Champions Corner: Sabalenka remains untouchable on Australian soil

This early in the season, winning isn’t the only priority for the world’s top players. They’re still trying to implement changes put in place during those grueling December training blocks. For Aryna Sabalenka, it’s been a difficult balance.

“Definitely getting the matches and definitely practicing something new,” Sabalenka said Saturday in Brisbane. “Been working on the preseason. I have to be honest, it’s not working really well so far. But I’m not going to give up on the things I practiced.

“Hopefully in Melbourne it’s going to work better for me.”

For the better part of an hour in Sunday’s Brisbane International final, those words felt prescient. Sabalenka found herself down a set and a break point to qualifier Polina Kudermetova at 2-1.

What changed?

“I was trying to understand my body situation -- how can I finish this match, how can I turn things around?” Sabalenka said later in an interview with wtatennis.com. “I was playing too conservative, and I wasn’t going for my shots, I was just trying to put that speed back on her, but I was missing so much.

“And then I said, ‘I’m just going to swing the racquet, hit the ball and bring the aggressive game back.’ I was more free with my shots and my body. I was able to play with a bit better level.”

Less than an hour later, Sabalenka left the court a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 winner of the season’s inaugural WTA 500 event.

Australian swing 411: Dates, draws, prize money and facts you need to know

At 26, Sabalenka is entering what is typically the prime of a professional tennis player’s career.

Next week, Sabalenka begins the two-week journey that she hopes will culminate with her third straight title at the Australian Open. Remarkably, she has won three of the past seven major tournaments she’s played in, pointing for four of eight -- and a fifth final. That’s why she’s No.1.

Her signature is power, but over the past year, she’s been working with her team to diversify, to master more nuances in a game that already stands as the best in tennis.

“That’s 100 percent great to have the variety in your game,” Sabalenka said. “Whenever you have to switch to Plan B, you have something to play with. I really think having those tricky shots, that slice, changing the rhythm, it’s going to really bring a lot of benefits to my game. 

"Facing someone who is really aggressive, but who can have a great touch, it can be frustrating. There is always something to improve. I’m always hoping for new things.”

The only new thing Sabalenka faced early in the final was a healthy dose of adversity -- and some maddening drop shots from Kudermetova, who was ranked outside the Top 100.

But after that internal conversation and going with a tighter tension on her racquet strings, Sabalenka began the third set with an ace and won three straight games. Kudermetova, playing her eighth match after coming through qualifying, appeared to tire.

After it was over, after Sabalenka raised her arms in triumph, blew kisses to the crowd and took a 360-degree selfie on the court in Pat Rafter Arena, she had won her 11^th straight match in Australia. 

There was so much more from the busy first week of the brand new season. We'll break down the highlights here:

Honor Roll

Coco Gauff and Team USA: After 18 nations battled through nearly two grueling weeks in Sydney and Perth, the United States were left standing as the 2025 United Cup champions.

The Americans won their second United Cup title in the three-year existence of the mixed team event, adding to their 2023 title with a singles sweep of Poland in Sunday's final. Poland will settle for second place for the second straight year.

Of course, it was a team effort, but within that group, Coco Gauff posted a perfect week and was named Tournament MVP. She won all five of her singles matches and went 2-0 in doubles when she was needed there. The event ended with her earning her third win over Iga Swiatek in their 14 career meetings.

"Honestly before every Grand Slam, I have the belief that I can win, and especially after US Open, I proved that I could do it," Gauff said, as she now focuses on the first major of the year in Melbourne. "I definitely have belief that I can win.

"Obviously this start of the season gives me a lot of confidence. I feel like when I'm playing confident tennis I'm playing great tennis. I definitely feel confident going into AO." 

Clara Tauson: The former Junior World No.1 had a breakthrough 2021 on tour at age 18, winning two titles and reaching an additional final. But injuries curtailed her progress and she didn't reach another final for three years.

But after a solid 2024 put her back into the Top 50, the Dane became a champion again this week, winning the ASB Classic title in Auckland, New Zealand. She saved a match point against Sofia Kenin in the second round and beat No.1 seed Madison Keys in the quarterfinals.

Naomi Osaka: Like Tauson, former World No.1 Osaka had not reached a final in years. Before this season started, her last final came at Miami in 2022, a match she lost to Iga Swiatek.

Exactly a year into her return from maternity leave, Osaka ended that drought by reaching the Auckland final, her best showing on tour since giving birth to daughter Shai. Osaka retired in the final due to an abdominal injury, but if she stays healthy, more finals will likely follow.

Polina Kudermetova: There's another Kudermetova on the scene. The younger sister of former Top 10 player Veronika Kudermetova, Polina stormed into her first WTA singles final as a qualifier in Brisbane. She took the first set off of World No.1 Sabalenka before finishing as runner-up.

Aoi Ito: The 20-year-old Japanese player, who cites the crafty game of Hsieh Su-wei as an inspiration, finds herself getting closer to a Top 100 debut after winning the biggest title of her career at WTA 125 Canberra.

Hot Shots

Ons Jabeur never fails to come up with shots like this Brisbane stunner. Not bad for her first tournament back since August:

Not to be outdone, Elena Rybakina found power plays like this all week, lifting Kazakhstan into their first United Cup semifinal:

Notable Numbers

3: Poland is the only country to make it to the knockout stages at all three editions of the United Cup. They were semifinalists in the inaugural edition in 2023 before finishing as runners-up in the last two years.

1: Clara Tauson became the first Danish woman to win the Auckland title. Former World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki made two Auckland finals, but Tauson went one better than her Grand Slam-winning compatriot in New Zealand.

4: In Brisbane, 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva reached the fourth tour-level semifinal of her career. Only five players in the past 20 years have made more semifinals before turning 18: Nicole Vaidisova, Maria Sharapova, Tatiana Golovin, Michaella Krajicek and Coco Gauff. 

16: 16 of Sabalenka's 18 WTA singles titles have come on hard court, including all three of her Grand Slams. The two titles she has won off of the surface have both come on the clay of Madrid, in 2021 and 2023.

From the Camera Roll

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka shone through four big wins at the ASB Classic in Auckland:

And Karolina Muchova flew the flag for the Czechs' semifinal run at United Cup:

Next Up

The Aussie swing keeps on rolling with two key events ahead of the Australian Open. At the WTA 500 Adelaide International, 12 Top 20 players will vie for the title, including top seed Jessica Pegula and defending champion Jelena Ostapenko.

Adelaide: Scores | Schedule | Draws | Draw breakdown
Hobart: Scores | Schedule | Draws

And at the WTA 250 Hobart International, last year's Australian Open semifinalist Dayana Yastremska is the No.1 seed. Two-time Hobart champion Elise Mertens (2017-18) will try to make it back to the final on the island of Tasmania as the No.2 seed.

This week also contains the Australian Open qualifying event. Alycia Parks, an Auckland semifinalist last week, is the No.1 seed.