By Nana Kwame Bediako and Andy Addotey
Belarusian second seed Aryna Sabalenka has qualified for the final of the Australian Open ongoing at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, after avenging her loss to American teenager Coco Gaucf in last year’s US Open showpiece.
Sabalenka, who’s on course to defend her Australia Open title, recorded a 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 win over 4th seed Coco Gauff in a dramatic semi-final match.
Sabalenka and Gauff kept each other at bay in an error-strewn first set with six breaks before Sabalenka struck decisively late in the second set.
The Belarusian, who’s one match away from retaining her Australia Open women’s title, will face off against 12th seed Zheng Qinwen from China on Saturday at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.
Zheng, who is 21 years old, qualified for her first grand slam event by putting an end to Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska’s impressive streak with a 6-4, 6-4 win in the second semi-final game played today.
On the other side of the coin,Zheng has high hopes of becoming the second Chinese woman to win the Australian Open on the tenth anniversary of her fellow countrywoman Li Na’s famous win.
Zheng says it’s unbelievable, as she’s super excited to have produced such a great performance to punch her ticket to the final.
