Aryna Sabalenka continued her stellar 2026 season with a commanding win over Australian Open champion Madison Keys at the Brisbane International, securing her spot in the semi-finals. The victory comes as Sabalenka prepares for a potential third Australian Open title in four years.
The Belarusian star, ranked world number one, defeated Keys 6-3 6-3 in a repeat of last year’s Australian Open final, where Keys triumphed in a thrilling three-set match. Sabalenka’s straight-sets victory in Brisbane shows her determination to regain the Australian Open crown she won in 2023 and 2024.
Sabalenka’s Dominant Form on Hard Courts
Sabalenka, 27, has won 18 of her 21 WTA titles on hard courts, underscoring her dominance on the surface ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year. Across the Brisbane tournament, she has conceded just 13 games in six sets, highlighting her consistent and aggressive baseline game.
“I know that I lost in Australia against her, and that’s a big motivation of course to go out and get the win,” said Sabalenka. “But I never stay in the past and never remember things from the previous meeting. My approach is like it’s a new match. It doesn’t matter what happened in the past; I have to go out there and play my best tennis.”
This mindset appears to be paying dividends as she looks to carry her momentum into Melbourne later this month.
Brisbane Semi-Final: Sabalenka vs Karolina Muchova
Sabalenka will face Karolina Muchova in the semi-finals after the Czech player upset world number five Elena Rybakina 6-2 2-6 6-4. Muchova, ranked 20th, displayed nerves of steel in the deciding set, ending Rybakina’s impressive 13-match winning streak.
Muchova has a strong record against Sabalenka, having won their last three meetings. Despite Sabalenka’s higher ranking and current form, this semi-final promises to be a tightly contested match with potential for an exciting clash of styles: Sabalenka’s power versus Muchova’s tactical variety.
Other Quarter-Final Highlights
Sonay Kartal Narrowly Defeated by Elina Svitolina
Great Britain’s Sonay Kartal came agonizingly close to reaching her second WTA tour-level semi-final, losing to world number 13 Elina Svitolina in a dramatic final-set tie-break at the ASB Classic. Kartal, ranked 68th, served for the match at 5-3 in the decider but ultimately fell 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-5).
Svitolina, a two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist, will continue her campaign as the top seed in Auckland, pursuing her 19th WTA title.
Fran Jones Retires Against Wang Xiyu
Fellow Briton Fran Jones was forced to retire during her quarter-final against China’s Wang Xiyu when trailing 6-4 4-3 due to injury. Wang advances, demonstrating her resilience and potential in the early hard-court season.
Looking Ahead: Brisbane International Semi-Finals
- Aryna Sabalenka vs Karolina Muchova – clash of former champions and top contenders
- Elina Svitolina vs Wang Xiyu – potential high-intensity matchup in the bottom half of the draw
Sabalenka’s performance in Brisbane is a promising sign for the Australian Open 2026, where she will aim to extend her hard-court dominance and claim a third Melbourne title in four years.
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