Sabalenka Wins Second Consecutive Brisbane Open Title

World number one Aryna Sabalenka defeated Marta Kostyuk 6-4 6-3 in the Brisbane International final on Sunday to retain the title without losing a set.

Kostyuk had beaten top 10 players Jessica Pegula, Mirra Andreeva and Amanda Anisimova on her way to the final but was no match for the sheer power of the U.S. Open champion.

Sabalenka raced off to a 3-0 lead in the opening set before coming a bit unstuck as her first serve deserted her and her 23-year-old opponent feasted on her second.

Rallying at 3-3, Sabalenka reduced the number of wild swings and heaped the pressure on her 26th-ranked opponent with the sheer power and accuracy of her strokes.

She quickly wrapped up the opening set and was soon 3-0 up in the second after again taking Ukrainian Kostyuk’s first service game.

Sabalenka is determined to win back the Australian Open title she relinquished last year.

She said: “Thank you to my team for handling me. I’m really the toughest one to handle, and you guys are the toughest people in the world if you can handle me.

“Thank you to my boyfriend. Hopefully, soon I’ll call you something else, right? Let’s just put a bit of extra pressure on, right?

“I’ll do my best to go as far as possible. And do a little bit better than last year. That’s my focus.

Sabalenka will be aiming for a third Australian Open and fifth major title at the year’s first Grand Slam, which starts on January 18.