Brisbane International: Aryna Sabalenka eases past Mirra Andreeva to cruise into the final

There's no stopping to the World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka at the Brisbane International. A runner up in 2024, the Belarusian booked her spot in final as she defeated Mirra Andreeva in the semi-final on Sunday. Displaying her trademark dominance, Sabalenka broke Andreeva's serve once in the first set and twice in the second, sealing an emphatic 6-3, 6-2 victory just days ahead of her Australian Open title defense. A two-time Australian Open champion, Sabalenka's commanding performance put her as the top contender to watch out for in the upcoming edition of the Grand Slam event in Melbourne.

Aryna Sabalenka brushes away Mirra Andreeva to enter the Brisbane International final

Aryna Sabalenka, who claimed the Brisbane title when it was hosted in Adelaide in 2023, has reached her first final of the season without dropping a set. On her way up to the final she notched decisive wins over Renata Zarazua, Yulia Putintseva, Marie Bouzkova, and Andreeva. Against Andreeva, Sabalenka demonstrated her resilience by saving all eight break points she faced, effectively nullifying the 16-year-old's chances of an upset.

Andreeva started aggressively, creating three break point opportunities in Sabalenka’s first service game. However, Sabalenka’s ability to deliver under pressure proved decisive. She staved off Andreeva’s early push and broke serve at 4-3 to claim the first set. With momentum on her side, Sabalenka upped the intensity in the second set, breaking Andreeva twice to close out the match in 90 minutes. Sabalenka registered 26 winners against 22 unforced errors, while Andreeva delivered 23 winners but struggled with consistency, committing 26 unforced errors and failing to convert any of her eight break point chances.

"It's always the same tactic for me: stay aggressive and put my opponent under so much pressure," Sabalenka said following her win over the teenager. "I'm really glad that against Mirra I was able to play such aggressive tennis. Seems like everything was working really well for me. She's an amazing, young player. I'm pretty sure she's going to be Top 10 soon and for so long," she added.

In the final, Sabalenka will face Polina Kudermetova, who has impressed throughout the tournament. The 21-year-old, riding high on her strong finish to the 2024 season with quarterfinal appearances in Seoul and semifinals in Merida, continued her form in Brisbane. After qualifying for the main draw, Kudermetova defeated notable opponents, including Wang Xinyu, Liudmila Samsonova, No. 3 seed Daria Kasatkina, Ashlyn Krueger, and Kalinina, to reach the biggest final of her career. Kudermetova’s efficient 6-4, 6-3 semifinal win over Kalinina on Saturday showcased her growing confidence and consistency.