Aryna Sabalenka possesses an arsenal of formidable quality on the tennis court, but it is her resilience and willingness to improve which proved critical to her Australian Open triumph.
The Belarusian, who claimed her first grand slam title with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 triumph over reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, fell to the ground in tears after winning.
Critically, it was her once infamously fraught serve which proved the difference in the latter two sets, with the 24-year-old holding every service game after the first set. With a grand slam title to her name, Sabalenka is surging to the top and shapes as a worthy challenger to world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, a player she defeated in the 2022 WTA Finals.
For those who prefer aesthetically pleasing tennis, with slices and volleys and court craft coming to the fore, this was not necessarily a match for them. But it was still a great final. To be accurate, Barty was also blessed with a superb serve and her variety made it even more potent, with the Queenslander ranking highly in statistical measures during her reign.Elena Rybakina was gallant in defeat in a gripping decider.Sabalenka and Rybakina, in contrast, favour first-strike tennis and thumped winners throughout.
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