Good morning and welcome to coverage of the Australian Open women’s final. After two gruelling weeks, the final battle will be between Aryna Sabalenka and Qinwen Zheng.
Sabalenka is the defending champion and clear favourite to win the match after blasting her way through the draw. On Thursday, she took out American Coco Gauff and now has her sights set on retaining her title.
“I would say emotionally I’ll be, hmm, I don’t know, like, very ready to fight,” she said. “Not going crazy. Because when you play first final you kind of like get emotional and rushing things sometimes. When you’re like third time in the finals, you’re, like, okay, it’s a final, it’s okay.
“It’s just another match, and you’re able to separate yourself from that thing. Just focus on your game.”
China’s Zheng has reached a maiden grand slam final for the first time in her career and done so without having to play a seeded player. Victory for her would mean she emulates Li Na, who won the tournament in 2014.
Zheng said: “She means a lot, I think, for all the Chinese kids the same age as me.
“Because I think she’s the first one who won the slams. That’s unbelievable for Asian woman in that moment. She gives a lot of hope, in that moment, to young kids like me.
“I’m sure the final will be really competitive, because I think Sabalenka, she’s one of the, I would say, most big hitters right now in the tour. She’s got the biggest serve, big forehand, big backhand. She’s really complete player.
“Like you say, I haven’t faced big seeded all the past round and she will be the first one I will face. But, you know, is a match, so let’s see what gonna happen the final there.”