Aryna Sabalenko and Qinwen Zheng will play in the women’s final at the 2024 Australian Open on Saturday, with the Belarusian looking to defend her title won last year in Melbourne, while the Chinese is gunning for her first Grand Slam title. The match at Rod Laver Arena will start at 10:30 and will be broadcast live on Eurosport and LiveBLOG on HotNews.ro.

Aryna Sabalenko – Qinwen Zheng in the Australian Open 2024 final

Know:

• Previously, Sabalenka and Zheng met at the US Open 2023. The athlete from Belarus won in the quarters with a score of 6-1, 6-4.

• Arina won the 2023 event in Melbourne after a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 final against Elena Rybakina.

• Sabalenko became the second athlete in this century, who reached the final of the Grand Slam tournament three times in a row on the hard court. Previously, only Victoria Azarenka managed it (Australian Open 2012, 2013 and US Open 2012, 2013).

• Zheng is only the second player in history not to meet a seed before a major final. At the Australian Open, only Aranta Sánchez Vicario (1995) had such a course.

• Reaching the final is Zheng’s best result at Grand Slam tournaments. The Chinese woman was also distinguished by her presence in the quarters at the US Open 2023 (when she was even defeated by Arina Sabalenko, score 6-1, 6-4).

• With her performance in Melbourne, Zheng will enter the WTA TOP 10 for the first time (she is ranked No. 7 in the WTA Live rankings, but can climb to No. 6 if she wins the event).

• Qinwen is coached by Pere Rib, who helped Coco Gauff win the first Grand Slam of her career (US Open 2023).

Aryna Sabalenko, the way to the Australian Open-2024 final

Round I: 6-0, 6-1 against Ella Seidel (173 WTA)

II round: 6-3, 6-2 against Brenda Fruchvirtova (107 WTA)

III round: 6-0, 6-0 against Lesia Tsurenko (33 WTA)

Best: 6-3, 6-2 against Amanda Anisimova (442 WTA)

Quarters: 6-2, 6-3 against Barbora Krejcikova (11 WTA)

Semifinals: 7-6(2), 6-4 vs Coco Gauff (4 WTA).

Qinwen Zheng, the road to the Australian Open 2024 final

Round I: 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 against Ashlyn Kruger (76 WTA)

Second round: 6-3, 6-3 against Katie Boulter (54 WTA)

Round III: 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(8) vs Yafan Wang (94 WTA)

Best result: 6-0, 6-3 against Ocean Dodin (95 WTA)

Quarters: (4) 6-7, 6-3, 6-1 vs. Anna Kalinska (75 WTA)

Semifinals: 6-4, 6-4 against Dayana Yastremska (93 WTA).