Australian Open: Aryna Sabalenka successfully defends her title in Melbourne with victory against Qinwen Zheng

Aryna Sabalenka goes back-to-back at the Australian Open after defeating Qinwen Zheng 6-3 6-2; we will bring you live commentary, scores, reports and analysis from the men’s final between Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev from 8am Sunday in the UK

Image: Aryna Sabalenka defeated Qinwen Zheng to successfully defend her Australian Open title on Saturday

Aryna Sabalenka sealed a second straight Australian Open title with a masterful performance against first-time Grand Slam finalist Qinwen Zheng in Melbourne on Saturday.

The world No 2 did not drop a set in seven matches and defeated China’s Zheng 6-3 6-2 to become the first player since countrywoman Victoria Azarenka 11 years ago to claim back-to-back titles here.

Zheng, who had not yet faced a top-50 opponent until the final, is the first Chinese player to make it to a Grand Slam decider since Li Na won the title here a decade ago, could not cope with Sabalenka’s ruthless power throughout the contest which lasted 76 minutes.

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Zheng vs Sabelenka: Tale of the Tape

Zheng	Match Stats	Sabalenka
6	Aces	3
6	Double Faults	0
74%	1st serve win percentage	84%
38%	2nd serve win percentage	42%
3/3	Net points won	4/8
0/4	Break points won	3/6
19	Total winners	14
16	Unforced errors	14
46	Total points won	62

Sabalenka received the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup from Evonne Goolagong Cawley on the 50th anniversary of her first singles title here.

Afterwards, she said: “I want to congratulate Qinwen on an incredible couple of weeks. I know how tough it is to lose in the final but you’re such an incredible player and you’re going to get it.

“It’s been an amazing couple of weeks. I couldn’t imagine myself lifting this trophy one more time. It’s an unbelievable feeling.

“As always my speech is going to be weird. Team, wow. Thank you so much for being by my side no matter what. I mean, without me you wouldn’t be that good as well.

“I never speak about my family in these speeches but I have to say thank you for everything they’ve done for me. I love you so much, you’re my biggest motivation. I can’t wait to come back.”

Sabalenka came into the match without dropping a set at the year’s first major and stayed perfect to join Ashleigh Barty, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Lindsay Davenport in the elite club of players to have managed the feat since 2000.

Sabelenka unleashed monster groundstrokes to grab the final by the scruff of the neck with an early break and thousands of Chinese supporters and millions back home watched Zheng fall behind 3-0.

Jennifer Capriati

Serena Williams

Victoria Azarenka

Aryna Sabalenka

The charismatic 25-year-old has a big Melbourne fan base and she rode the Rod Laver Arena support to take the first set.

Zheng, who had saved four set points, showed she was slowly growing in confidence in her second meeting with Sabalenka by firing up her own big forehand 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 gifted it to her, the 21-year-old’s hopes of emulating her idol Li Na’s 2014 triumph beginning to evaporate.

With Zheng trying to hold in the third game, the match was briefly delayed when two spectators held up play in the stands and shouted until they were hauled away by security to cheers from the remaining fans.

Zheng kept her composure to get on the board but her serve had really dropped off and Sabalenka broke again to lead 4-1.

Zheng managed some brief late resistance, saving four match points, but Sabalenka crunched a forehand winner on her fifth chance before thrusting her arms into the air to close out the most one-sided final since Azarenka beat Maria Sharapova 6-3 6-0 in 2012 by smashing a forehand winner.

Zheng, who will break into the top 10 on Monday, said after receiving her runners-up plate: “I want to say congrats for Aryna to have such a wonderful match here.

“It’s my first final here and I’m feeling it’s a little bit of a pity but I want to say thanks to all the fans who come here to watch me. I feel I could do better in this match but I want to say thanks to my team who helped me arrive here.

“I really enjoy playing in this Australian Open. It’s an amazing memory for me, I’m sure there’s going to be more and even better in the future.”

Aryna Sabalenka has become the second player in the last 20 years, to win the Australian Open final without a single game dropped on serve after Serena Williams in 2007 against Maria Sharapova.

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Robson: Sabalenka’s power was too much

Speaking on Eurosport, Laura Robson said: “Sabalenka definitely did look nervous on the first couple of match points but then she did what she does best, she went even bigger with her groundstrokes, even bigger with her serve.

“She kept going after her shots, kept being brave and it’s what got her the win.

“I just found it amazing today that she barely had to change anything tactically from start to finish. Her power was just too much for Zheng.

“To deliver that sort of performance across two weeks, every match getting better and better, I feel like the rest of the players in the locker room will be feeling ‘uh oh’ for the rest of the season.”

Henman: Sabalenka produced an ‘absolute clinic’

Tim Henman said: “When you reflect on the match as a whole, it was absolutely pitch perfect from Sabalenka.

“She was so dominant on that first serve and she really did take advantage of a lot of second serves from Zheng.

“It was an absolute clinic out there and it’s a real reflection of the confidence and momentum she has built up through the six matches in the tournament.

“To go out there and then produce a performance like that to finish it off is, I’m sure, incredibly satisfying.”

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