With the Rod Laver arena now filled with the men’s doubles final -Bolelli/Vavassori v Bopanna/Ebden (1-1 in the first set) – time for us to go. A bombastic performance by Sabalenka to take the title, one that will strike fear into the rest of the women’s tour. How many more titles can she take this year?
We’ll be back tomorrow for the Djokovic-less men’s final. Have a great day, bye!
On Eurosport Laura Robson is looking ahead towards the French Open, and she sees great things for Sabalenka. “I feel like, having been so dominant over the last two weeks, I can’t see her losing early rounds any more, she just looks so confident against anyone outside the top ten, even in the top ten.”
As for Zheng, there is sympathy, and encouragement. Everyone agrees that to meet Sabalenka on a hard fast court was the worst match up possible, and that not meeting anyone outside the top 50 on her way to the final didn’t do her any favours.
Tim Henman chews the fat. “Zheng can improve her serve, her first serve percentage was down at 53 percent, her forehand can be erratic. If she’s this good, with all the improvements she can make, I feel sure she’ll win a major.
And hey, she’s still made the Australian Open final and is now seventh in the world.
The fifth woman since 2000 to win the Australian Open without dropping a set.
Aryna Sabalenka becomes the fifth woman since 2000 to win the #AusOpen title without dropping a set!
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) January 27, 2024
'24 - Sabalenka
'22 - Barty
'17 - Serena
'08 - Sharapova
'00 - Davenport pic.twitter.com/BDS5QlnIjH
After only eight hours, 11 minutes on court in the tournament, just one hour 16 minutes in the final, not a set dropped, Sabalenka prepares to do a victory lap of the Rod Laver arena. What a player – so powerful, she blows her opponents away with her physical threat, and the mental strain that brings with it.
Sabalenka collects the gorgeous trophy from Evonne Goolagong Cawley, on the fiftieth anniversary of her first Australian Open. Then its her turn on the microphone, she’s charming.
“Thanks Evonne for being such an inspiration for us, and for this beautiful trophy. I want to say to Zheng, you’re such an incredible player such a young girl, I know it is disappointing to lose a final but you’ll get there. It has been an amazing couple of weeks, it is an unbelievable feeling right now. As always my speech is going to be weird, its not my super power, but I’ll do my best. My team, wow [ they give her a heart sign] thank you for everything.
“I never speak about my family in my winning speeches, should I go on, they won’t understand me.. hopefully someone will translate. I love you so much, you’re my biggest motivation, I’m doing it for you. And thanks for the incredible crowd here, that’s what makes this place special. I can’t wait to come back and hopefully, [she hugs the trophy.]”
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A ball girl in white gloves bashfully puts the trophy on a plinth. Jayne Hrdlicka, of tennis Australia, in a gorgeous silver gown, thanks everyone for watching, sponsoring and so on, and the two finalists. “Both of these women are inspiring girls to pick up rackets round the world.”
The umpire gets his trophy, then it is Zheng’s turn. She allows herself a small smile when the presenter announces that she will enter the top ten for the first time. ‘First of all, I want to congratulate Aryna . This is my first final and I am feeling a little bit pity and I want to say thanks to all the fans who come here to watch me. I feel I could have done better, but I didn’t in this match, but I want to say thank you to my team and also I really enjoy to play in this Australian Open, I’m sure there is going to be more and better in the future.” She’s obviously gutted but holding it together. Well played!
The scoreline doesn’t quite reflect the match, there was some super, classy, clever play by Zheng, but in the end she was overpowered by the stronger, more experienced player. They don’t hang around, we’re already at the presentation.
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They embrace at the net, Zheng looks shell-shocked, sits at her chair staring into space. The retaining champion grins, waves and blows kisses at the crowd, goes to find her loyal team.
Sabalenka wins the Australian Open 6-3, 6-2
Sabalenka 6-3, 6-2 Zheng Sabalenka goes 15-0 up as Zheng nets a forehand, then hits the next serve out. But with three Championship points, the wind fluttering her red skirt as she serves, she falters. Zheng saves two points as Sabalenka hits out, rolling her eyes in the direction of the box. Zheng saves the third with a drop shot! Gorgeous. But Sabalenka takes the advantage with a hammer of a serve. Zheng saves her fourth Championship point as Sabalenka hits the net! A brilliant forehand gives Zheng a break point, Sabalenka throws a ball in disgust. Retorts with an ace. ANother huge rally, Zheng hits long and a fifth Championship point for Sabalenka. She pauses, bounces the ball, wins it with a cross court winner!
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Sabalenka* 6-3, 5-2 Zheng (*indicates next server) Huge cheers for Zheng, willing the 21 year old on, wanting to watch a longer match, and Zheng holds to stay in the match. Can she go another game? New balls too. Sabalenka serving to retain her title.
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Sabalenka 6-3, 5-1 Zheng* (*indicates next server) Zheng hasn’t given up. Her superior movement allowing her to go 30-0 up on the Sabalenka serve. But the lady in red turns it around, sending down a sonic serve and winning the game with a cross court, pin point pounding forehand. Fist clench, nearly there.
Sabalenka* 6-3, 4-1 Zheng (*indicates next server) A crucial game. Two double faults on the Zheng serve, combined with a deflating sigh from the crowd. With Sabalenka advantage, a screaming rally, where Zheng tries to hold off the power of Sabalenka, but Sabalenka clinches it with rare delicacy. A double break.
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Sabalenka 6-3, 3-1 Zheng* (*indicates next server) A service return winner for Zheng, then Sabalenka misses the forehand. But that’s Zheng’s lot, as Sabalenka completes the game with a huge serve.
Sabalenka * 6-3, 2-1 Zheng (*indicates next server) Like a relentless tiger Sabalenka fights back from 40-15 down on the Zheng serve, powerful blow after powerful blow. But Zheng holds on to get advantage. A disturbance in the crowd, high up in the stands in the Rod Laver arena, with Zheng advantage up, but on her second serve. A delay of a couple of minutes, while the miscreant is removed, but Zheng holds her nerve, her serve, to win the game.
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This scene setter is from our man at the ground, sent half an hour ago but I only just found it, apologies.
Hello from Rod Laver Arena! The support for Zheng Qinwen is enormous. Groups of fans in the audience are chanting “Jiayou” in unison, which roughly means “C’mon” in Chinese, and the audience is already amused by a Zheng fan who has been calling out between each point. This tournament brands itself the Asia-Pacific grand slam, and these fans are showing why.
This has been an extremely tough start for Zheng with Sabalenka already serving and striking the ball so well. Sabalenka is in control of almost every point right now, but Zheng’s first hold may at least allow her to settle down.
Sabalenka 6-3, 2-0 Zheng* (*indicates next server) A huge rally to start the game which Sabalenka loses after wanging into the net. She pauses in her serve, red dress, red shoes, and pulls level with a mammoth serve. Follows up with an ace. Wins the game when Zheng nets. Someone dressed as Where’s Wally carefully carries a drink to his seat.
Sabalenka* 6-3, 1-0 Zheng (*indicates next server) Barely time to take a breath between sets, Zheng is soon serving again, quickly builds up a 30-0 lead but then double faults twice. An incredible cross court return, all acute angles, floors Zheng, then a third double fault to hand Sabalenka the game..
Sabalenka 6-3 Zheng* (*indicates next server) Zheng starting to find her mojo, sending Sabalenka darting round the court to take her to 15 all. But Sabalenka quickly has three set points. Zheng saves one with a whipping forehand, but a huge serve ties a ribbon on the first set. Sabalenka continues her incredible run of not losing a set this tournament, and Zheng must quickly recalibrate to avoid being blown away.
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Sabalenka* 5-3 Zheng (*indicates next server) Zheng serving to stay in the set, and immediately goes 15-0 down after trying to return a screaming Sabalenka forehand and hitting out, just missing a ball girl. It’s quickly 0-40, but at set point she aces with a second serve. Saves a second set point with a forehand winner down the line and a third with another ace! Fabulous stuff. Zheng double faults at advantage but goes on to take the game, serving like an angel.
Sabalenka 5-2 Zheng* (*indicates next server) Sabalenka nets to give Zheng a point on the Sabalenka serve, but that’s her lot. A fabulous rally to end the game, exchange of powerful blows until Sabelenka clinches it with a booming cross court forehand.
Sabalenka* 4-2 Zheng (*indicates next server) Zheng wins the first point when Sabalenka goes long with her return, and wins the game with an ace. That must be the strategy, to try and negate the Sabalenka power and keep the rallies short.
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Sabalenka 4-1 Zheng* (*indicates next server) Bend to pick up the remote from the floor behind the sofa arm and by the time I pick it up, Sabalenka is 40-0 up. Wins the game in a blink.
Sabalenka* 3-1 Zheng (*indicates next server) A nice forehand down the line gives Zheng the first point of the game as she wipes the sweat from her forehead. Then two aces! Game over in one minute, 12 seconds. She’s on the train.
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Sabalenka 3-0 Zheng* (*indicates next server) A twist! Sabalenka misses a forehand, then a backhand to give Zheng three break points. With brutal hitting, Sabalenka saves them all, and then goes to advantage with a huge spinning forehand, and Zheng nets to hand Sabalenka the game.
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Sabalenka* 2-0 Zheng (*indicates next server) An immediate break of serve, Sabalenka’s power overwhelming Zheng, who makes a mess of her final return, picking up only one point in the game. Lots of enthusiasm for Zheng in the crowd though.
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Sabalenka 1-0 Zheng* (*indicates next server) Here we go, the first game of the women’s final, and it’s over in a flash, an ace, and Sabalenka clinches the game to love.
Our finalists have arrived on court, Zheng first in green, Sabelenka following in red. Tight lips for Zheng, big smile for Sabalenka. They pose for photos at the net. Can Zheng overturn the odds? Do email me your thoughts.
Some stats for you: Sabalenka, who remember has not lost a set this tournament, has won 77 percent of first serve points in Melbourne. While in their quarter-final match up at the US Open, Sabalenka won 88 percent of first serve points as Zheng floundered around with the Sabalenka serve.
This is Zheng’s first grand slam final – on Eurosport they’re calling it her home final, as the Asia-Pacific Grand Slam. Expect lot of support from the crowd.
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Looks like there is lots of support for Zheng in Melbourne, big red flashes of the Chinese flag outside the arena.
John McEnroe has some advice.“Shes got to make the most of her movement, she’s a better mover than Sabalenka. She hits more aces than anyone, but more doubles, She needs to pull back that little bit, make sure the percentages are good on the serve because if Sabalenka starts looking at her second serve she’ll be [I miss the end of the sentence but it is something like licking her lips.”]
If Sabalenka wins today, she will be the first woman to regain the title in Melbourne since Victoria Azarenka in 2012 and 2013. But where once the pressure might have been overwhelming, she’s grown in maturity and experience over the last year.
“When you’re like third time in the finals, you’re, like, OK, it’s a final, it’s OK,” she said. “It’s just another match, and you’re able to separate yourself from that thing. Just focus on your game. That’s it, actually.
“I think I’m pretty calm inside like I am outside. I’m defending champion, but worst case, I’m, like, OK, I’m going to lose this tournament, and it’s less points to defend next year. Then that’s it.
“That’s kind of like helping me to just stay focused and just try your best in each match without thinking about defending something.”
The cameras have arrived at the Rod Laver Arena, and a quick peek behind the scenes shows Sabalenka stretching her Amazonian limbs and Zheng lifting weights. Here is our man on the scene, Tumaini Carayol,’s profile of Zheng.
This was the sweet moment earlier in the tournament when Zheng Qinwen met her heroine Li Na for the first time:
This is very joyful.
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) January 20, 2024
Li Na surprising Zheng Qinwen during an interview.pic.twitter.com/UVRi9K5BGN
Preamble
Hello! Are you ready? After two weeks of intriguing tennis under the Melbourne sun, here we are. The women’s final between the reigning champion Aryna Sabalenka and Zheng Qinwen kicks off at 8.30GMT.
You probably pencilled in Sabalenka at the beginning of the tournament. And she’s played like a queen, not dropping a set, screaming those winners into the far corners, her mental strength now as reliable as her grunts of effort. She played three major finals in the last year – losing the US Open against Coco Gauff just a few months ago, incidentally beating Zheng in the quarter final on her way there.
Zheng, the number 12 seed, is very much the underdog, but she too has a dream – never underestimate a dream – and that’s to emulate her heroine Li Na, who was the last Chinese player to win a major in 2014 when she beat Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) to take the Australian Open title. Her path through this competition has been helped by the scything of the seeds early on, but her tennis has been classy, her forehand formidable, and her composure admirable. May the best woman win!
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