Australian Open 2024: Aryna Sabalenka Dominates for Back-to-Back Titles, Secures World No. 1 Rank

Jun, 4 2025

Sensational Repeat: Sabalenka Rules the Australian Open Again

Everybody at the 2024 Australian Open felt the energy from Aryna Sabalenka the moment she stepped onto the court. Some people expected drama, but the Belarusian powerhouse had very different plans. She defeated Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-2 in the final, showcasing barely a flicker of doubt in a match that lasted just 76 minutes. Watching her take charge, it was clear—Sabalenka had arrived as a force, not just for one season, but for the long run.

Her path to this back-to-back title wasn't a cakewalk, but she made it look that way. Starting with Ella Seidel and Brenda Fruhvirtová, moving past Lesia Tsurenko, then Amanda Anisimova and the dangerous Barbora Krejčíková, Sabalenka bulldozed her way into the semifinals. Facing Coco Gauff, who had beaten her at the US Open the year before, Sabalenka flipped the script and powered through. Incredibly, over the entire tournament she lost only 31 games—that level of control over seven matches is almost unheard of in Grand Slam tennis.

Consistency at the Top: Sabalenka’s Growing Legacy

If you want proof that Sabalenka isn’t just a one-hit wonder, her stats do all the talking. She now holds 20 WTA singles trophies, three of which are from Grand Slam events. She’s also got six doubles titles, showing her versatility on the court. But winning the Australian Open twice in a row puts her in elite company; nobody has managed that since Victoria Azarenka over a decade ago. Sabalenka’s game is raw power mixed with new-found poise, and she’s proving it’s a nightmare combo for her opponents.

The real kicker? She finished 2024 ranked No. 1 in the world for the first time in her career. That’s a big leap from being seen as a player with lots of potential but questionable nerves. After winning her first Grand Slam in Melbourne last year, she doubled down with another title and added more big wins to her name, including the US Open. It's the kind of season that inspires new fans and even makes old legends take notice.

With her dominant serve, fearless baseline hitting, and newfound ability to keep her head in high-stakes matches, Sabalenka is writing a new chapter in tennis. It’s suddenly a lot tougher for anyone else in the draw to dream about their moment of glory when she’s in the tournament. And judging by the way she finished this year, it’s likely we’ll be seeing her at the business end of majors for quite a while.