The summary: After an exciting two weeks in Australia, a defending champion successfully defended their Australian Open title, while a young star secured their first-ever Grand Slam victory. Crikey!
Women’s: No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka claimed her second Australian Open title in a row by defeating No. 12 Zheng Qinwen in straight sets early on Saturday. Sabalenka displayed her powerful game to break Zheng’s strong serve. She has not dropped a set during the tournament and has reached the semifinals of every Grand Slam since the 2022 U.S. Open. Winning this title was a dream come true for Sabalenka, who had shared it with her late father.
Men’s: No. 4 Jannik Sinner made an impressive comeback to win his first major title by overcoming nerves and a two-set deficit to defeat No. 3 Daniil Medvedev. This victory was significant as it was the first Australian Open final without any of the “Big 3” — Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer — since 2005. It could signify a changing of the guard in men’s tennis, although Djokovic, who Sinner beat in the semifinals, is not ready to retire just yet.
