World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka had all the answers against No.16 Mirra Andreeva, winning 6-3, 6-2 to advance to return to the Brisbane International final. The win is the two-time Australian Open champion’s 40th victory on the continent.
Sabalenka won the tournament in 2023 when it was held in Adelaide and finished runner-up last year to Elena Rybakina.
Sabalenka advanced to her first final of the new season without the loss of a set. En route to the final, she has notched wins over Renata Zarazua, Yulia Putintseva, Marie Bouzkova and Andreeva. To best Andreeva, Sabalenka saved all eight break points she faced to snuff out the teenager’s hopes for an upset.
“It’s always the same tactic for me: stay aggressive and put my opponent under so much pressure,” Sabalenka said. “I’m really glad that against Mirra I was able to play such aggressive tennis. Seems like everything was working really well for me.
“She’s an amazing, young player. I’m pretty sure she’s going to be Top 10 soon and for so long.”
Andreeva was playing her second WTA 500 semifinal, having made her first last fall in Ningbo. Andreeva laid her intentions bare from the outset, generating three break point chances in Sabalenka’s opening service game. But as she would prove throughout the 90-minute match.
Sabalenka will face No.107 Polina Kudermetova, who came through qualifying to make her first WTA final. The 21-year-old built on her successful end to the 2024 season, where she made the quarterfinals in Seoul and semifinals in Merida.
After successfully qualifying, Kudermetova defeated Wang Xinyu, Liumila Samsonova, No.3 seed Daria Kasatkina, Ashlyn Krueger, and Anhelina Kalinina to make the biggest final of her career. On Saturday, Kudermetova eased past Kalinina with a 6-4, 6-3 win.
© Copyrights Sixsports. All Rights Reserved.