Belarusian tennis sensation Aryna Sabalenka raised her hands to the sky, kissing them in a moment of triumph. She secured her victory over Qinwen Zheng with a score of 6-3, 6-2, clinching her second consecutive Australian Open title in Melbourne. This win held a special significance as she dedicated it to her late father, Sergey, who passed away in 2019. Together, they dreamt of this moment, making her celebration even more poignant.
Reflecting on her journey, Sabalenka shared with reporters after the match, “I lost my father four years ago. We had one dream, that before 25, I will win a couple of Grand Slams.” She turned 25 in May 2023, achieving two Grand Slam titles and fulfilling their shared dream.
Despite moments of doubt, Sabalenka persevered, fueled by the memory of her father and the unwavering support of her family. She acknowledged, “He’s been everything for me. But right now I have my mom, my sister, who is here with me, and I feel like I have to think about them. I just feel that he’s always with me. I’m very thankful for everything he did for me, and I think if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be here.”
In a dominant performance, Sabalenka triumphed over Zheng in just 75 minutes, maintaining a flawless record of 14 sets won without dropping a single one throughout the tournament. Her remarkable achievement places her among a select group of women who have won the Australian Open without losing a set in this century.
With her back-to-back titles in Melbourne, Sabalenka follows in the footsteps of fellow Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, who last achieved this feat in 2013. As the world No. 2 player, she looks ahead to future challenges, with the French Open in May on the horizon.