News & Events in Belarus

Sabalenka defends Australian Open title

Aryna Sabalenka. Photo courtesy of Belarus’ NOC

MINSK, 27 January (BelTA) – Belarus’ world number 2 Aryna Sabalenka successfully defended her Australian Open title, defeating world number 15 Zheng Qinwen of China, 6-3, 6-2, to claim a second Grand Slam trophy, BelTA has learned.

In 2023 Aryna Sabalenka won her maiden Grand Slam title, seeing off Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina in Melbourne. Belarus’ Victoria Azarenka won the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013.

In the men’s final Russia’s world number 3 Daniil Medvedev will face world number 4 Jannik Sinner of Italy. In the semifinals Daniil Medvedev defeated Germany’s world number 6 Alexander Zverev, 3-2. Jannik Sinner beat world number one, 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia, 3-1. Jannik Sinner will make his debut in the Australian Open final. Daniil Medvedev lost in the finals of 2021 and 2022. Last year Novak Djokovic defeated Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.

The 2024 Australian Open money prize makes up $59.13 million. Winners in the women’s and men’s events will earn $2.153 million each.

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