Aryna Sabalenka will be seeking her second Grand Slam title when she competes in the Australian Open final on Saturday. | REUTERS
MELBOURNE – Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka is confident she will have an emotional edge over Zheng Qinwen in Saturday’s Australian Open final, but the fast-rising Chinese star believes destiny is on her side.
The world No. 2 is the favorite to claim her second major crown at Rod Laver Arena against a player getting her first taste of such a momentous occasion and who reached the final without meeting a seeded player.
“I would say emotionally I’ll be very ready to fight, not going crazy,” said the Belarusian, who is bidding to become the first woman since compatriot Victoria Azarenka in 2013 to mount a successful title defense at Melbourne Park.
“When you play your first final you kind of like get emotional and rushing things sometimes. When you’re like third time in the finals, you’re like, ‘OK, it’s a final, it’s OK’.
“It’s just another match, and you’re able to separate yourself from that thing. Just focus on your game.”
Aryna Sabalenka, 25, beat Elena Rybakina in Melbourne last year to earn her first Grand Slam crown.
She followed it up by reaching the semifinals at the French Open and Wimbledon before losing to Coco Gauff in the U.S. Open final.
While No. 12 seed Zheng cannot compete in experience, the 21-year-old has been on a rapid rise to stardom and has shown she has the temperament and game to handle pressure situations.
Ranked just 143rd heading into the 2021 season, she rose to No. 28 a year later and will enter the top 10 for the first time next week due to her performance in Australia.
Zheng is the first Chinese finalist in Melbourne since Li Na won the title in 2014, and only the second after her idol to get so far at any major.
She has been taking inspiration and advice from Li in Melbourne and feels it is her destiny to win on the 10-year anniversary of her compatriot’s triumph.
“I believe in the destiny, yes, I do,” she said, while admitting that how she handles being in a final is the big unknown against a player of Sabalenka’s caliber.
All of her opponents en route to the final were outside the top 50.
“I know there is still another fight to go,” she said. “I’m trying to control my emotion.
“I mean, there is still going to be challenge on my side, because, you know, to arrive in the final, everybody needs to face the pressure in the final.
“Who can deal better and who can perform their tennis is the one who’s going to win the match. That’s one of my challenges. I need to deal with it.”
Zheng won her first WTA title on clay at Palermo in 2023 and followed it up with a second on the Zhengzhou hard courts late last year.
She also made the last eight at the U.S. Open — losing to Sabalenka in their only previous meeting — and won an Asian Games gold medal on home soil.
The pair are occasional practice partners and Sabalenka said she was not underestimating Zheng after watching her progress in recent years.
“She’s a really nice girl and playing really great tennis once again. It’s going to be great battle,” she said.
“I think her forehand is really heavy, and she’s moving well also, fighting for every point.
“She’s played really great tennis, putting her opponents under pressure, playing aggressive tennis, and I think that’s why she will be top 10.”
