Second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka won the Australian Open 2024 grand slam for the second time in a row, defeating Q. Zheng of China 6-3, 6-2, on Saturday at Rod Laver Arena.
Sabalenka won the Grand Slam in 2023, defeating Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina in three sets.
The World No. 2 became the first Australian Open champion to defend her title since Victoria Azarenca defeated Li Na in the 2013 final. The 25-year-old also successfully defended her AO title that year.
Sabalenka did not drop a set in a fortnight and has won 28 of her last 29 matches at Melbourne Park, including her 2023 title run. The only player to defeat her throughout this period was Elena Rybakina in last year’s final. In the final, she repeated her 6-1, 6-4 victory over Zheng in last year’s US Open quarterfinals, their only previous meeting.
Sabalenka’s 14th tour-level title, her ninth on outdoor hard courts, and her first since defending her Madrid trophy in May.
The 25-year-old Belarusian 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 (reports the WTA Tour).
She was also the first Australian Open women’s singles winner since Serena Williams in 2007 to win without dropping a serve.