Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka got 2025 off to a good start by winning the Brisbane Open, after beating Russian Polina Kudermetova in a thrilling final this Sunday. The match concluded in three sets, with scores of 4-6, 6-3 and 6-2.
The world number one player didn’t have the best start, as Kudermetova, ranked 107th in the world, surprised her by taking the first set, putting the Belarusian in a defensive position.
However, Sabalenka managed to come back in the second set, showing her resilience by beating Kudermetova 6-3, forcing a deciding set to determine the Brisbane Open champion.
In the deciding set, Sabalenka displayed her best tennis, concluding the match with an impressive performance, including five aces, marking her first title in this tournament.
The victory represents Sabalenka’s second WTA 500 title in Australia, following her triumph at the 2023 Adelaide Open.
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With this success, the world number one has completed her preparations for the Australian Open and is looking forward to her first Grand Slam of the season.
Sabalenka, a two-time reigning Australian Open champion, is aiming to become the first player in a quarter of a century to win three consecutive titles. The last to have achieved this feat was the Swiss Martina Hingis, who accomplished it from 1997 to 1999.
The Australian Open is scheduled to begin on Saturday, January 11 and conclude on Sunday, January 26.
