Aryna Sabalenka is well and truly up and running in 2026, having just clinched the title at the Brisbane International.
Sabalenka beat Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 6-3 in the final of the Brisbane International, having also won the tournament in 2025.
She is now a 22-time champion on the WTA Tour, going all the way at the Australian event without dropping a single set.
The top seed at the WTA 500 tournament, Sabalenka beat the likes of Madison Keys and Karolina Muchova en route to the trophy.
Aryna Sabalenka will NOT end the year as world number one – prove us wrong!
Aryna Sabalenka celebrates Brisbane title with big claim
The Belarusian has now taken to social media to celebrate her triumph, with Sabalenka writing on Instagram: “Thank you Brisbane International for all the love, it feels so good to be back.
“Gummy bears and playing doubles with Paula Badosa made this tournament even better. Australia, we are just getting started.”
Along with her singles efforts in Brisbane, Sabalenka played doubles with her WTA rival but close friend Badosa.
Badosa and Sabalenka won their opening match at the tournament, but didn’t play their quarterfinal shortly after.
Aryna Sabalenka achieves remarkable feat just before the Australian Open
It’s a big claim from Sabalenka that she is only just getting started, and one that should worry the rest of the WTA Tour players.
They will not want to see the world number one in such inspired form so early in the season, with Sabalenka clearly a big fan of playing in Australia.
Who will win the 2026 Australian Open?
She will enter the Australian Open as the top seed, with two of her four Grand Slam titles having arrived at the hard-court event.
The Belarusian also reached the 2025 final but lost to Madison Keys, while Sabalenka has now won 38 of her last 40 matches in Australia.
It’s a truly extraordinary run from the world number one, who is undoubtedly the player to beat at the Australian Open.
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