Sinner stuns Medvedev while Bopanna scripts history: 2024 Australian Open Final Roundup
The first Grand Slam of 2024, the Australian Open came to an end as Aryna Sabalenka defended her title at the Rod Laver Arena while Jannik Sinner won his first Hardcourt Major in Melbourne, putting his name on the prestigious AO accolade. From the fall of top ranks to the heroics of unseeded stars, the 2024 Australian Open offered thrilling action and exciting score lines to tennis enthusiasts since its very first day.
Men’s Singles Final
Jannik Sinner vs Daniil Medvedev
Jannik Sinner added a new chapter to the books of history of the prestigious Australian Open by overcoming the likes of the most successful player in the history of the Hardcourt Major, Novak Djokovic and also “Mr Octopus” Daniil Medvedev in the final. The Italian tennis star’s resume has been getting progressively effulgent with every ATP tournament.
Sinner has faced Novak Djokovic four times in the last couple of months, and Interestingly, the 22-year-old has walked out triumphant on three occasions. Moreover, he also became the first player since 2019 to defeat the Serb in Australia (after 2195 days).
During his road to the final, Sinner was tested thoroughly as he had to play against the likes of Karen Khachanov (R16), Andrey Rublev (QF) and Novak Djokovic (SF). However, providing a sheer display of excellence, the Italian tennis star didn’t drop a set before the semifinal.
Playing against the World No. 3 in the final, Sinner lost his two initial sets as Medvedev managed to break the Italian’s serve four times. Nevertheless, exhibiting the epitome of elite mentality, Jannik Sinner crafted an astonishing comeback in the last three sets, sealing the victory 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. In 2022, Danill Medvedev suffered a similar victory in the final at the Rod Laver Arena against Rafael Nadal after he won the initial two sets.
Women’s Singles Final
Aryna Sabalenka vs Qinwen Zheng
Aryna Sabalenka’s Champion Photoshoot for her 2nd Australian Open title
Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka defeated China’s Qinwen Zheng in the final of the 2024 Australian Open and became the first female player since Victoria Azarenka (in 2012 and 2013) to win the Hardcourt Major twice in a row.
Qinwen Zheng, who has entered the top 10 in the WTA rankings, didn’t face any seeded players on her road to the final. However, the Chinese player should be given her share of the credit and praise for her valiant efforts in Melbourne. During the tournament, Zheng also got to meet her idol, two-time Grand Slam winner and former World No. 2, Li Na.
On the other hand, Aryna Sabalenka didn’t drop a single set during the whole competition. The Belarusian faced her biggest challenge in the semi-final, Coco Gauff, who defeated her in the final of the 2023 US Open. Despite being pushed to the limits against Guaff, Sabalenka denied all the possibilities of a potential loss in a gritty fashion.
Facing Qinwen Zheng in the final, Sabalenka dominated the match on her serve. Zheng also replied to the Belarusian tennis star with a few strong backhands from the baseline. However, with 40 service points, Sabalenka eventually won the prestigious AO trophy with the scoreline reading 6-3, 6-2.
Aryna Sabalenka also fulfilled the promise she made to her father, who passed away in 2019, by becoming a two-time Grand Slam winner before the age of 25, as revealed in the Netflix documentary ‘Break Point’. The Belarusian can overtake Poland’s Iga Swiatek in the ATP women’s singles ranking at the top spot if the Pole fails to defend her title in the upcoming month.
Men’s Doubles Final
Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden vs Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori
Bopanna and Ebden also reached the final of the 2023 US Open where they lost against Ram and Salisbury
Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden recorded an unforgettable triumph at the Rod Laver Arena in the final of the 2024 Australian Open men’s doubles event as they defeated the Italian pair of Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in straight sets.
The game started with Rohan Bopanna’s serve and the Indian tennis star quickly concluded the first game with consecutive aces. However, Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori also managed to keep their serves throughout the first set and forced it into a tiebreak.
Nevertheless, the Indo-Pacific pair quashed Bolelli and Vavassori in the tie-break with an astounding scoreline of 7-0. Displaying coordination and on-court prowess, Bopanna and Ebden didn’t concede even a single point in the crucial tie-break.
As soon as the second set got underway, the scoreline again started moving on serve. Both pairs were winning games on their respective serves until the scoreline read 4-4. Bopanna and Ebden got the much-awaited breakthrough in the ninth game after they managed to break the serve of Bolelli and Vavassori. The Indo-Pacific pair eventually managed to win in the next game 7-6 (7-0), 6-4.
After facing defeats in five consecutive finals, Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden finally won their first title together. Moreover, Bopanna will also be ranked World No. 1 by the ATP in men’s doubles, which will make him the oldest player in history to reach the top spot.
Women’s Doubles
Jelena Ostapenko and Lyudmyla Kichenok vs Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens
Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens defeated Jelena Ostapenko and Lyudmyla Kichenok in the final of the women’s singles event in the 2024 Australian Open to claim the prestigious silverware at the Rod Laver Arena. Ostapenko and Kichenok reached the final with notable wins over the likes of Kristina Mladenovic/ Carolina Garcia in the quarter-final and Erin Routliffe/ Gabriela Dabrowski in the semi-final.
On the other hand, Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens also had a commendable campaign with triumphs over Katerina Siniakova/ Storm Hunter in the semi-final and Luisa Stefani/ Demi Schuurs in the quarter-final.
In the final, they encountered the ultimate test as they faced the pair of Ostapenko and Kichenok. The match was expected to be a contest of nip and tuck, however, Su-Wei and Mertens stunned their opponents by breaking their serve thrice and winning the first set 6-1.
A similar story followed the second set, although Ostapenko and Kichenok tried making a comeback. The match concluded in favor of the second-seed pair, Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens 6-1, 7-5.
Jelena Ostapenko also participated in the women’s singles event at the 2024 Australian Open, however, her campaign came to an end against Victoria Azarenka in the third round. On the other side, Elise Mertens, who was seeded 25th in the women’s singles, also suffered an early loss against Marta Kostyuk in the second round.