Sabalenka served up a reminder and then a result, beating Madison Keys again in Brisbane with clinical timing and no nostalgia for last year’s final.
The world number one moved past a painful memory and into the semifinals, wrapping the quarterfinal in tidy fashion while setting up a meeting with Karolína Muchová to defend her Brisbane crown.
Sabalenka’s Brisbane Bounce
Aryna Sabalenka beat Madison Keys in straight sets, closing out the quarterfinal with a solid baseline performance and a serve that repeatedly commanded the key moments of the match at Pat Rafter Arena.
She took the scoreline 6-3, 6-3 and kept Keys on the defensive, turning pressure into free points while moving confidently around the court as the top seed in the draw.
Sabalenka’s serving night was notable and efficient; she made just three unforced errors in the match, a tidy balance of offense and control that left her opponent with limited options.
Keys did claw back from match point down while serving in the second set, showing the resilient fighter the world knows, but Sabalenka steadied herself and wrapped the contest in one hour and 29 minutes.
The win continues a curious stretch of dominance for Sabalenka over Keys since their Australian Open final last year, following a brutal 6-0, 6-1 semifinal at Indian Wells last season and now two more straight-sets victories.
What Sabalenka Said
The postmatch mood for Sabalenka was focused and forward leaning, not nostalgic or vengeful, as she explained how past defeats fuel but do not dominate her approach to each meeting with tough opponents.
I know that I lost in Australia against her and that’s the big motivation, of course, to go out and to get the win,
Aryna Sabalenka
Sabalenka added that she does not live in prior matches, saying she “never stay[s] in the past and never remember things from the previous meeting,” underlining a short memory and long focus as her competitive strategy.
Semifinal Line-Up And Other Results
Karolína Muchová reached the semifinals first after upsetting third seed Elena Rybakina in a three-set quarterfinal, confirming she will be the player Sabalenka must beat to advance to the Brisbane final.
Jessica Pegula also advanced, beating Liudmila Samsonova 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), and will face Marta Kostyuk, who followed up a win over Amanda Anisimova by upsetting Mirra Andreeva in straight sets to reach the last four.
On the men’s side, Aleksandar Kovacevic survived a tight three-setter to beat Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and will face compatriot Brandon Nakashima, while Alex Michelsen’s run continued as he set up a meeting with Daniil Medvedev.
Medvedev had to recover from a set down before defeating lucky loser Kamil Majchrzak 6-7 (7/4), 6-3, 6-2, showing form that will make him a heavy favorite against the young American Michelsen in the semis.
With Sabalenka defending points and prestige in Brisbane, the event is shaping into a good early-season test for several top players, and the remaining match-ups offer likely fireworks ahead of the Australian Open.
The tournament’s build toward a final four is capturing attention both for singles narratives and for how the fields are sharpening ahead of Melbourne, where form this week could bleed into the first major of the season.
ABC Sport will have live coverage of the Australian Open from January 18. The reporting on the Brisbane International was produced with assistance from AAP, which supplied match details and quotes used here.
Join the conversation on Facebook.
Christoph Friedrich is a German tennis player and coach currently residing in Oakland, California. He began his tennis journey at the age of eight and has since dedicated his life to the sport. After working as a tennis coach and hitting partner in New York City for eight years, Christoph decided to share his knowledge and experience with tennis players around the world by creating the My Tennis Expert blog. His goal is to make tennis education accessible to everyone and help players select the best equipment for their game, from racquets and strings to shoes and overgrips. Christoph's extensive research and expertise in tennis technology make him a valuable resource for players of all levels.
