Can Aryna Sabalenka emulate her compatriot Victoria Azarenka as next player to defend Australian Open title

World number two Aryna Sabalenka will be defending her crown when she will take the court in the Australian Open in 2024.

The first Grand Slam of the new year will begin from January 14 in Melbourne where players from all over the world will participate to battle for the ultimate glory. Over the years, it has proven to be difficult to defend the title in the women’s singles category.

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The new World Number One ☝️ Aryna Sabalenka ☝️ (📸 @WTA)

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However, Sabalenka will feel better about the fact that the last time a player who managed to achieve the feat was from Belarus as well. It was Victoria Azarenka who clinched back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013 editions.

In the 2012 edition, the former world number one defeated Russia’s Maria Sharapova in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 6-0. Next year, she got the better of China’s Li Na with a score of 4–6, 6–4, 6–3 to defend her title.

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Sabalenka won her maiden and till now the only Grand Slam title after beating Elena Rybakina in the final with a score of 4–6, 6–3, 6–4.

Only five players in the history of the Australian Open in the Open era managed to win the competition on three back-to-back occasions — Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles and Martina Hingis.