5 months ago
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Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka has captured her 2nd consecutive Brisbane International title, and 22nd overall, with a straight-sets triumph implicit Marta Kostyuk connected Sunday (January 11, 2026).
It was the 3rd twelvemonth successful a enactment Sabalanka appeared successful the final, and the Belarusian subordinate looked successful comfy surroundings arsenic she closed retired a 6-4, 6-3 triumph successful conscionable 1 hr and 17 minutes astatine Pat Rafter Arena.
The Brisbane International is simply a tuneup lawsuit for this year's Australian Open, which begins Jan. 18.
High strength final
Kostyuk went hard aboriginal by attacking Sabalenka's 2nd serve, clawing backmost an aboriginal interruption with sublime driblet shots that concisely rattled the world's top-ranked player.
However, the Belarusian's relentless strength and match-smarts proved decisive arsenic she exploited the oppressive Brisbane humidity with punishing baseline rallies to clinch the opening acceptable successful 40 minutes.
As Kostyuk wilted nether the carnal strain, Sabalenka accelerated successful the 2nd set.
With a premix of raking groundstrokes and deceptive driblet shots, she forced a mounting mistake number from the Ukrainian to adjacent retired the lucifer without dropping a acceptable each week.
Frosty post-match ambiance
After sealing the victory, Sabalenka looked down the tribunal astatine Kostyuk and kissed some biceps — a apt motion to erstwhile comments by the Ukrainian that she possessed higher testosterone levels than different players.
Kostyuk has said the comments made successful an interrogation past twelvemonth had been taken retired of context, but further the tensions betwixt the brace since the Ukranian's refusal to shingle Sabalenka's manus aft a lucifer astatine the French Open successful 2023.
The speech resulted successful a frosty post-match presentation. During the trophy ceremony, Kostyuk spoke passionately astir her homeland but notably declined to notation Sabalenka by name.
“I privation to accidental a fewer words astir Ukraine,” Kostyuk said. “I play each time with a symptom successful my heart. There are thousands of radical who are without airy and lukewarm h2o close now, it's minus 20 degrees extracurricular close now, truthful it's very, precise achy to unrecorded this world each day.
"I was incredibly moved and blessed to spot truthful galore Ukrainian fans and flags present this week … Slava Ukraini.” Sabalenka, meanwhile, congratulated Kostyuk, stating she hoped they would conscionable successful different last soon. She besides took a cheeky excavation astatine her fellow Georgios Frangulis during her triumph speech.
“Hopefully, soon I volition telephone you someway else,” Sabalenka said, looking astatine Frangulis successful the player's box. “That conscionable enactment other pressure, right?”
Later Sunday, top-seeded Daniil Medvedev played Brandon Nakashima successful the last of the men's tourney astatine Brisbane.
The erstwhile No. 1-ranked Medvedev is seeking his 22nd vocation title, portion it volition beryllium Nakashima's archetypal ATP Tour last successful 4 years. (
