primary set, however right here she has been steely on and off courtroom, claiming a cathartic win over Gauff within the semi-finals.

Zheng had received simply 5 video games of their solely earlier assembly within the quarter-finals in New York final summer season, and her hopes of doing higher had been hit by a disastrous begin to the second set, serving three double faults within the opening sport.

With Zheng attempting to carry within the third sport, the match was briefly delayed when two spectators held up a Palestinian flag within the stands and shouted till they had been hauled away by safety to cheers from the remaining followers.

Zheng saved her composure to get on the board however her serve had actually dropped off and Sabalenka broke once more to steer 4-1.

Zheng managed some transient late resistance, saving 4 match factors, however Sabalenka crunched a forehand winner on her fifth probability earlier than thrusting her arms into the air.