Kazakhstani Elena Rybakina holds the trophy following the ladies’s singles finals match in opposition to Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka on the Brisbane Worldwide tennis match in Brisbane on January 7, 2024
| Photograph Credit score: AFP
Elena Rybakina will head to the Australian Open stuffed with confidence after demolishing world quantity two Aryna Sabalenka within the Brisbane Worldwide ultimate on January 7.
The Russian-born Kazakh received the primary eight video games in a row on her method to a 6-0, 6-3 win in simply 73 minutes over the Australian Open champion in a repeat of the 2023 Melbourne Park ultimate.
It was the world quantity 4’s sixth WTA title and comes every week earlier than the primary Grand Slam of the yr.
“For certain it offers me confidence,” she stated about her Australian Open prospects.
“However this week is only the start for all of the gamers. I really feel like perhaps not everyone seems to be in the perfect kind but.
“I’m taking part in properly now, so hopefully, as I stated, I proceed.”
The 2022 Wimbledon winner was in irresistible kind all week, spending solely three hours and 40 minutes on courtroom in her 4 matches.
The ultimate was anticipated to be a special problem — the 2 gamers had met seven instances beforehand with all however two of these matches going to 3 powerful units, together with final yr’s Australian Open ultimate.
However Rybakina quickly put these expectations to mattress with a blistering begin, racing via the primary set in 24 minutes, solely dropping three factors on serve.
She outshone the Belarusian in all points, serving fantastically and hitting her groundstrokes with energy and depth.
Rybakina admitted she was stunned at her kind after being sick within the lead-up and unable to practise earlier than the match due to rain.
“Additionally the primary few days right here it was actually powerful with the jet lag and all the things,” she stated.
“I’m simply happy with the best way I began the match as a result of I used to be not feeling the best bodily after the sickness and all the things.”
Sabalenka additionally had a powerful run to the ultimate, however she appeared out of kinds and made a bunch of unforced errors.
She lastly obtained on the board when she surprisingly broke Rybakina’s serve at 0-2 within the second set, however dropped her subsequent serve and there was no manner again.
Sabalenka noticed the humorous aspect throughout the displays, laughingly blaming her personal group for the loss.
“Congratulations to my group,” she stated. “6-0, 6-3. That’s all of your fault guys.
“In fact we must always have completed this week in another way however I believe we confirmed some nice tennis,” she added.
“Hopefully we’ll do higher on the Australian Open.”
