/PRZWT/On January 31st, the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne witnessed a glorious moment! In the women's singles final of the 2026 Australian Open, the 5th seed, the Kazakh player Lebabinina, after a three-set battle, defeated the top seed Sabalenka with a score of 2-1 (6-4, 4-6, 6-4) in this ultimate showdown. She ended up winning the game and claimed her first Australian Open title in her career. After winning the Wimbledon title in 2022, she once again lifted the Grand Slam trophy.
The battle between ice and fire: Lebagoynina wins her first Australian Open women's singles title
The first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open, witnessed the final match of the women's singles. The world number one, the Belarusian player Sabalenka, who had reached the final for four consecutive years, faced off against the fifth seed of the tournament, the Kazakhstan player Lebabinina. Both players had previously advanced with unbroken winning streaks and were in excellent form. This highly anticipated showdown, dubbed as the "Battle of Ice and Fire", attracted the attention of tennis fans all over the world.
In the first set, Lebabinina quickly got into her rhythm. She immediately launched a strong attack on Sabarenka's serve and successfully broke her opponent's serve, taking a 1-0 lead. In the 8th game, Sabarenka launched a counterattack and forced two break points in her opponent's serve. Facing the crisis, Lebabinina remained calm and, by improving her serve and attack quality, scored four points in a row and successfully held her serve, consolidating her advantage. With the break advantage she gained at the beginning of the set, Lebabinina won the first set 6-4.
In the second set, both players managed to hold their serve without allowing the opponent to break it. The score was tied at 5-4. In the 10th game, Lobakina experienced a fluctuation in her form on her own unbreakable serve. The world number one quickly seized the opportunity and scored four consecutive points to complete the crucial break, thus winning the set 6-4.
In the decisive set, Sabalenka, in full form, enhanced her concentration and bottom-line holding ability, successfully defending and breaking serve, establishing a 3-0 lead. Amid adversity, Lebabinina did not give up. She rallied and won 5 consecutive games, bringing the score to 5-3. Subsequently, Lebabinina maintained the advantage and secured the victory in the serve-out game, winning the championship with a score of 6-4. With this victory, Lebabinina claimed her first Australian Open women's singles title in her career. After 2022 Wimbledon, she once again won the Grand Slam championship. Sabalenka, on the other hand, took home the women's singles runner-up.
Tang Dongliang, the executive vice president of Luzhou Erjiao Co., Ltd., was invited to present the runner-up trophy to Sabarenka. Together with the entire audience, they witnessed this moment of glory.
Zhang Shuai won the doubles championship, igniting the Chinese spirit at the Australian Open.
At this year's Australian Open, Chinese elements continued to shine in Melbourne. In the women's doubles competition, Chinese player Zhang Shuai, along with her partner Meretens, formed a cross-border team. They advanced through all the rounds and successfully reached the final. On January 31st, in the women's doubles final, facing the strong team of Daniilina/Cruhnić, Zhang Shuai and her partner Meretens demonstrated excellent teamwork and resilience. Despite being behind 1-4 in the first set, they fought tenaciously. Eventually, they won the match 7-6(4)/6-4, winning the Australian Open women's doubles title for the seventh time in seven years and claiming their third Grand Slam doubles title in their careers.
At this year's Australian Open, Zhang Shuai was in excellent form. During the competition, she worked closely with her partner, had quick reactions at the net, had solid defense at the baseline, handled crucial points calmly and decisively. At the age of 37, she continued to write Chinese glory with her passion and perseverance, perfectly embodying the sports spirit of "never giving up in the face of challenges".
From Wang Xinyu advancing to the 16th round of the women's singles and tying her personal best record, to Zhang Shuai winning the doubles championship, the outstanding performances of Chinese players have continuously ignited the enthusiasm of domestic fans, leading to a continuous rise in the influence of the Australian Open in China and making it one of the most beloved tennis Grand Slam events among Chinese audiences.
According to statistics, the women's singles final of the 2026 Australian Open was broadcast live on CCTV-5 and multiple new media platforms, maintaining a high ranking in the ratings during the same time period. As of January 31st, the exposure of this event on social media had exceeded 1 billion times. The topic #Australian Open 2026# on Weibo received over 600 million views, and the related topic #Cheers to the victorious moments# received nearly 1.7 billion views. Topics such as #The Final Four of the Australian Open# #Congratulations to Wang Xinyu at the Australian Open# have repeatedly ranked among the top trending topics, demonstrating the deep popular base of tennis in China and the strong appeal of the Australian Open event.
Safin joins in, allowing amateur players to experience the grand slam arena
On the morning of January 31st, the National Liquor 1573 Australian Open Amateur Challenge Cup Championship Invitational Tournament officially kicked off at the 1573 Court of Melbourne Park. Amateur tennis players from China gathered at this grand slam venue that is rich in Chinese elements, to engage in a thrilling and technical showdown.
The competition maintained the high-standard experience of a "Grand Slam" level, from the professional judging team to the comprehensive event services, allowing amateur players to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of professional competitions. The most exciting part was that the tennis legend beloved by Chinese fans - the 2005 Australian Open men's singles champion Marat Safin - also made a surprise appearance. Not only did he share his understanding of tennis with the amateur challenge competitors, but he also expressed his appreciation for the Guoji 1573 Australian Open Amateur Challenge: This event platform enables the influence of tennis to transcend borders and break through the limitations of professional and amateur, just as tennis itself is not only about competition but also about enjoyment. Later, Safin and Tang Dongliang exchanged gifts, and the signed tennis balls they exchanged and the Guoji 1573 Australian Open commemorative products also became precious witnesses to the precious cultural exchange between China and Australia in sports.
Subsequently, Malat Safin, Tang Dongliang, the executive vice president of Luzhou Laogui Co., Ltd., Shaun Moody, the director of the partnership department of the Australian Tennis Association, Thomas Floyd, the event director of the 2025 Guozhu 1573 Australian Open Amateur Challenge Cup held by the Australian Tennis Association, and Chen Junle, a renowned Chinese tennis commentator and the runner-up of the 2019 Australian Open Amateur Challenge Cup held in Shanghai, all took the stage to kick off the game. The colorful tennis balls drew beautiful arcs, officially kicking off the event.
On the court, both competition and entertainment are present. Safin engaged in a "three-point race" competition with the players, allowing the amateur players to experience the charm of the tennis legend up close. The close exchanges brought joy and laughter to the venue. The agility of the net shots, the tenacity in the baseline rallies, each swing of the racket by the players expressed their love for tennis. And Safin's on-site assistance and guidance made this event an unforgettable experience in their tennis careers.
After the match, one of the players exclaimed, "To be able to compete in a Grand Slam tournament and to face such a legendary player as Mr. Safin - these are the precious opportunities that Guoji 1573 has given us. It has made me feel the unique charm of tennis, and it's simply worth it!"
After eight years of dedicated efforts, Guoji 1573 raised its glass to celebrate the victorious moment.
As the global official partner and the sole designated liquor of the Australian Open, Guoji 1573 has been collaborating with this century-old tennis event for the eighth year. From the prominent signs on the court to the congratulatory phrase "Victory! Congratulations, Cheers!" when a player wins, Guoji 1573 has become an indispensable classic footnote to the victorious moments of the Australian Open.
The long-term collaboration between the two parties is not only the mutual recognition between top brands and top events based on excellent quality and competitive spirit, but also a profound dialogue and integration of Chinese Baijiu culture and world sports culture. Over the past eight years, Guoji 1573 and the Australian Open have perfectly combined the passion of sports competition with the essence of Chinese Baijiu. They not only witnessed every breakthrough and glory on the field, but also enabled Chinese culture to reach the world through the global stage of the Australian Open, becoming a vivid example of mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations.
When the competitive passion of the Grand Slam meets the meticulous heritage of Eastern fine wines, and when the century-old rich cultural heritage of strong aroma collides with the vibrant energy of tennis, Guoju 1573, through wine as the medium and tennis as the bridge, has written a new chapter of cross-border cooperation. In the future, Guoju 1573 will continue to pay tribute to the spirit of hard work with its rich aroma wines, use cultural power to connect the world, and let the world taste China!
