In a captivating showdown at the Brisbane International, Aryna Sabalenka triumphed over Marta Kostyuk, securing her third title at this prestigious event and setting the stage for her Australian Open campaign.
In just 79 minutes, the world’s top-ranked player showcased her dominance, winning the final with a score of 6-4, 6-3. After a tight start where both players were level at 4-4 in the first set, Sabalenka seized control by winning five consecutive games, demonstrating her remarkable skills on the court. This victory marks her second consecutive win at the Queensland Tennis Centre, having also claimed the title in 2023.
For the 27-year-old Belarusian, this win serves as an ideal warm-up ahead of the Australian Open, which is set to commence in Melbourne on January 18. "Every day you go out there and prove your level, and I think this week I did it really well," Sabalenka expressed, emphasizing her confidence after not dropping a single set throughout the tournament.
Looking forward to the Australian Open, she stated, "The only thing I know is that I'll be there, I'll be fighting." Last year, she faced disappointment in the Melbourne Park final against Madison Keys, but she remains determined to reclaim her title, having won the championship in both 2023 and 2024. "I’ll do my best to go as far as possible," she added. "And do a little bit better than last year. That’s my focus."
On the other hand, Kostyuk, who had previously struggled against Sabalenka—having lost all four of their past encounters without winning a set—fought hard despite the challenges. She managed to recover from an early break but was unable to maintain her momentum, ultimately losing the first set after conceding another break in the 10th game. The 16th seed was eager to capture her second WTA singles title, marking her first final appearance in two years, but she found herself overwhelmed by Sabalenka's powerful groundstrokes.
A crucial break at the beginning of the second set allowed Sabalenka to maintain her advantage, and as Kostyuk faltered, hitting into the net on her first championship point, the match came to a close.
Kostyuk, visibly emotional, took a moment to address the Brisbane crowd about the difficult situation back home in Ukraine, where citizens are enduring harsh winters without adequate heating or water due to ongoing conflicts. "I want to say a few words about Ukraine," she shared, her voice trembling. "I play every day with a pain in my heart. There are thousands of people who are without light and warm water right now. It’s minus 20 degrees outside, so it’s very, very painful to live this reality every day.
"It’s very hot in Brisbane, so it’s difficult to imagine, you know, but my sister is sleeping under three blankets because of how cold it is at home."
For Sabalenka, this victory adds to her impressive collection, marking her 22nd WTA title and her first since lifting her fourth Grand Slam trophy at the US Open in September.
In other results, Great Britain’s world number two Alfie Hewett dominated the men’s wheelchair singles final, needing just 65 minutes to defeat Spanish second seed Martin de la Puente with a score of 6-1, 6-3. However, British top seeds Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool faced a setback in the men’s doubles final, losing a close match 6-3, 3-6, 10-8 to the third-seeded duo of Francisco Cabral from Portugal and Austria’s Lucas Miedler.
