World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka secured her place in the Brisbane International final for the third consecutive year after a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Karolina Muchova on Saturday. Produced at Pat Rafter Arena, the performance saw Sabalenka hit 32 winners and save all four break points she faced.
Muchova, a former French Open runner-up, had won her previous three matches against Sabalenka, but struggled to find an answer to the Belarusian’s power in this semifinal. Although Sabalenka saw three match points slip away during a late surge from Muchova, she clinched the victory on her fourth attempt when a return from the Czech player sailed long.
“I always try to stay in the present,” Sabalenka said. “I worked really hard and each match against her is just another opportunity to get the win and I’m super happy that today was the day when I was able to get the win. She is such a great player and I always enjoy battles against her.”
The win follows a dominant quarterfinal performance on Friday, where Sabalenka defeated Madison Keys 6-3, 6-3. That match was a highly anticipated rematch of the 2025 Australian Open final, which Keys won to claim her first Grand Slam singles title.
Sabalenka’s successful run in Brisbane marks her 13th appearance in a WTA 500-level final and reinforces her status as a favorite for the upcoming major at Melbourne Park, where she has won two of the last three titles.
In Sunday's final, Sabalenka faces the world No. 26 Marta Kostyuk, who advanced after a 6-0, 6-3 upset of fourth seed Jessica Pegula. The victory over Pegula was Kostyuk’s third consecutive win against a top-10 opponent, marking a shift in form for the Ukrainian. Sabalenka holds a dominant head-to-head record in this matchup, having never lost a set in their four previous professional meetings.
The men’s tournament also saw its final confirmed, with top seed Daniil Medvedev set to face American Brandon Nakashima. Medvedev reached the final by defeating Alex Michelsen 6-4, 6-2, while Nakashima won an all-American semifinal against Aleksandar Kovacevic 7-6 (4), 6-4. Both the men’s and women’s finals will take place on Sunday, serving as the final high-profile tune-up before the Australian Open begins its two-week run later this month.
