World number one player Aryna Sabalenka is set to defend her Australian Open title after clinching the Brisbane International title with a hard-fought victory over Russian qualifier Polina Kudermetova.
In a thrilling final, the 26-year-old Belarusian showed her resilience, recovering from a difficult start where she lost serve twice and lost the first set 4-6. However, Sabalenka responded to win with scores of 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 against the world number 107.
Last year, Sabalenka failed at the final hurdle in Brisbane against Elena Rybakina but then triumphed at the Australian Open, winning her second consecutive title there. The first Grand Slam of the year will begin on Sunday January 12 at Melbourne Park.
After a frustrating first set, Sabalenka found her rhythm in the second, putting pressure on Kudermetova who had to fend off break points in her first service game. The tide changed when Sabalenka executed a perfectly timed drop shot, breaking Kudermetova to take a 3-2 lead. The Belarusian then asserted her dominance, winning the second set and forcing a decisive third set.
An early break in the final set effectively secured Sabalenka’s control, leading her to her first title of the year.
In other news, Naomi Osaka met disappointment in the Auckland Classic final, withdrawing due to an abdominal injury. The four-time Grand Slam champion, returning to action after a 15-month break and the birth of her first child, initially started well, winning the first set 6-4 against Denmark’s Clara Tauson.
However, after requesting a physical therapist during a change of play and stretching during a medical timeout, Osaka ultimately shook Tauson’s hand, conceding the match. Tauson, now a three-time title holder, celebrated her victory as Osaka expressed her gratitude for the warm welcome she received in Auckland.
“I just want to thank everyone for welcoming me to such a beautiful city. I really enjoyed playing here, and I’m really sorry for how it ended,” she said . “I hope you enjoyed the tennis we played, and I’m really grateful to be here.”
Finally, Wimbledon titleholder Barbora Krejcikova announced her withdrawal from the Australian Open as she continues to recover from a lingering back injury. “Unfortunately, my back injury, which bothered me at the end of last season, is still not completely healed,” said the world number ten, expressing her disappointment at missing the tournament. “I love playing in Melbourne and have such great memories of reaching the quarter-finals last year.”
