US EditionWta Roundup: Aryna Sabalenka Opens '26 with Rout
- On Tuesday, world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka overwhelmed world No.28 Cristina Bucsa 6-0, 6-1 in 48 minutes to start her Brisbane International title defense.
- The exhibition, which drew criticism and attention, brought so many eyes on tennis, Sabalenka said, despite the negative reactions.
- Dominating from the back and at the net, Sabalenka breezed through the first set in 22 minutes and stunned the Pat Rafter Arena crowd with her shots against Cristina Bucsa.
- Madison Keys, the defending Australian Open champion, beat McCartney Kessler 6-4, 6-3, putting last year's finalists on course for a Brisbane quarterfinal.
- Sabalenka said her focus is getting back onto a winning roll in Australia, and Keys plans to prepare via Brisbane then Adelaide, saying `Last year was a dream come true`.
40 Articles
40 Articles
Daily Record
Sabalenka dominates Bucsa at Brisbane International and says Battle of the Sexes helped
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — The Battle of the Sexes exhibition was a bit of fun for Aryna Sabalenka and a showdown she regarded as good preparation for the Australian Open.
'Battle of the Sexes' rivals have mixed fortunes
"Battle of the Sexes" opponents Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios had markedly different starts to their seasons at the Brisbane International on Tuesday. While Sabalenka said the much-maligned exhibition had paid dividends in a straight-sets demolition of Cristina Bucsa, Kyrgios's comeback faltered at the first hurdle as he lost to American Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-3, 6-4. Sabalenka, the world number one took just 48 minutes to dispose of Bucsa 6-…
Tennis pro Anastasia Potapova lost her second game as an Austrian. The 24-year-old, who was naturalized in December, was in the second round of the WTA500 tournament in Brisbane without any chance against her former Russian countrywoman Diana Shnaider and lost 1:6, 3:6. The world ranking first Aryna Sabalenka finished in Brisbane in her first match of the year the Spanish Cristina Bucsa in just 48 minutes 6:0, 6:1. Venus Williams started with a …
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