Two favourites emerging for Australian Open after big defeat for defending champion

The manner of Elena Rybakina’s defeat of world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka in their Australian Open final rematch felt hugely significant as the Brisbane International final turned into a mismatch.

Rybakina charged out of the blocks, dominating the first set 6-0 and continuing the form through the second set 6-3, winning in just over 70 minutes.

The Kazakhstan player was clinical on break points, winning five of a possible seven, and limiting the Belarusian to just one break point.

Sabalenka was on a 15-game winning streak in Australia before the loss, spanning back to the start of 2023 in Adelaide and continuing through her Australian Open-winning campaign.

“I think the score doesn’t show the reality because all the games were quite tight, to be honest,” said Rybakina.

“Couple of moments maybe I was a bit luckier. I knew that no matter the score, is going to be still difficult in the second set. It was just a few moments again where it could turn other way around.

“I didn’t expect that the scores are going to be like this. In the end, I think it was still not as easy as it might look from outside.”

Rybakina is due to play another tournament in Adelaide next week and despite her long run in Brisbane, it seems she is still planning to play another event before the Australian Open.

“The plan is to go to Adelaide because I think this week I played really well, I feel physically also good. I didn’t have enough, I would say, hours which we wanted to do the week before coming here because I got sick again,” she continued.

“This week, as I said, was a bit unexpected, like, with the result. It was still, like, getting back to the shape, to recover from the illness. I think we see how it’s going to be in Adelaide.

“Of course, it’s different conditions. Hopefully, as I said, I continue to play well and feel good on the court.”

READ MORE: Why Coco Gauff’s title win in Auckland should give Emma Raducanu real encouragement

The win was 24-year-old Rybakina’s sixth career title, and she confirmed she is in confident mood ahead of the first Grand Slam of 2024.

“For sure it gives confidence, but as I said it’s always tough battles against Aryna,” she added.

“This week is just the beginning for all the players. I feel like maybe not everyone catch still the best form. I’m playing well now, so hopefully, as I said, I continue.”

The scoreline will doubtless be a blow to Sabalenka, who is not used to being beaten in such convincing fashion.

It will also cast some doubt over her potential to defend her Australian Open title, with the player who rose to No 1 in the rankings for the first time after a run to the US Open final in September struggling with aspects of her attacking game in recent months.

Sabalenka has one primary tactics on court and it involved blasting opponents away with her high-velocity power hitting.

When that approach doesn’t reap rewards, the solution tends to be to hit harder and scream louder with each shot.

World No 1 Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina appear to have the answer to Sabalenka’s relentlessly violent and loud brand of tennis and she will fear meetings with the two form players on the WTA Tour head into the Australian Open.

Coco Gauff may also fancy her chances of getting into the mix for the Australian Open title, after she retained her title in Auckland to start 2024 with another impressive win on the WTA Tour.

The 19-year-old American won 6-7 (4) 6-3 6-3 in just over two and a half hours to make it 10 straight wins at the event.

Gauff was put through a difficult, topsy-turvy first set, losing in a tiebreak.

But the teenager turned it around in the second and third sets as she improved her first serve success from 46 per cent to 73 per cent in the second and above 80 per cent in the third.

The win was the 2023 US Open winner’s seventh WTA title.