Sawt Falasteen - Sabalenka bids for Australian Open repeat against China's 'Queen Wen'

The Belarusian world number two has yet to drop a set in Melbourne this year, sweeping all-comers aside until fourth seed Coco Gauff put up a stiffer challenge in the semi-finals.

She is aiming to match the achievement of compatriot Victoria Azarenka, who won the tournament in 2012 and 2013.

The 25-year-old feels experience in big matches will help her against an opponent who had previously never been beyond the quarter-finals of a major.

After her title success last year, Sabalenka reached the semi-finals at the French Open and Wimbledon before losing to Gauff in the final of the US Open.

"When you play a first final you kind of like get emotional and rush things sometimes," said Sabalenka. "When you're like third time in the finals, you're, like, 'OK, it's a final, it's OK'.

"It's just another match and you're able to separate yourself from that thing. Just focus on your game. That's it, actually."

While 12th seed Zheng cannot compete in the experience stakes, the 21-year-old has been on a rapid rise, showing she has the temperament and game to handle pressure situations.

Ranked just 143 heading into the 2021 season, she rose to number 28 a year later and will enter the world's top 10 for the first time next week.

Known to her fans as "Queen Wen", she is the first Chinese finalist in Melbourne since Li Na won the title in 2014.

She has been taking inspiration and advice from Li in Melbourne and feels it is her destiny to win on the 10-year anniversary of her compatriot's title triumph.

"She told me, 'Don't think too much, just go for it'," said Zheng. "That's enough, I think.

And she joked about her fickle relationship with destiny.

"When everything is working well, I believe in destiny. But if the destiny doesn't go on my side, I don't believe that at all," she said.

All of Zheng's opponents on her way to the final were outside the top 50.

Zheng won her first WTA title on clay in Palermo in 2023 and followed it up with a second on the Zhengzhou hard courts at the back end of last year.

She also made the last eight at the US Open -- losing to Sabalenka in their only previous meeting -- and won an Asian Games gold medal on home soil.

"I think her forehand is really heavy, and she's moving well also, fighting for every point," said Sabalenka.

"She's played really great tennis, putting her opponents under pressure, playing aggressive tennis, and I think that's why she will be top 10."

E.Aziz--SF-PST