The women’s singles and men’s doubles championship matches are on Saturday in Melbourne.
Just over a decade ago, Victoria Azarenka won back-to-back Australian Open titles, the last time a woman repeated as champion in Melbourne. On Saturday, another hard-hitting, shrieking Belarussian, Aryna Sabalenka, plays for her second consecutive Australian Open title.
Exactly a decade ago, Li Na became the first Chinese player to win an Australian Open singles title. On Saturday, a 21-year-old Chinese player who idolized Li Na, Qinwen Zheng, vies for her first Major title.
Also on Saturday night, the men’s doubles championship match will be played, featuring Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori vs. Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden (2). Bolelli won this title nine years with another Italian, Fabio Fognini, while Vavassori is playing for his first Major. Ebden was a runner-up here two years ago with Max Purcell, a partnership that would win Wimbledon six months later. Bopanna is playing for his first Major title in men’s doubles at the age of 43, and 14 years after reaching his first final at the US Open.
Qinwen Zheng (12) vs. Aryna Sabalenka (2) – Not Before 7:30pm on Rod Laver Arena
It’s hard to imagine it was only two years ago when Sabalenka was struggling so much on her serve, hitting 20+ double fault in some matches, that she resorted to serving underhand. Through six dominant rounds this fortnight, during which she hasn’t dropped a set, Aryna has struck 24 aces and just 10 double faults.
She’s the first WTA player in two decades, since Amelie Mauresmo, to reach six consecutive Major semifinals. And while that round has long been a stumbling block for her, she officially overcame any remaining scar tissue on Thursday, with her strong victory over US Open champion Coco Gauff, avenging a loss in the championship match from New York.
Qinwen achieved her first Major quarterfinal at that same event, and will now debut inside the top 10 thanks to this run in Melbourne. Like Sabalenka, she possesses a formidable serve, though her ball toss can be a bit problematic. Zheng has dropped three sets through six rounds, and notably is yet to face a top 10 player, until now.
After Wim Fissette abruptly left her team a few months ago to rejoin Naomi Osaka, Qinwen rehired Pere Riba, who helped coach Coco Gauff to victory over Sabalenka last September in New York. So he’ll surely have some good tips for Zheng on how to defeat Aryna.
In the quarterfinals of the that same Major, Sabalenka and Qinwen had their only previous meeting, which saw Aryna comfortably prevail 6-1, 6-4. With a huge edge in experience, and playing more confidently in big matches than ever before, Sabalenka is a considerable favorite to defend her title on Saturday.
Saturday’s full Order of Play is here.
