Aryna Sabalenka rolls to 2nd straight Australian Open title
In a stellar display, World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka delivered a nearly flawless performance to clinch her consecutive Australian Open title, triumphing over China's Zheng Qinwen with a score of 6-3, 6-2 in the women's final on Saturday.
Right from the start, the defending champion showcased dominance, breaking Zheng's service games three times and securing the victory in just 1 hour and 16 minutes. This achievement makes Sabalenka the first woman to achieve back-to-back victories in Melbourne since her Belarusian compatriot Victoria Azarenka did so in 2012 and 2013.
Sabalenka's second Grand Slam title crowns a remarkable two weeks, during which she won all 14 sets played and conceded only 31 games throughout the tournament.
Despite being the 12th seed in Australia, Zheng faced the pressure of her first Grand Slam final. Sabalenka took an early lead by breaking for a 2-0 advantage. Although it seemed she might concede the break back, Sabalenka rallied, saving three break point opportunities and holding on for a swift 3-0 lead.
