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Sabalenka fires warning
The Citizen
|January 12, 2026
World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka (above) warmed up for a tilt at a third Australian open title in four years in ominous fashion by winning her second successive Brisbane International crown yesterday.
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Sabalenka scored a dominant 6-4, 6-3 win over Marta Kostyuk in just 78 minutes.
"Every day you go out there and prove your level, and I think this week I did it really well," said Sabalenka after a tournament in which she powered to the title without dropping a set.
Looking ahead to the Australian Open, which begins next Sunday, Sabalenka said: "The only thing I know is that I’ll be there, I'll be fighting."
Salablenka lost in the Melbourne Park final last year to Madison Keys, having been Australian Open champion in 2023 and 2024.
This story is from the January 12, 2026 edition of The Citizen.
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