Aryna Sabalenka wasted no time in reminding the tennis world why she sits atop the WTA rankings. The world No. 1 launched her 2026 season successfully defending her Brisbane International crown with a dominant 6-4, 6-3 victory over Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk on Sunday.
Needing just 78 minutes at Pat Rafter Arena, Sabalenka swept to the WTA 500 title without dropping a set all week, delivering the ideal warm-up for the Australian Open, which begins next Sunday in Melbourne. The Belarusian will arrive as the No. 1 seed, chasing a third title in four years at Melbourne Park.
“Every day you go out there and prove your level, and I think this week I did it really well,” Sabalenka said. “The only thing I know is that I’ll be there, I’ll be fighting.”
Aryna Sabalenka’s 22nd WTA Title
The Brisbane triumph marked the 22nd WTA title of Sabalenka’s career and her fifth on Australian soil, pushing her past Victoria Azarenka for the third-most titles among active players. Only Venus Williams and Iga Swiatek now stand ahead of her. She also became just the third woman to defend the Brisbane International title, joining Serena Williams and Karolina Pliskova.
Sabalenka set the tone early in Sunday’s final, racing to a 3-0 lead behind relentless baseline power and a rock-solid serve. Kostyuk responded bravely, reeling off three straight games to level the opening set, but Sabalenka raised her intensity when it mattered most, breaking serve in the 10th game to take the first set after 40 minutes.
From there, the match followed a familiar pattern. Aryna Sabalenka strung together six consecutive games across the sets to surge ahead 3-0 in the second, punctuating her dominance with a deft drop shot followed by a blistering crosscourt forehand winner. She closed out the contest comfortably, winning 81 percent of her first-serve points and facing just three break points all match.
Beyond the raw power, the final showcased the evolution of Sabalenka’s game. Once known primarily as an all-out aggressor, the 27-year-old now blends variety and touch into her arsenal, using slice, net play and changes of pace to keep opponents off balance.
“I’m not only the aggressive player anymore,” Aryna Sabalenka explained. “I can play at the net, I can defend, I can use my slice. I have different plans now, and that’s something I’ve been working on for a long time.”
For Kostyuk, the loss could not overshadow an encouraging week. The Ukrainian reached her first final in two years after defeating three Top 10 players and will return to the WTA Top 20. Visibly emotional during the trophy ceremony, she spoke movingly about conditions back home in Ukraine amid ongoing Russian attacks.
“I play every day with a pain in my heart,” Kostyuk said. “There are thousands of people without light and warm water right now. It’s very painful to live this reality every day.”
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Sabalenka offered warm words of support, congratulating Kostyuk and expressing hope they would meet again in future finals.
With her first title of 2026 secured, Sabalenka now turns her full attention to the Australian Open, where she was runner-up last year after losing the final to Madison Keys. While she remains cautious about expectations, her Brisbane performance sent a clear message.
Grounded but formidable, Sabalenka heads to Melbourne playing the best tennis of her career- and looking every bit the champion to beat.
