Sabalenka wins 18th career title in Brisbane

World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka captured her second Brisbane International title to enjoy a perfect start to her 2025 Hologic WTA Tour season. On Sunday, Sabalenka came back to defeat 21-year-old qualifier Polina Kudermetova 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the final to secure her 18th career title.

Sabalenka won her first Brisbane title in 2023, when the event was held in Adelaide. In the final, she beat another qualifier, Linda Noskova. Last year, she fell just short to Elena Rybakina in the final.

Brisbane is Sabalenka’s fourth title on Australian soil. She will next take that confidence to Melbourne, where she is the two-time Australian Open defending champion. The 26-year-old is bidding to become the first woman to win three consecutive Australian Opens since Martina Hingis dominated the event from 1997 to 1999.

Seeded No.1 in Brisbane, Sabalenka defeated Renata Zarazua, Yulia Putintseva, Marie Bouzkova, Mirra Andreeva and Kudermetova.

“I definitely feel my game pretty well,” Sabalenka said. “Mentally, physically I’ll be ready to go at the Australian Open. Really happy with the way the week went. Having this trophy going to the major, it’s really important.”

“I had a break in the first set,” Sabalenka said. “I was trying to play too conservative, I would say. I wasn’t following the plan. That was the moment where everything clicked for her and she was, like, smashing the ball. Seems like everything is going in. I was like, I cannot do much in this situation.”

“I definitely feel confident in my game. I’m just excited. I love playing there. I love to fight for my dream. That’s the conditions where I feel really comfortable in. I’m just super exciting heading to the Australia Open.”

Elsewhere, Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider captured their first Hologic WTA Tour title by defeating Anna Kalinskaya and Priscilla Hon 7-6(6), 7-5 in Saturday’s doubles final. It is the first doubles title for both players, either as a team or individually.