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Aryna Sabalenka Beats Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-2 to Clinch Back-to-Back Australian Open Titles

Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka poses with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup after victory against China's Zheng Qinwen during their women's singles final match on day 14 of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 27, 2024. (AFP)
Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka poses with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup after victory against China's Zheng Qinwen during their women's singles final match on day 14 of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 27, 2024. (AFP)
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Aryna Sabalenka Beats Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-2 to Clinch Back-to-Back Australian Open Titles

Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka poses with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup after victory against China's Zheng Qinwen during their women's singles final match on day 14 of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 27, 2024. (AFP)
Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka poses with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup after victory against China's Zheng Qinwen during their women's singles final match on day 14 of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 27, 2024. (AFP)

Aryna Sabalenka clinched back-to-back Australian Open titles with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Zheng Qinwen on Saturday in a one-sided women’s final.

The No. 2-seeded Sabalenka broke Zheng’s serve in the second game and took the first set in 33 minutes.

She broke again to start the second set and maintained her dominance throughout against the No. 12-seeded Zheng.

Serving for the match at 5-2 in the second, she had three championship points at 40-0 but missed two with wide or long forehands and another with Zheng's clever drop shot.

In the end, she needed five championship points before finishing off with a forehand crosscourt winner.

Sabalenka improved to two wins in three Grand Slam finals, all in a span of 13 months.

She's the first woman since Victoria Azarenka in 2012 and ’13 to win back-to-back Australian Open titles.

The 21-year-old Zheng was making her debut in a major final and playing an opponent ranked in the top 50 for the first time in this tournament.

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Wimbledon Tennis Tournament Replaces Line Judges with Technology

(FILE) - A line judge follows the action on Centre Court during the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 30 June 2016 (re-issued 09 October 2024). EPA/HANNAH MCKAY
(FILE) - A line judge follows the action on Centre Court during the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 30 June 2016 (re-issued 09 October 2024). EPA/HANNAH MCKAY
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Wimbledon Tennis Tournament Replaces Line Judges with Technology

(FILE) - A line judge follows the action on Centre Court during the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 30 June 2016 (re-issued 09 October 2024). EPA/HANNAH MCKAY
(FILE) - A line judge follows the action on Centre Court during the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 30 June 2016 (re-issued 09 October 2024). EPA/HANNAH MCKAY

Wimbledon is replacing line judges with electronic line-calling, the latest step into the modern age by the oldest Grand Slam tennis tournament.
The All England Club announced Wednesday that technology will be used to give the “out” and “fault” calls at the championships from 2025, eliminating the need for human officials to make them, The Associated Press reported.
Wimbledon organizers said the decision to adopt live electronic line calling was made following extensive testing at the 2024 tournament and “builds on the existing ball-tracking and line-calling technology that has been in place for many years.”
“We consider the technology to be sufficiently robust and the time is right to take this important step in seeking maximum accuracy in our officiating,” said Sally Bolton, chief executive of the All England Club. “For the players, it will offer them the same conditions they have played under at a number of other events on tour.”
The move makes the French Open the only Grand Slam tournament without some form of electronic line-calling. The Australian Open and US Open already had eliminated line judges and only have chair umpires on court.
Line judges at Wimbledon were dressed in famously elegant uniforms and, for traditionalists, were part of the furniture at the All England Club.
Bolton said Wimbledon had a responsibility to “balance tradition and innovation.”
“Line umpires have played a central role in our officiating set-up at the championships for many decades,” she said, "and we recognize their valuable contribution and thank them for their commitment and service.”
Line-calling technology has long been used at Wimbledon and other tennis tournaments to call whether serves are in or out.
At the US Open, there has been no line judges — and only chair umpires — since 2021, with Hawk-Eye Live electronic line-calling used for all courts.
The All England Club also said Wednesday that the women's and men’s singles finals will be scheduled to take place at the later time of 4 p.m. local time on the second Saturday and Sunday, respectively — and after doubles finals on those days.
Bolton said the moves have been made to ensure the day of the finals "builds towards the crescendo of the ladies’ and gentlemen’s singles finals, with our champions being crowned in front of the largest possible worldwide audience.”