WATCH: Qinwen Zheng attacks Aryna Sabalenka at the net with a huge ‘body blow’ during the Australian Open final

The Australian Open 2024 finals are off to a fiery start as Qinwen Zheng hits Aryna Sabalenka.

WATCH: Qinwen Zheng attacks Aryna Sabalenka at the net with a huge ‘body blow’ during the Australian Open final

Qinwen Zheng hits Aryna Sabalenka during the Australian Open finals (Image via Twitter)

The 2024 Australian Open finals for women’s singles is underway and it’s been a blazing start. Defending champ Aryna Sabalenka has taken the court as the favorite given Qinwen Zheng‘s inexperience in playing in a Grand Slam event’s finals.

The nerves were on display for the Chinese as she found herself 0-3 down in no time. After losing her service in the second game, she had 3 break point opportunities.

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The Belarusian however defended it well and held her serve. She won five points on the trot to make it 3-0 in her favor.

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While the final has just started, the two players have already shared a tense moment. With the World No. 2 taking firm control of the set, she did not hesitate in going up to the net as well. Zheng remained on the baseline for the majority of the set and did not go to the net throughout the first set.

In one such exchange with Sabalenka on the net during the warmup, a fierce backhand from the 12th seed caught the second seed by surprise. She could not move out in time, and despite trying to shield herself with the racket, she got hit. 

Zheng was apologetic and immediately raised her hands. Sabalenka did not however look at the Chinese.

Aryna Sabalenka draws the first blood

While Zheng had a nervy start, she did find her feet as the match progressed. Despite being 0-3 down at one point, she cut down the lead to 2-4. Sabalenka did not lose serve and quickly made it 5-2.

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Aryna Sabalenka in action (Image via Australian Open X)

Zheng had to defend three set points on her serve and she successfully did it. Not only did she save the points, she contested fiercely on the two deuces before holding out her serve to make it 3-5.

Sabalenka now had her fate on her own, and she did not miss the chance. Despite losing out on another set point as Zheng’s confidence grew, it was still not enough. The defending champ neatly wrapped up things to win the first set 6-3. 

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