Marta Kostyuk Sends Strong Warning to Aryna Sabalenka Ahead of Brisbane Final

Marta Kostyuk will face Aryna Sabalenka for the fifth time on tour at the Brisbane International final.

Marta Kostyuk Sends Strong Warning to Aryna Sabalenka Ahead of Brisbane Final

Aryna Sabalenka and Marta Kostyuk (via X/The Tennis Letter)

Marta Kostyuk will take on Aryna Sabalenka in the Brisbane International final on Sunday (January 11). Sabalenka is playing in the final of the WTA 500 tournament for the third time in a row, having claimed it last year in three sets, while Kostyuk is in her first final at the tournament.

Sabalenka first cemented her place in the final after beating Karolina Muchova at the Pay Rafter Arena on Saturday (January 10). The World No.1 faced Madison Keys in the quarter-finals on Friday (January 9), a rematch of the 2025 Australian Open final, which Keys won in three sets in Melbourne.

Sabalenka broke Keys in five straight games on the way to a 6-3, 6-3 win. However, it was Kostyuk’s superb performance in Brisbane that caught the attention of fans. The Ukrainian won her third top 10 opponent at the event after beating the fourth seed Jessica Pegula 6-0, 6-3 in the semi-finals.

She had previously beaten Wimbledon Championships finalist Amanda Anisimova before claiming an important victory against Indian Wells champion Mirra Andreeva. Kostyuk has faced Sabalenka four times on tour, losing all meetings. However, the Brisbane final will be their first hard-court meeting since 2022.

Sabalenka has won 37 of her last 39 matches in Australia, and she’s currently in her third final in Brisbane. However, Kostyuk is not afraid of the World No. 1’s record at the tournament. She revealed during her post-match press conference that she has nothing to lose at the tournament and will give her best on the court:

She is the world No. 1, has achieved incredible things, and is a very powerful rival. I am excited to face her, it will be a great test right before a Grand Slam. From my position, the reality is that the pressure is not on me, so I will seek to go out and put on a good show for the crowd, who have been incredible with me this week. I have nothing to lose, I just want to go out and enjoy.

Kostyuk was in top gear against Pegula, hitting a bagel in the first set, before the American star tried to push hard not to make it a double bagel. The Ukrainian has proven she can be a tough opponent to crack in previous meetings against Sabalenka, but the World No.1 has always found a way to beat her.

Aryna Sabalenka satisfied with her semi-finals win at the Brisbane International

Aryna Sabalenka has been in superb form since the start of the season. Since losing to Nick Kyrgios in the Battle of the Sexes clash in Dubai, she has won four matches in a row. She took full control of the match against Karolina Muchova, limiting the Czech star’s flow, claiming a vital 6-3, 6-4 victory.

Aryna Sabalenka (5)
Aryna Sabalenka (Image via X/HQ Pics)

During her press conference, she revealed that she wasn’t at her best in the second set of the semi-finals match. The 27-year-old pointed out that she gave the Czech Republic star a lot of opportunities in the second set, but she’s completely happy she’s leaving the court with a straight-sets victory:

There were a ‌lot of close misses at the end of the second set but I’m super happy to close this match in straight sets. She’s a great opponent and I knew that if I gave ‌her that opportunity in the last games, she would take it, and it would be a bit trickier to play. I’m super happy I got ‌the win.

Sabalenka will hope to defend the Brisbane International ahead of the Australian Open. She failed to win the Melbourne Grand Slam last year after losing in the final. A win against Marta Kostyuk will be an extra motivation to go all out to win her fifth Grand Slam at the first major tournament of the season.

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