Aryna Sabalenka (R) of Belarus and Zheng Qinwen of China pose for photos during the awarding ceremony for the women's singles final at Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 27, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's top-ranked ace Zheng Qinwen capped her impressive run at the Australian Open with a career first runner-up finish at a major tournament, leaving Chinese fans stoked about a star in the making.

Zheng, the second Chinese player to reach a Grand Slam final and the first since Li's title run at the 2014 AO, failed to grab the championship in Saturday's final facing defending champion Aryna Sabalenka at a packed Rod Laver Arena, being overpowered and outpaced by the world No 2 in a 6-3, 6-2 loss in just 76 minutes, loosing her first major singles final.

The lopsided final defeat has hit Zheng with a tough reality check that, despite her recent surging momentum, the 21-year-old Chinese star still has a long way to go before reaching the very top of the game, technically and mentally.

"It's a pity but that's how it was," a disappointed Zheng said after the final, which had exposed the rising star's lack of mental strength in facing huge pressure and expectations at big-time moment.

"Thanks for all he fans for coming here to watch me. My feelings are very complicated, I feel like I could've done it better," said Zheng, who will make her top-10 debut on the WTA rankings on Monday at her highest career spot of No 7.

"Thanks to my team for helping me. I really enjoyed playing in this Australian Open. It's an amazing memory for me. I am sure there will be more and better in the future. Xiexie!"

Sabalenka delivered a near-flawless display of aggressive tennis to control the contest throughout. She broke Zheng in the second game with a ferocious backhand return, then fended off triple break point in the subsequent game to build a 3-0 lead.

That set the tone for the rest of the match. Zheng's first-serve numbers were a stat to watch - the 21-year-old had not landed more than 56 percent in any of her wins en route to the final. In the first set against Sabalenka, she found 63 percent and slammed six aces, but was still unable to gain a foothold.

The defending champion's delivery proved much more formidable. Sabalenka trailed Zheng in terms of overall winners, 14 to the Chinese player's 19, but she was near-impenetrable on serve. Landing 67% of her first deliveries, Sabalenka only dropped six points behind (and only one in the first set). She became the first player to win the Australian Open women's final without dropping serve since Serena Williams in 2007.

Zheng's serving performance dipped in the second set. Three double faults in the first game enabled Sabalenka to break again immediately; two more double faults followed in the fifth, and Sabalenka moved out to a 4-1 lead after ending one of the best points of the match with a coolly-executed drop shot.

Zheng battled hard at the end of each set, saving the first four set points against her in the first and the first four championship points against her in the second. Sabalenka was able to fall back on her reliable serve to hold firm both times and converted her fifth championship point with a clean forehand one-two punch.

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