Aryna Sabalenka 6-3 6-2 Zheng Qinwen: result from the 2024 Australian Open final as Sabalenka retains her crown with a dominant victory at Rod Laver Arena

Q. Zheng vs A. Sabalenka | Australian Open

Women's Singles | Final | 27.01.2024 | Rod Laver Arena

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Q. Zheng (12)

A. Sabalenka (2)

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ByPaul Hassall

Updated 27/01/2024 at 10:26 GMT

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Highlights

10.25

TWO-TIME CHAMPION ARYNA SABALENKA’S VICTORY SPEECH

The World number two congratulates Qinwen on an ‘amazing job’ over the past two weeks. She says she knows it’s tough to lose a final but that she is still very young and will be in many more in the future.

She thanks her team and her family as well as the event organisers and apologises for what will be a ‘weird speech, as always!’

She adds that she couldn’t imagine coming back and lifting the trophy another time. She says she’s speechless and it’s an amazing moment.

She ends by saying she can’t wait to come back and hopefully … *She then she gestures to the trophy and acts out lifting it again before crossing her fingers!

Image credit: Getty Images

10.16

THE 2024 AO RUNNER-UP, 'QUEEN WEN' REACTS TO DEFEAT

A visibly forlorn Qinwen Zheng congratulates Aryna but says she feels 'pity' for herself after coming up short in her first major final.

The 21-year-old thanks her fans and her team and says she hopes to do better at the tournament in the future.

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'It's back-to-back Aus Open titles' - Watch moment Sabalenka defeats Zheng in final

10.05

SABALENKA STATS

Sabalenka is the second player in the Open Era to win her first two Women’s Singles Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open, after Victoria Azarenka
Sabalenka has become the second player in the last 20 years, to win the Women's Singles Australian Open final without a single game dropped on serve after Serena Williams in 2007 against Maria Sharapova.
Sabalenka is the 5th player this Century to secure the Women’s Singles title at the Australian Open without a single set dropped en route after Davenport in 2000, Sharapova in 2008, S. Williams in 2017 and Barty in 2022.
Sabalenka is the 3rd player in the last 10 years to win the same Women’s Singles Major event for consecutive seasons after Serena Williams in Wimbledon (2015-2016) and Iga Swiatek at the Roland Garros (2022-2023).

10.01

GAME, SET AND MATCH! - SABALENKA 6-3 6-2 ZHENG

Aryna Sabalenka retains her AO crown to claim the second Grand Slam title of her career!

The World No.2 was the heavy favourite coming into the final and she lived up to the billing - serving out on her FIFTH match point from deuce after saving break point - to secure a straight sets victory in just one hour and 16 minutes.

It sees the Belarusian become the first women’s single player to lift back-to-back titles in Melbourne since her compatriot Vika Azarenka in 2013.

Image credit: Getty Images

09.53

SABALENKA 6-3 5-2 ZHENG

Zheng avoids the breadstick with a determined hold to 15 with Sabalenka giving off the sense that her mind was drifting towards what comes next.

The Belarusian will serve for the title…

09.50

SABALENKA 6-3 5-1 ZHENG

An error off each flank leave Sabalenka with work to do, but she rallies from 0-30 to rampage through the next four points and back up the double break.

Zheng will now serve to stay in the final.

09.47

BREAK! - SABALENKA 6-3 4-1 ZHENG

That is going to sting – and it will surely mean curtains for Zheng now.

The Chinese No.12 seed double faults for 15-30 but rallies hard with a beauty of a crosscourt pass and a 1-2 punch via the backhand.

The recovery is in sight but the 21-year-old rakes a backhand into the net and then coughs up a second double fault of the game.

Aryna locks-in on the BP and follows up a big backhand that takes her opponent way off court, with an improvised short, slice winner.

09.41

SABALENKA 6-3 3-1 ZHENG

There’s no let-up.

Zheng nails a neat backhand and then threatens at 15-30, but Aryna always has the answer.

A massive serve is followed by a bounce smash to get the No.2 seed back on track, before a deep backhand arrows down the line and is just too good.

09.38

09.36

SABALENKA 6-3 2-1 ZHENG

Zheng finds the first serve but Sabalenka roars back to press at deuce courtesy of a beastly backhand and a bounce smash at the second time of asking.

A disturbance in the crowd threatens to derail Qinwen on game point but she keeps calm and focused to force the error with a sharp serve to get on the board.

09.32

VIDEO: EUROSPORT'S EXPERTS PRAISE SABALENKA'S MENTALTY

The power and the game was always there, but Aryna now has the mental toughness and focus in moments of adversity that have taken her to a whole new level.

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'She's improved mental side of her game a lot - Experts discuss Sabalenka's form

09.30

SABALENKA 6-3 2-0 ZHENG

Zheng has a slight opening when a barrage of big forehands see her press at 30-30, but Sabalenka responds with more controlled power and the Belarusian quickly mops up the final two points to consolidate.

09.27

VIDEO: KEEP IT ON THE ISLAND!

The chair umpire was inadvertently in the firing line in Set 1!

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'Oops!' - Zheng accidentally hits umpire with rasping return in final against Sabalenka

09.26

BREAK! - SABALENKA 6-3 1-0 ZHENG

That is gut-wrenching for Qinwen.

The first serve fires to move her 30-0 to the good, but she suddenly unravels and a stunning crosscourt forehand return winner from Sabalenka is almost lost amidst the chaos of three double faults from the Chinese underdog.

To say that’s not the start to Set 2 she was hoping for would be a bit of an understatement.

09.20

SET! - SABALENKA 6-3 ZHENG

Zheng stands up to the heat and some superb defence gives her a glimmer of hope, but she sizzles a backhand just wide at 30-15 and Sabalenka earns two more set points.

The Chinese rasps a beauty of a return and follows it with a forehand winner to save one, but a huge serve on the second sees Aryna clinch a 33-minute opener on her fifth SP.

Image credit: Getty Images

09.18

VIDEO: SABALENKA DOMINATES THE OPENER

Aryna breaches Zheng's defences early on in the 2024 AO final.

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Ruthless Sabalenka breaks Zheng early in opening set of final

09.14

SABALENKA 5-3 ZHENG

Zheng stares down the barrel under more intense pressure on her second serve and coughs up triple set point when she goes for the line off a risky forehand.

A pair of aces and a brilliant serve-plus get her out of dodge and to the sanctuary of deuce, but a double fault keeps Sabalenka interest.

It’s not be though as Qinwen rattles down another ace and a huge serve to pull off a magical and very gutsy hold.

09.09

SABALENKA 5-2 ZHENG

Zheng has no answer to the Saba power.

She’s not alone; it’s been the case on Tour for a while now and particularly over the past fortnight.

Aryna wastes little time continuing her charge to this opener and a game to 15 moves her to within a game of achieving her target with just over 20 minutes on the clock.

09.07

SABALENKA 4-2 ZHENG

Zheng’s hopes of making this final competitive look like resting on her first serve.

When it lands, she’s picking up some cheap points, but when it doesn’t, Sabalenka is licking her lips in anticipation of an average second delivery.

The No.2 seed rips a howitzer of return winner to apply the heat at 15-15, but Zheng is clutch on serve, adding her third ace of the contest to notch up three points on the spin to stay in contention.

09.05

VIDEO: CAN ZHENG NEUTRALISE SABALENKA'S VENOMOUS BALL-STRIKING?

The World No.2 has made an ominous start in Set 1.

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'Brutal start' - Sabalenka wins opening point in the women's final