Aryna Sabalenka, the top-ranked player globally, secured a victory over Madison Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion, in a rematch of their previous Australian Open final. This win advanced Sabalenka to the semi-finals of the Brisbane International, continuing her preparations for the upcoming first Grand Slam event of the year.
The Belarusian player, Sabalenka, aims for her third Australian Open title within a four-year period later this month. She is noted for having secured consecutive victories in 2023 and 2024, prior to a three-set loss against Keys in last year’s premier event.
This 27-year-old athlete, who has claimed four major titles, sustained her impressive beginning to the year by achieving a third successive victory in straight sets. She yielded merely 13 games throughout the six sets she has competed in.
“I am aware that I experienced a defeat against her in Australia, and naturally, that serves as a significant incentive to compete and secure a victory,” stated Sabalenka, the reigning champion, who had previously triumphed over Keys at Indian Wells last March.
“However, I do not dwell on past events or recall details from our previous encounters. My philosophy is to treat each match as a fresh start; historical outcomes are irrelevant. My focus is solely on stepping onto the court and delivering my peak performance.”
Following her 6-3 6-3 victory over American Keys, Sabalenka is scheduled to face Karolina Muchova for an opportunity to advance to the Brisbane final. This comes after the Czech competitor caused an upset by defeating world number five Elena Rybakina with a score of 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.
Muchova, currently holding the 20th rank, maintained her composure during a closely contested final set, bringing an end to the 13-match unbeaten run of Rybakina, a past Wimbledon champion.
Muchova, who reached the French Open final in 2023, has recorded victories in her most recent three encounters against Sabalenka.
Within the men’s competition, Daniil Medvedev, a former world number one, successfully recovered after dropping the initial set against Polish competitor Kamil Majchrzak, ranked 59th, thereby securing his spot in the semi-finals.
The Russian player Medvedev, who triumphed at the US Open in 2021, emerged victorious with a scoreline of 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-2. As the top seed, he is now set to compete against the 21-year-old American Alex Michelsen for an entry into the final match.
