With geopolitics swirling around tennis, Aryna Sabalenka won the Australian Open under a neutral flag

With geopolitics swirling around tennis, Aryna Sabalenka became the first player to win a Grand Slam title while playing under a neutral flag.

A 24-year-old Belarusian who has improved her serve dramatically in the past year, Sabalenka defeated Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to capture her maiden Slam in a wildly entertaining Australian Open final. .

As Rybakina, who was born in Moscow but now plays in Kazakhstan, sailed a long forehand to Sabalenka in the fourth match, Sabalenka fell to her back on the court, dropped her racket and covered her face with her hands, crying tears of joy.

Thanks to the guys for the great atmosphere, Sabalenka told the audience after receiving the award from Billie Jean King, whom she thanked for everything she has done for the game. It was nice to play in front of you, thank you very much.

He will take home about $2 million for winning his first major after losing in the previous three semifinals.

Because Belarus supports Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Australian Open said Russian and Belarusian players could not compete under their countries’ flags or names, instead having white flags next to their names. Players from both countries were banned from Wimbledon last year, and the All-England Club has yet to announce its policy for 2023. Tennis legends King and John McEnroe are among those calling for Wimbledon to be played by both countries.

It’s really terrible because no one supports the war, no one, Sabalenka said the Australian newspaper The Age at the end of December. The Wimbledon ban didn’t change anything in the political situation, and that’s sad, Sabalenka said. He added that playing under a neutral flag in Melbourne makes him feel like he’s coming from nowhere.

Playing in her first major final, Sabalenka muscled her way to a break at 4-3 in the last set and earned the break with a powerful overhead kick from the baseline.

He then held serve for 5-3 with an ace. With Rybakina in control at 4-5, Sabalenka missed her first three match points before finally converting the fourth.

Rybakina had beaten five seeds en route to the final, including world number one Iga Swiatek, who won the French and US Opens last year. He congratulated Sabalenka on joining the Grand Slam club.

Good classes in the final season, hopefully there will be many more fights, Rybakina said.

Sabalenka’s serving, once a weak part of a game that led to an average of 15 double faults per game last year, is now a strength. He hit 17 aces against 7 double faults and won 72% of the points on his first serve.

I’ve done a lot, Sabalenka said recently of her offer. I worked so hard. Although my offer was, how did you say, a disaster? I worked hard on my offer. I kept trying, believing and moving.

And now he’s a grand champion, with possibly more to come.

“There’s no doubt he’s going to win more majors,” ESPN’s Mary Jo Fernandez said on the air.