SABALENKA ADDS NEW WEAPONS TO ARSENAL

Success of Belarusian’s all-round game in Brisbane spells danger for Aussie Open foes

- 

After cruising to back-to-back Brisbane International titles on Jan 11, world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka said she was pleased to have added another dimension to her power game.

With a 6-4, 6-3 win over Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, Sabalenka retained her title without dropping a set, an ominous sign for her rivals as she bids to reclaim the Australian Open crown.

The 27-year-old Belarusian said she had tried to introduce new elements to her game so she wasn’t relying just on power, and that had paid off this week.

“] finally found the touch game,” she said. “I figured something and I kind of changed my game style - now I’m not only the aggressive player, I can play at the net, I can be in defence, I can use my slice, I have a good touch. I’m super happy to see that things are clicking together.”

Sabalenka is determined to regain the Australian Open title she relinquished in 2025, when she lost to the United States’ Madison Keys in the final. Her performance in the fierce Brisbane heat suggests she will be hard to beat at the opening Grand Slam of the year, which starts on Jan 18.