Sabalenka retains Australian Open crown

Aryna Sabalenka produced an utterly dominant display to become the first woman in 11 years to retain the Australian Open title and send out a warning to her rivals with her second Grand Slam title on Saturday.

The Belarusian blew away Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-2, in 76 minutes with a show of power that overwhelmed the Chinese 12th seed, emulating compatriot Victoria Azarenka's 2012-13 feat by winning the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup back-to-back.

Sabalenka came into the match without having dropped a set at the year's first major and stayed perfect to join Ash Barty, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Lindsay Davenport in the elite club of players to have done so this century.

"I'm speechless right now," Sabalenka said at her press conference as she sipped a glass of wine. "I don't know how to describe my emotions. But definitely, I'm super, super happy, and proud of everything I have been able to achieve so far."

Sabalenka dropped only one set at last year's tournament and her dominance this year is a further reflection of the maturity and emotional control she has built in the last 12 months.

"I didn't want to be a player who won it and disappeared," Sabalenka said. "I wanted to show I'm able to be consistently there and I'm able to win another one.

Sabalenka's rip-roaring form has helped her reach at least the semifinals at the last six majors including at Wimbledon last year, having missed the 2022 event at the All England Club due to Russian and Belarusian players being banned.

Like last year, the trophy will not mention where Sabalenka comes from as she is competing without national affiliation under conditions imposed on Russian and Belarusian players in tennis since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Zheng, meanwhile, cut a disappointed figure as she pondered what might have been.

"I wasn't playing my best tennis, I wasn't feeling that good out there," she said.

"I think I can learn more with the loss today and then I hope next time I can come back as a better tennis player and come back stronger."