Australian Open: Aryna Sabalenka Downs Zheng Qinwen to lift consecutive titles

Aryna Sabalenka successfully defended her Australian Open title Saturday with a decisive 6-3, 6-2 victory against No.12 seed Zheng Qinwen in a 76-minute final.

Throughout a dominant two weeks of tennis, the second-seeded Sabalenka became the first player since Serena Williams in 2007 to secure the title without dropping serve. She has won 28 of her past 29 sets at Melbourne Park, including her 2023 title run.

“I’m speechless right now,” Sabalenka, 25, said in press afterward. “I don’t know how to describe my emotions. But definitely I’m super, super happy and proud of everything I was able to achieve so far.

“Yeah, just happy with the level I played today. She’s a great player and very tough opponent. I’m super happy that I was able to get this win today.”

The result marks the 14th tour-level title of Sabalenka’s career, ninth on outdoor hard courts and first since last May, when she defended her Madrid trophy. She improves to 2-1 in major finals and becomes the 10th active multiple Grand Slam champion alongside Iga Swiatek, Naomi Osaka, Garbiñe Muguruza, Simona Halep, Petra Kvitova, Azarenka, Angelique Kerber, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Venus Williams.

“Actually it’s been in my mind that I didn’t want to be that player to win [one Slam] and then disappeared,” Sabalenka said. “I just wanted to show that I’m able to be consistently there and I’m able to win another one. I really hope that more, more than two right now, but for me was really important.”

Sabalenka became the first player to defend her first major title since Victoria Azarenka’s 2013 Australian Open win against Li Na. She is also the first player since Azarenka that year to defend an Australian Open crown.