Sabalenka sets up title clash with Kostyuk; Poland reach United Cup final

Aryna Sabalenka beat Karolina Muchova in straight sets to reach her third Brisbane International final in a row on Saturday, a week before the Australian Open.

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Sabalenka looked in great touch against the tricky Czech, who had won their last three meetings and went into the match as one of the few players with a winning record over the world number one.

But Sabalenka showed her class and power as she broke Muchova once in each set to take the semifinal 6-3, 6-4 in 89 minutes and will face Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk in Sunday’s women's final.

Former world number one Daniil Medvedev will take on unseeded American Brandon Nakashima in the men’s final.

"I struggled against her a couple of times (in the past)," Sabalenka, the defending champion, said of Muchova.

"I'm happy that today I was focused from the beginning and I was able to show such great tennis and put her under so much pressure and get the win in straight sets."

The 27-year-old Belarusian said she could feel her level getting better with every match in Brisbane, where she is yet to drop a set.

She said that with seven of the world’s top IO having entered, it was ideal preparation for the Australian Open, which begins in Melbourne on January 18.

Sabalenka is aiming to win a third Australian Open in four years.