‘No one has come close to Aryna Sabalenka’s level’ at 2024 Australian Open

Aryna Sabalenka “hammered everyone” she faced at this year’s Australian Open and Qinwen Zheng will be up against it in Saturday’s final.

Defending champion Sabalenka is back in the final at Melbourne Park and she reached the showpiece match without dropping a set, producing emphatic display after emphatic display.

Her victory over Coco Gauff in the semi-final on Thursday was particularly impressive as there were brief moments where the American looked like she would get the upper hand, but Sabalenka always managed to find a different gear and eventually came away with a 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 victory.

Zheng, meanwhile, booked her place in Saturday’s grand clash with a confident 6-4, 6-4 win over qualifier Dayana Yastremska while she dropped three sets en route to the final.

Former British No 1 and commentator Laura Robson feels Sabalenka has been a class above her opponents at the season-opening Grand Slam.

“I don’t think anyone’s come close to Aryna’s level this tournament,” Robson told Sky Sports.

“She is just hammering everyone. People are struggling to get gains against her serve and she’s returning so much freer and playing so big.”

Sabalenka is looking to become the first woman since Victoria Azarenka in 2013 to win back-to-back titles at Melbourne Park and Zheng knows what she will have to deal with a big serve, a big forehand and a big backhand.

“I’m sure the final will be really competitive, because I think Sabalenka, she’s one of the, I would say, most big hitters right now in the tour,” the Chinese 12th seed said.

“She got the most big serve, most big forehand, big backhand. She’s [a] really complete player.

“I haven’t faced big seeds all the past rounds and she will be the first one I will face. But, you know, is a match, so let’s see what gonna happen the final there.”

Sabalenka has in the past been known to drop her head when things are not going her way, but she is a different player these days as she knows how to keep her emotions in check.

“I think I’m pretty calm inside like I am outside,” she explained. “I’m defending champion but, worst case, I’m going to lose this tournament and it’s less points to defend next year. That’s helping me to just stay focused and just try your best in each match without thinking about defending something.”

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