In Brisbane, Australia, Aryna Sabalenka, currently holding the top global ranking, successfully defended her Brisbane International crown for the second consecutive year. She achieved this milestone—her 22nd career singles title—by defeating Marta Kostyuk in straight sets on Sunday, with scores of 6-4, 6-3, at Pat Rafter Arena.
This victory marks Sabalenka's third consecutive appearance in the tournament's final, demonstrating her consistent performance on the Brisbane courts. The Brisbane International operates as a preparatory event leading up to the Australian Open, which is scheduled to commence the following Sunday.
During the final, Kostyuk aggressively targeted Sabalenka’s second serve early in the match, managing to recover from an initial break through a series of expertly executed drop shots that momentarily unsettled the world number one. Nevertheless, Sabalenka’s unwavering intensity and tactical acumen prevailed. She capitalized on the demanding Brisbane humidity by engaging in relentless baseline rallies, which secured her the first set within 40 minutes.
As the match progressed, Kostyuk's physical endurance declined under the challenging conditions, allowing Sabalenka to increase her momentum in the second set. Employing a balanced combination of powerful groundstrokes and finely timed drop shots, Sabalenka forced Kostyuk into making an increasing number of errors, ultimately closing out the match without conceding a set throughout the tournament week.
The post-match dynamic between the competitors was noticeably chilly. Sabalenka directed a gesture toward Kostyuk by kissing both biceps—a reference believed to connect to prior comments from Kostyuk regarding elevated testosterone levels relative to other players. Kostyuk had previously addressed these remarks, indicating they were misconstrued, yet the tension between the two has persisted, especially following Kostyuk’s earlier refusal to shake Sabalenka's hand after their 2023 French Open encounter.
During the trophy presentation, Kostyuk made an impassioned speech focusing on her homeland, Ukraine, but conspicuously avoided mentioning Sabalenka by name. She expressed the emotional toll of ongoing hardships in Ukraine, highlighting the extreme winter conditions and hardships such as the lack of electricity and heating, which have deeply affected daily life. Kostyuk acknowledged and appreciated the presence of Ukrainian supporters and flags throughout the tournament, concluding her remarks with the phrase "slava Ukraini" (glory to Ukraine).
In contrast, Sabalenka extended congratulations to Kostyuk and expressed hope for future encounters in tournament finals. She also humorously addressed her boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis, who was present in the player's box, suggesting that the pressure of the match was heightened by their presence.
Subsequent to the women's final, the men's championship was decided with Daniil Medvedev securing his 22nd singles title. Medvedev defeated American Brandon Nakashima 6-2, 7-6, with the tiebreak decidedly controlled by Medvedev as he claimed the first five points, demonstrating dominance in the critical moments of the match.