Aryna Savalanka started 2024 exactly like 2023: with a win at the Australian Open.
The 25-year-old Belarusian this morning (Saturday) achieved her second Grand Slam title in her career, thanks to a 3:6, 2:6 victory over China's Qinwen Zheng on her way to a second consecutive sweep at the Rod Leiber Court.
After the achievement, the coach of the world number 2 explained the ritual that accompanied them throughout the tournament and Savalanka remembered her late father.
Before the match, the champion wrote her name on the bald head of her Australian fitness coach, Jason Stacey, and right after the end she went over to give him a little "cape" on the bald spot.
"That was our part in the tournament. On the first day, a boy asked her to autograph a ball and she replied, 'No problem,' and signed my head instead, as a joke," said Stacey.
Savalanka laughed: "He's not happy about it. I think we'll do it throughout the year."
The Belarusian told the press conference that her second Grand Slam title victory fulfilled the dream of her father, who passed away at the age of only 43 in 2019.
"I lost my father four years ago. We had one dream, that by the age of 25 I would win two Grand Slams," she shared.
Sabalanka and the baldness that became a mascot/GettyImages, Cameron Spencer
Consecutive master's degree in Australia for Belarusian/GettyImages, MARTIN KEEP/AFP
Savalanka is the second player in the 21st century not to drop a set on the way to winning in Australia.
Only Ashley Barty, in 2022, lost one game less (30) than the Belarusian this year.
Sebalanka is also the second in the Open era to have her first two Grand Slam titles won in Melbourne, after Victoria Azarenka lifted the trophy there in 2012 and 2013.
In the last 20 years, only Serena Williams (2007) has managed to complete a final victory in Australia without having her serve broken - another feat Sebalanka equaled today.
Overall, the Belarusian is the third player in the last decade to win the same Grand Slam two years in a row - Serena (Wimbledon 2015-16) and Iga Shabiontek (Roland Garros, 2022-23) did it before her.
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A tremendous achievement.
Aryna Savalanka/GettyImages, Julian Finney
"I know the feeling, it's very hard to lose in the final, but you're a great player, you're such a young girl and you'll play in many more finals and get it," Savalanka consoled her opponent, Chinwen Zheng, in her swing speech on the court.
She later thanked her team: "Thank you so much for being by my side no matter what, without you I wouldn't have been able to achieve so much in this industry. It was an amazing two weeks and I couldn't imagine myself lifting this trophy again."
To her family she said: "I love you so much and you are my biggest inspiration, everything I do is for your sake. In conclusion, she told the audience: "I love you so much, and I can't wait to come back."
The world of tennis congratulated the new champion, including a compatriot Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, as well as Ones Javor, Paula Badosa and former players Ana Ivanovic and Conchita Martins. Above all of them was the blessing of Rod Leiber, the legendary former Australian tennis player, after whom, as mentioned, the main court in the competition is named: "Once you have tasted the most success Big, hard to stop.
Congratulations on your master's degree at the Australian Championships, Aryna Savalanka.
You can't be stopped, like a missile!"
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Arina Savalanka
Australian Open Championship