Sabalenka Starts 2026 with a 47-Minute Brisbane Masterclass
6 January 2026
Sabalenka’s swift Brisbane start
Aryna Sabalenka officially kicked off 2026 earlier this week by partnering with her close friend Paula Badosa in doubles, winning the first round in Brisbane.
Today, at Pat Rafter Arena, the world No.1 in singles opened her singles campaign with a commanding victory over Cristina Bucsa, 6-0, 6-1, in 47 minutes to reach the third round and match her own fastest career win.
Sabalenka said post-match that her serve was working exceptionally well and that she enjoyed being back on court in front of the fans, adding that she was pleased with the level of play.
Historically, Sabalenka tends to carry early-season form into subsequent rounds; she has reached the final in her opening event in each of the last three seasons and has captured two titles in that span.
Next up for her is Romanian Sorana Cirstea, who defeated Latvia’s Ostapenko in straight sets to advance (6-2, 7-6).
In other second-round action, seventh-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova beat American Sofia Kenin 7-6, 6-3, and fifth seed Madison Keys moved into the third round by overcoming fellow American Kisler. Keys will face Russian Diana Schneider in the third round. In men’s singles, American Alexander Kovacevic upset wild-card Nick Kyrgios 6-3, 6-4, and will meet British seventh seed Cameron Nori in the next round. The day also saw Cameron Nori defeat Hugo Humbert 1-6, 7-6, 7-5 in a tight, momentum-shifting matchhorse of a result, while Tommy Paul exited in the first round after a lively battle with a French opponent.
Another notable moment saw Aleksandar Kovacevic eliminate Kyrgios, setting up an intriguing clash in the following round. The day’s results peppered the draw with upsets and tightening battles, signaling a competitive Brisbane field as the early-season storylines begin to take shape.
