Aryna Sabalenka has become the first woman to win back-to-back Australian Opens in 11 years following a straight-sets victory over Qinwen Zheng in the final.
Sabalenka, who did not drop a set during the tournament, overpowered the Chinese 12th seed to triumph 6-3, 6-2 in one hour and 16 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.
The last player to lift the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup in consecutive years was Sabalenka's fellow Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, who won in 2012 and 2013.
Sabalenka got off to the best possible start, serving to love in the opening game before breaking Zheng, who was making her first appearance in a major final.
Second-seeded Sabalenka held again for a 3-0 lead, although she faced three break points as Zheng showed signs of getting over her early nerves.
Zheng landed two consecutive aces on her way to holding serve in the fourth game, but the break Sabalenka had up her sleeve meant she remained the front runner.
When leading 5-2, Sabalenka had three set points on Zheng's serve, but her 21-year-old opponent won six of the next seven points — with the aid of three aces — to hold.
It delayed the inevitable, however, as Sabalenka served out the set in the following game.
Zheng's serve can be a weapon, illustrated by the fact she recorded the most aces in the tournament.
But it can also be erratic, and this was evident when she served three double faults in the opening game of the second set to give up a break.
Sabalenka then held serve to establish a 2-0 advantage, before play was briefly halted during the third game while security removed protesters from the crowd.
Following the resumption of play, Zheng got on the board in the second set with a service hold but she was broken in the fifth game.
A deft backhand drop shot sealed the double break and a 4-1 lead for Sabalenka, who later served for the match at 5-2.
At 40-0, she gave herself three championships points but blew each one, as Zheng got the score to deuce.
Zheng saved another championship point and was on the verge of securing a break, before Sabalenka composed herself to hold serve and seal victory.
There was some consolation for Zheng following her defeat, as she will rise to a career-high ranking of seven in the world.
Sabalenka will remain at number two, behind Iga Świątek.
Look back at all the action from Melbourne Park in our blog below and check out live scores with our ScoreCentre.
What a night for Aryna Sabalenka.
Less so for Qinwen Zheng, who ran into the Belarusian buzzsaw in career-best form.
And congratulations to Matt Ebden and Rohan Bopanna on their victory in the men's doubles.
We'll be back tomorrow night for the men's final.
See you then!
Ebden and Bopanna get the straight-sets victory over Italians Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori, winning 7-6(7/0), 7-5 and they celebrate with a big chest bump.
It's the first men's doubles Australian Open crown for Western Australia's Matthew Ebden and 43-year-old Indian veteran Rohan Bopanna.
Ebden won the mixed with Jarmila Gajdošová back in 2013, reached the mixed final again with Sam Stosur in 2021, and was a runner-up alongside Max Purcell in 2022.
This is Ebden's third major title, to go with the 2022 men's doubles crown he won with Purcell at Wimbledon.
For Bopanna, this is just his second grand slam win in more than a quarter of a century, adding to a 2017 win in the French Open mixed doubles.
Andrea Vavassori endures a horror service game and suffers the first service break of the match, to love no less.
Matt Ebden will serve for the championship at 6-5 in the second set.
First point goes the Aussie's way with a wide one that Simone Bolelli can't get back. 15-0
Double fault! Where'd that come from? 15-15
Back in front with a big serve up the guts. 30-15
Rohan Bopanna with the brilliant cross to volley home the winner. 40-15
And the 43-year-old finishes it off with a huge smash to win the title.
They're still on serve, but Matt Ebden and Rohan Bopanna need to win this 5-4 game to extend the second set.
And they've dropped the first point on an overhead from Andrea Vavassori.
Vavassori dumps a forehand into the net to surrender the advantage, and Ebden wins a volleying exchange to get them in front.
Bopanna and Ebden wrap things up and level the set at 5-5.
Australian doubles star Matt Ebden is one set away from his third grand slam title after he and Rohan Bopanna ran roughshod over Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in the first-set tiebreak in the men's doubles final.
It was an incredibly tight first set, with just three break points, none of them converted, but the breaker was pure class from Ebden and Bopanna.
The Australian and the Indian were simply clinical all over the court.
Matt Ebden's partner, Rohan Bopanna, will serve first against Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori.
Bopanna/Ebden 1-0 Bolelli/Vavassori: The 43-year-old's serve isn't returned.
Bopanna/Ebden 2-0 Bolelli/Vavassori: Bopanna secures the mini-break, volleying into space after Matt Ebden's deep return opens up the court.
Bopanna/Ebden 3-0 Bolelli/Vavassori: Bopanna again does the work, setting it up with a perfect lob and forcing the error at the net with a ripping forehand.
Bopanna/Ebden 4-0 Bolelli/Vavassori: Bopanna again with a brilliant cross volley.
Bopanna/Ebden 5-0 Bolelli/Vavassori: Ebden finishes his service effort with an unreturnable effort down the T.
Bopanna/Ebden 6-0 Bolelli/Vavassori: You don't lob Matt Ebden, and that's why. He's just too good on the overheads and proves it again, finding the perfect angle despite being totally off balance.
Bopanna/Ebden 7-0 Bolelli/Vavassori: Ebden finishes it off with a forehand winner.
Matt Ebden is serving at 3-3 in the first set of the men's doubles final as he and Rohan Bopanna go up against Italian pair Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori.
No-one's dropped serve yet.
Even after winning the Australian Open last year, Aryna Sabalenka's 2023 ended on a down note as she lost the US Open final in a heartbreaker.
She shredded Coco Gauff 6-2 in the first set but after that she lost hold of the match as the American teen won the last two sets 6-3, 6-2 to claim the comeback win.
Sabalenka said the disappointment of that loss inspired her to get better physically and mentally.
"That loss motivated me so much to work harder and improve my game," she tells Channel Nine.
And she describes the difference between winning last year vs this time around…
"The first one is always special because it's more emotional.
"And for the second time, it's just relief.
"I'm super happy I've been able to handle this pressure."
Can we get a local on the winner's podium?
Aussie Matt Ebden is coming up in a few minutes in the men's doubles final alongside Rohan Bopanna.
They're taking on Italian pair Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori.
Qinwen Zheng is clearly absolutely gutted out there, but I think she's finally been excused after a few more photos with the runner-up trophy alongside her victor.
But, come Monday, Zheng will be in the top 10 in the rankings for the first time, jumping up from 15 to 7.
Jeļena Ostapenko is the unlucky player to drop out.
Aryna Sabalenka on the mic is always an interesting experience.
It starts normal enough as Evonne Goolagong Cawley presents her with the trophy…
"Thank you Evonne for being such and inspiration for all of us. Receiving this trophy from you is such an honour for me."
She tells Qinwen Zheng to keep her chin up and says she'll be back…
"I know this feeling is really tough but you're such a young girl and you're gonna be in many more finals and you're gonna get it."
But, after 14 straight sets won and a second successive title, she says "it's been an amazing couple of weeks".
"It's an unbelievable feeling right now. I'm speechless. As always my speech is gonna be weird."
Sabalenka credits her team…
"Without you I wouldn't be able to achieve so much in this sport. Thank you so much for everything yo do for me.
"But without me you wouldn't be so good as well."
And lastly, to her family, particularly her late father…
"Thank you so much for everything they've done for me.
"Should I keep speaking English because they're not going to understand. Hopefully they'll translate.
"I love you so much. You're my biggest motivation and everything I'm doing I'm doing for you."
Qinwen Zheng congratulates Aryna Sabalenka on playing a "wonderful match", and says she's struggling with the bittersweet feeling of making her first grand slam final, only to be blown off the court.
"It's my first final and I'm feeling a little bit pity.
"I feel very complicated because I feel like I could've done it better.
"I really enjoyed playing in this Australian Open. I'm sure there is going to be more and better in the future."
In the recent Netflix documentary series Break Point, Aryna Sabalenka revealed she and her dad had spoken about the dream of her winning two grand slam singles titles before she turned 25 years old.
Unfortunately, her father died before he got the chance to see his daughter win one, but now she's fulfilled that dream and blew a kiss skyward.
The only thing resembling a stumble for Aryna Sabalenka in this match came in that last game, but she held her nerve to win her second straight Australian Open on her fifth championship point.
Not only has she won the crown for a second straight time, she's done it without dropping a set all tournament.
Qinwen Zheng fought hard tonight, but Sabalenka refused to give her a chance in this match as she powered to a 6-3, 6-2 win.
That's now two titles, one runner-up finish and three semifinals from the past six grand slam tournaments. She is still ranked second behind Iga Świątek, but Sabalenka does feel like the most dangerous player in the women's tour at the moment.
First of four points is in the bag with a wide serve that Zheng can't get back. 15-0
Zheng attacks the second serve and sprays her backhand wide and long. 30-0
Another big serve down the middle from Sabalenka, and Zheng nets the backhand return. 40-0
Three championship points for Aryna Sabalenka…
She misses the first one! She had a wide-open court to aim her prolific cross-court forehand at and just sent it wide. 40-15
Another one goes begging as she tries to redirect down the line and sends the forehand long. 40-30
We're back to deuce! Sabalenka is beating herself up as Zheng's defence keeps her in the point and nails a drop shot to win it.
Sabalenka gets another look at championship point with a booming serve out wide that Zheng can't return.
Will it be fourth-time's the charm for Aryna Sabalenka? No! Zheng goes after a second serve and forces the running forehand error from Sabalenka. Deuce
Break point for Zheng! Power from the Chinese dictates from the back of the court, but Sabalenka is getting into her own head a bit in this game.
Ace out wide saves it. She's shrugging and looking at her box as if to say 'Why couldn't I do that on match point?'. Deuce
Sabalenka lets out a searing "COME ON!!" as Zheng sends a forehand long.
And she's done it! Winning with a forehand on championship point number five!
Sabalenka hits a miraculous bootlaces volley, but Zheng passes with her backhand. 15-0
And another running winner for Zheng gets her to 30-0.
An incredibly gentle second serve at just 135kph swings directly into Sabalenka's backhand, and she creams it back. 30-15
Zheng reaches 40-15, and Sabalenka can't get her second serve back into play.
Zheng holds and forces Sabalenka to serve for it.
Zheng has a little look-in as Sabalenka nets a forehand and a backhand. 0-30
But Sabalenka reverts to form with a booming serve out wide that Zheng can't get back. 15-30
And Zheng sprays her backhand return long. 30-30
Zheng tries to guess out wide to her forehand wing, but Sabalenka bangs the serve down the middle and Zheng can't get it back. 40-30
Stop me if you've heard this one before: Big serve, big forehand winner, point Sabalenka. That's game and another hold.
A little something different from Zheng. It looked like Sabalenka was starting to pick the wide serve sliding away from her in the deuce court, so Zheng bangs her first serve down the middle and follows up with a drop shot off the gentle return. 15-0
But Zheng puts herself under pressure again with a missed running backhand and a fifth double fault. 15-30
Sabalenka rushes the net and Zheng's forehand passing shot is too much for Sabalenka to handle. 30-30
A winner and an unforced error on Zheng's backhand get us to deuce, and she gives Sabalenka a break point with her sixth double fault. Advantage Sabalenka
Sabalenka gets the double break with a perfect drop shot. The reigning champ leads 4-1 and feels unstoppable right now.
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