2024 Australian Open - Women’s Singles Day 14 - final
2024 Australian Open, first Grand Slam tournament of the year, on Hard Outdoor, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 14-28 January 2024.
Defending champion:
Aryna Sabalenka (5) who defeated Elena Rybakina (22) 4-6 6-3 6-4
Final:
Zheng Qinwen (12) (China) v Aryna Sabalenka (2) (Belarus)
Third GS tournament final for Sabalenka - winner here last year, and beaten finalist in last year’s US Open.
First GS tournament final for Zheng.
One previous match between the players.
Sabalenka won a US Open quarter final in 2023.
Sabalenka began with a love game on serve, then broke for 2-0.
Zheng hit a forehand winner, and false strokes from Sabalenka put her down 0-40.
Ali break points were saved and serve eventually held.
No more break chances until the eighth game where Zheng was serving at 2-5 to stay in the set.
Down 9-40, Zheng delivered a second serve ace, an off forehand winner, and another ace to save the set points.
Serve was held, but Sabalenka would serve for the set.
Sabalenka raced to 40-15,, and while Zheng saved another set point with a forehand winner, Sabalenka served out the set 6-3.
Zheng was broken in the opening game of set two.
Sabalenka consolidated for 2-0.
Sabalenka broke again in the fifth game to lead 4-1.
Zheng served at 1-5 to stay in the match.
She held and forced Sabalenka to serve for the title.
Aryna Sabalenka had 40-0, but Zheng saved three match points.
A fourth chance came and again it wasn’t taken.
A break point arrived bur was quickly squashed.
Finally a fifth match point was sealed with a forehand winner.
Aryna Sabalenka was Australian Open champion for a second successive year.
6-3 6-2
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