World No. 1 Sabalenka Dominates Muchova to Reach Brisbane WTA 500 Final vs. Kostyuk

Brisbane Queen Sabalenka, Undefeated All Week, Faces Top-10 Upset Artist Kostyuk for 2026 Season-Boosting Title

© AFP

Adrien Guyot

le 10/01/2026 à 07h20

2 min to read

Brisbane Kostyuk Marta Muchova Karolina Pegula Jessica Sabalenka Aryna

The Brisbane WTA 500 final matchup is set. It will pit world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka against Marta Kostyuk. The Belarusian dominated Karolina Muchova (6-3, 6-4 in 1h29), needing just one break per set to secure the win.

Sabalenka saved all four break points she faced, and advances to the final without dropping a set, having won in straight sets against Bucsa, Cirstea and Keys this week.

Sabalenka in any case notches a ninth straight win in the Australian city and remains in contention to defend her title. She has now beaten the Czech for only the second time in five meetings, and heads into the challenge full of confidence against a Marta Kostyuk who is decidedly in great form at the start of the season.

Third Straight Top-10 Win for Kostyuk, Pegula Conqueror

The Ukrainian, world No. 26, has been a top-10 scalp hunter this week. After already dismissing Amanda Anisimova and Mirra Andreeva in straight sets, the 23-year-old did it again by dominating Jessica Pegula (6-0, 6-3 in 55 minutes).

Admittedly, the American, world No. 6, was hampered by a thigh injury. But Kostyuk, impressive since the start of the week, left nothing but crumbs for the 2024 US Open finalist.

A Sabalenka-Kostyuk Final in Brisbane

Marta Kostyuk is now guaranteed to return to the top 20 after this tournament, and she will contest her fourth WTA final. After winning her only title to date in Austin in 2023, she lost two finals the following year, in San Diego and then Stuttgart.

In that German city, she had already achieved the feat of beating three top-10 players in a row to reach the final, where she had suffered a heavy defeat against Elena Rybakina at the time.

The stakes will nonetheless be high for Kostyuk, who has never beaten Sabalenka in four WTA-tour meetings. The Belarusian, always strong on hard courts, hopes in turn to win a 10th straight match in Brisbane to claim a trophy already in 2026.