Sabalenka and Zheng show poise, not just power, on way to Australian Open final
Both players showed calmness under pressure as they saw off their respective opponents on Thursday
Aryna Sabalenka in the 2024 Australian Open (Icon SMI/Panoramic)
On the face of it, Aryna Sabalenka and Zheng Qinwen powered their way into the final of the Australian Open on Thursday, seeing off their respective opponents with a series of winners or shots with such depth and pace that their opponents could not handle it.
But as much as power was a factor – and Sabalenka alone hit 33 winners in her victory over Coco Gauff – it was the way both she and in particular Zheng coped with pressure and the biggest moments of their respective matches that got them over the line.
Take Sabalenka, a woman who at one stage of her career was having meltdowns on court and smashing her racquets as her game, and especially her serve, fell apart. Her transformation into a far more serene player has not dented her power, but it’s made her a far more consistent and formidable competitor.
One moment in her 7-6 (2), 6-4 win over Coco Gauff, which was a superb match, summed up her change in philosophy. Facing break point at 5-5 in the first set, having squandered a 5-2 lead, she missed the easiest of forehands on top of the net to give Gauff the break for 6-5.
She didn’t smash her racquet or start shouting. Instead she sat down at the change of ends, thinking about her situation. The cause became even tougher when she lost the first two points on the Gauff serve but she locked down, broke back and then ripped through the tiebreak.
“I think I’m pretty calm inside (as she looks on the) outside,” she said. “I’m defending champion, but worst case, I’m, like, OK, I’m gonna lose this tournament, and it’s less points to defend next year. Then that’s it. “That’s kind of like helping me to just stay focused and just try your best in each match without thinking about defending something.”
Every time it looked like Gauff was about ready to get ahead, she shut the door with some stunning ball-striking, her nerve holding up far better than it had when they played in the New York final last year. This is the new Sabalenka, the one who won her first Grand Slam title here 12 months ago and who has now made three of the past five major finals.
Zheng: Li Na told me, ‘Don’t think too much, just play’
And what about Zheng, a 21-year-old with the eyes of a nation upon her? The pressure, if she allowed herself to think about it, must have been intense, knowing how many people at home in China were willing her on.
But instead of getting tense, getting tight and folding in the big moments in her semi-final against Dayana Yastremska, Zheng stayed calm, kept her cool and found the game she needed to get it done. Her 6-4, 6-4 win makes her the youngest Chinese woman to make a slam final and coming 10 years after Li Na won here, her presence has even more poignancy.
The way she deals with adversity is amazing. When Yastremska took a medical timeout after Zheng had broken for 4-3 in the first set, there was no panic. Instead, she hit a few serves while waiting for Yastremska to return and even though she lost the first point on a double-fault, she held serve, saving break point and then, two games later, found a big serve and then a good forehand to clinch the set.
In the second set, it was the same story. Both players left the court for a bathroom break and Zheng, followed by cameras along the corridor, looked relaxed, smiling and happy as she came back out for set two.
Having got the break again for 4-3, she held easily but the nerves must have been there when she served for the match two games later. Maybe not. At 30-30, a flashing return from Yastremska went just wide and then, on match point, Zheng took a breath, wiped sweat from her forehead and fired a trademark big serve down the T to win it.
Both hands over her head, she gave herself a roar of approval but her emotions were still in check. This, it seems, was expected by her, despite her inexperience.
“Li Na already gave me advice a few days ago – don’t think too much, just play,” she told Eurosport. “Even though it’s a final I think you need to keep your focus and play your tennis. I need to manage my emotions in the final. I will focus on my game and we will fight and see what happens.”
