Thursday Jan 30, 2025
Thursday Jan 30, 2025
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Aryna Sabalenka |
World number one Aryna Sabalenka geared up for her Australian Open title defence with a victory over Russian qualifier Polina Kudermetova in the final of the Brisbane International.
The 26-year-old from Belarus recovered from dropping her serve twice on her way to losing the opening set to come through 4-6 6-3 6-2 against the world number 107.
Sabalenka lost in last year’s Brisbane final to Elena Rybakina, before going on to triumph in the Australian Open for the second time in a row.
The opening Grand Slam of the year begins at Melbourne Park on Sunday, 12 January.
After a less than impressive opening set, Sabalenka began the second set strongly and Kudermetova had to save break points in her opening service game.
The pressure eventually told, with a drop shot giving Sabalenka the break and a 3-2 lead, and she dominated the remainder of the set to force the decider.
A break early in the third set left her in control and on the way to her first title of the year.
Naomi Osaka retired from the final of the Auckland Classic with an abdominal injury.
The four-time Grand Slam winner, who was playing in her first WTA final in three years after taking a 15-month break and giving birth to her first child midway through 2023, took the opening set 6-4 against Denmark’s Clara Tauson.
But the 27-year-old called for the physio at the changeover and stood and performed a series of stretches during a medical timeout.
After consulting with the trainer, she shook the hand of Tauson, who picked up a third career title and her first since 2021.
In a statement, the WTA said Osaka retired “due to an abdominal injury.”
Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova will miss the Australian Open as she continues to recover from a back injury.
“Unfortunately, my back injury, which troubled me at the end of last season, is still not fully healed,” said the world number 10.
“It is really disappointing because I love playing in Melbourne and have such great memories from reaching the quarter-finals last year.”
