Aryna Sabalenkaโs charge to reclaim the Australian Open title is well under way, with the womenโs world No.1 winning the Brisbane International in straight sets on Sunday night.
Sabalenka defeated Ukraineโs Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 6-3 to claim back-to-back titles in Brisbane in a clinical performance that bodes well as she attempts to win her fifth grand slam singles title in Melbourne from next week.
Aryna Sabalenka celebrates winning a point against Marta Kostyuk.Credit: Getty Images
Sabalenka was straight down to business as she broke Kostyuk in the Ukrainianโs first service game to go 3-0 up in the opening set after just 12 minutes.
Kostyuk was able to wrangle the break back to make it 3-3 after a shaky start that saw her serve come under pressure, but Sabalenka snagged a late break to take the first set 6-4 in 39 minutes.
Kostyukโs campaign in Brisbane had been phenomenal to that point, with the world No.26 defeating three top 10 players โ Jessica Pegula, Mirra Andreeva and Amanda Anisimova โ on her way to the final.
But when the second set started much like the first, as Sabalenka surged to a 3-0 lead and took advantage of Kotyukโs weaker second serve, it was a matter of when, not if, Sabalenka would secure the championship.
It took just 1 hour and 18 minutes for Sabalenka to wrap up the match, as Kostyuk joined Karolina Muchova, Madison Keys and Sorana Cirstea on the list of players Sabalenka tossed aside on her way to victory.
The womenโs world No.1 is seeking redemption in Melbourne after losing to Keys in last yearโs final, and will head to the first grand slam of the year undefeated.
