Aryna Sabalenka shares why she was standing on her racket during the Brisbane International final

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Aryna Sabalenka has started her 2025 season in superb fashion after beating Polina Kudermetova to win the Brisbane International.

Sabalenka was frustrated in Brisbane despite beating Renata Zarazua in round one, with wins over Yulia Putintseva, Marie Bouzkova and Mirra Andreeva following.

WTA number one Sabalenka then secured the trophy with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 success over 21-year-old qualifier Kudermetova.

The impressive triumph comes after the Belarusian lost the 2024 Brisbane International final to Elena Rybakina.

Sabalenka now has a fantastic 18 WTA career titles to her name, four of which have come on Australian soil.

Why Aryna Sabalenka stood on her racket during Brisbane International final

An interesting did, however, occur during the second set of her latest win, with the Belarusian having stood on her racket.

Explaining the situation, Sabalenka said in her post-match press conference: “Yeah, I’d say half of the match I played with the tension I used to play the whole week.

READ MORE: Aryna Sabalenka and Emma Navarro disagree over who will win more titles in 2025 between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz

“Today just didn’t feel well. Felt like the balls were flying not where they supposed to. I just asked my team for heavier strings. Yeah, basically that’s it.

“I was just stepping on the racket to make sure it’s not so stiff. Yeah, that’s what I changed, I just changed the strings for a little heavier tension.”

What WTA Tour titles has Aryna Sabalenka won?

Sabalenka has sent a real message to her WTA rivals with her latest victory, having already done that ahead of the Australian Open given that she is the two-time defending champion.

She now adds another title to her ever-growing collection, although plenty of credit must go to Kudermetova after her first WTA final.

Sabalenka’s nearest rivals Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek meanwhile didn’t play in Brisbane, but they have also been impressing in Australia.

READ MORE: Aryna Sabalenka says there’s something she has to say about Iga Swiatek after training alongside each other recently

They both reached the final of the 2025 United Cup in Sydney, where Gauff beat Swiatek as the USA defeated Poland 2-0.

It all makes for an intriguing build-up to the Australian Open, where the likes of Gauff and Swiatek will be desperate to knock Sabalenka off her perch.