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'I’m living my dream life,' Aryna Sabalenka opens up on her road to the 2024 Australian Open finals ahead of a much-awaited showdown against Qinwen Zheng

Aryna Sabalenka, the defending champion at the 2024 Australian Open, opens up about her road to the final as she nears her match against Qinwen Zheng . The Belarusian won her first and only Grand Slam title at the 2023 Australian Open and will hope to continue holding on to her title by defeating 12th-seeded Qinwen Zheng.

The 2023 Australian Open was indeed a memorable one for the former World No. 1, as she won her first Grand Slam title.

Well, I have very great memories from last year and it was really nice to be back, but I was just trying to not think about being the defending champion. Said the 25-year-old.

The Belarusian has won all of her matches in straight sets. That is the form with which she has been playing, trying to defend her crown.

I think the second match, I didn't feel that good like it felt at the first one. She said referring to her match against Brenda Fruhvirtova.

That’s not all; World No. 2 admitted that she had to step in a little to take it to the next level. Nevertheless, she still managed to beat her opponent with a score of 6-3, 6-2. 

The third match was even better, as she defeated Lesia Tsurenko in 6-0, 6-0, and also defined her quarterfinal opponent, Barbora Krejcikova, the 2021 French Open champ, as very tricky. However, the defending champ also admitted that these were the matches she liked to play. 

Next up was the rematch of the US Open 2023, as Sabalenka played American Coco Gauff. Despite the thriller, the Belarusian won again in straight sets, with the first set going to a tiebreaker.

I knew that no matter what the score, she's gonna fight for it, she's gonna do her best, she's gonna move, she's gonna try to get every ball she can. To be in my third Grand Slam final means to me a lot. That's a dream and I'm living my dream life and I'm ready to fight for every point in that Saturday final. Continuing further, Sabalenka added

Aryna Sabalenka to face Qinwen Zheng in the finals of the Australian Open 2024.

The Belarusian will now wait to face Qinwen Zheng in a final attempt to defend her crown. Given her current form, she will definitely put up a huge fight, regardless of the result.

Qinwen Zheng, on the other hand, has also been giving it her all. It will definitely be a battle of the best at Melbourne Park.

The 12th-seeded Zheng has been having a note-worthy campaign as well. However, her opponent has not been as high-profile as Sabalenka’s. Yet, it is irrefutable that the Chinese tennis player has been playing the best tennis of her career.

With that being said, the much-awaited clash will definitely be a sight for sore eyes at Melbourne Park. On the one hand, Sabalenka will try to defend her title as she embarks on a journey to go back to the top of the rankings. On the other hand, Zheng will try to create history as she hopes to win her maiden Grand Slam. 

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This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

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