Aryna Sabalenka has opened up about the fear that drove her to her second Australian Open title before posing with the trophy in a stunning white dress in Melbourne on Sunday.
The 25-year-old kissed the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup again and shared a heartwarming moment with a ballkid during the traditional photoshoot at the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens, just a short walk from the city centre.
Following her straight-sets win over Zheng Qinwen, she recalled the dark times when she feared a Grand Slam title would elude her forever after becoming the first player to win the Australian Open women’s crown in more than a decade defended.
Sabalenka warned her rivals that there could be more to come after she overcame her fears of being labeled a major miracle with a brutal and enlightening win over the Chinese underdog.
Sabalenka kissed the trophy again as she posed for the winner’s traditional photo shoot at Melbourne’s Carlton Gardens on Sunday
The 25-year-old cut a striking figure as she posed at the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup for the second year in a row
The Belarusian star shared a heartwarming moment with one of the Australian Open ball kids
The world number 2 overwhelmed Zheng 6-3 6-2 on Saturday evening, following up compatriot Victoria Azarenka’s double act at Melbourne Park in 2012 and 2013.
To underline her dominance, Sabalenka joined greats Ash Barty (2022), Serena Williams (2017), Maria Sharapova (2008) and Lindsay Davenport (2000) as only the fifth woman this century to win the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup without a set to drop.
“It’s been a great few weeks and I couldn’t imagine lifting this trophy again,” said Sabalenka.
‘It’s an incredible feeling right now. I’m really speechless.’
On a mission after losing last year’s US Open final to Coco Gauff, Sabalenka produced 76 minutes of focus and ferocity to exorcise the mental demons that haunted her during the temperamental talent’s well-documented struggles with the serving yips.
“There was a point where I really didn’t believe I would win a slam one day, especially those periods where I was serving double faults and couldn’t recover my serve,” she said.
Another tournament victory will ensure Sabalenka becomes world number 1 again
Last year the Australian Open queen wore a pink dress as she posed with her trophy on the banks of the Yarra River
‘It had a lot of ups and downs.
‘But I just couldn’t stop. I felt like I just had to keep doing what I was doing. I just have to keep fighting for my dream and make sure that if there is something I want to believe and there is something, my dad looks at me and is very proud of me.
“So I just couldn’t stop for my family.”
Sabalenka’s former ice hockey-playing father Sergey died in 2019 after almost accidentally introducing his then six-year-old daughter to tennis after driving past some courts one day.
‘He is my biggest motivation. He has been everything to me,” she said after moving within one tournament victory of displacing Poland’s Iga Swiatek from the top rankings.
Sabalenka, a one-time emotional wreck, also thanked her team and said she could never have won a Grand Slam without their unwavering support.
“It was in my mind that I didn’t want to be that player who won and then disappeared,” Sabalenka said of capturing a second major.
“I just wanted to show that I can be consistent there and that I can win another one.
“I’m really hoping for more than two now.”
Zheng believed in fate and had hoped the stars would align and she would become China’s second grand slam champion, a neat decade after her idol and inspiration Li Na won the 2014 Australian Open.
But second-placed Sabalenka put an end to the 21-year-old’s fairytale in clinical fashion.
Sabalenka is pictured with her father Sergey, who died unexpectedly in 2019 at the age of just 43. She gave him a kiss after winning her second grand slam on Saturday evening.
The 6-3, 6-2 win over Zheng Qinwen means Sabalenka didn’t drop a single set en route to an emotional Open win (pictured)
“I feel a little sorry, but this has been a great experience for me,” Zheng said.
‘It’s my first Grand Slam final. I feel like I could do better, but I didn’t in this match.
“I’m sure there will be more and better in the future.”
Zheng’s consolation is a rise from 15th in the rankings to No. 7 in the world and a career payday of $1.725 million.
CAREER SNAPSHOT OF 2024 AUSTRALIAN OPEN CHAMPION ARYNA SABALENKA
Age: 25
Born: Minsk, Belarus
Height: 182cm
Ranking: 2
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $34.35 million
Career titles: 14
Career win-loss record: 371-175
Grand slam titles: 2 (Australian Open 2023, 2024)
Grand slam win-loss record: 66-22
Win-loss record at the Australian Open: 22-5
Best Australian Open results: 2023, 2024 champion
Coach: Anton Dubrov
Road to title:
1st: bt Ella Seidel (DU) 6-0 6-1
2nd: bt Brenda Fruhvirtova (CZE) 6-3 6-2
3rd: bt 28-Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) 6-0 6-0
4th: bt Amanda Anisimova (USA) 6-3 6-2
QF: bt 9-Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) 6-2 6-3
SF: bt 4-Coco Gauff (USA) 7-6 (7-2) 6-4
Q: bt 12-Zheng Qinwen (CHN) 6-3 6-2