The self-titled ‘queen of double faults’ began with that self-inflicted wound but finished with an astounding turnaround
Aryna Sabalenka started the final with a double fault and ended on the ground sobbing. It was, in a way, the story of her previous 12 months. Last year, the Belarusian was the self-described “queen of double faults” – a tour-high 440 of them last season. She also operated at the behest of her own emotions, stripped of her agency when confronted with an opponent’s defiance.
She became a champion on Saturday because she bested both – and, in turn, Elena Rybakina. She brought herself to heel after losing the first set and after each of the 10 break points she engineered but did not win.
Written by Emma Kemp
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/jan/28/sabalenkas-storybook-comeback-amazes-in-australian-open-triumph under the title “Sabalenka’s storybook comeback amazes in Australian Open triumph | Emma Kemp”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
