Sabalenka, Rybakina Cruise into Brisbane International Quarter-finals

Brisbane-  World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka continued her commanding form at the Brisbane International, securing a place in the quarter-finals with a straight-sets win over Romania’s Sorana Cirstea on Thursday.

The defending champion was in control from the outset, breaking Cirstea’s serve three times in the opening set to seize early momentum. Maintaining an aggressive approach throughout the match, Sabalenka wrapped up a comfortable 6-3, 6-3 victory in just 70 minutes to book her spot in the last eight.

The Belarusian’s performance further highlighted her dominance on Australian courts in recent seasons. Since the start of 2023, Sabalenka has recorded 35 wins in Australia, suffering only two defeats. Her achievements include back-to-back Australian Open titles, with her only losses coming in the finals of the 2024 Brisbane International and the 2025 Australian Open.

Despite the emphatic win, Sabalenka admitted there is still scope for improvement as she builds toward the Australian Open, which begins in Melbourne on January 18. Speaking on court after the match, she said that being tested under pressure is essential for growth.

“There is always room to improve, and I’m definitely not at my best yet. Of course, everyone would like to win 6-0, 6-0, but you really improve only when someone pushes you and you have to handle pressure moments,” Sabalenka said.

Meanwhile, World No. 5 Elena Rybakina also advanced to the quarter-finals, extending her winning streak to 13 matches. The 26-year-old Kazakh produced a dominant display to defeat world No. 25 Paula Badosa 6-3, 6-2 in one hour and 25 minutes.

Rybakina controlled the contest with her powerful serve and consistent baseline game, giving Badosa few opportunities to settle. She will next face either Ekaterina Alexandrova or Karolina Muchova for a place in the semifinals.

With several top seeds progressing smoothly, the Brisbane International is shaping up for high-quality quarter-final clashes, offering players a valuable measure of their form ahead of the season’s first Grand Slam.

With inputs from IANS