01/06/26 02:11:00
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01/06 02:08 CST Sabalenka dominates Bucsa at Brisbane International, prepares
for Australian Open
Sabalenka dominates Bucsa at Brisbane International, prepares for Australian
Open
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) --- The Battle of the Sexes exhibition was a bit of
fun for Aryna Sabalenka, and a showdown she also regarded as good preparation
for the Australian Open.
In her first match since playing Nick Kyrgios in Dubai last month, top-ranked
Sabalenka overwhelmed No. 50 Cristina Bucsa 6-0, 6-1 on Tuesday to start her
title defense at the Brisbane International. The aim was to lay down a marker
ahead of a potential quarterfinal against Madison Keys, who had a 6-4, 6-3 win
over McCartney Kessler.
The exhibition attracted some criticism but also, at least as far as Sabalenka
is concerned, a lot of positive attention.
"It was fun. It was a great challenge. I think we brought so many eyes on
tennis," she said. "What I'm sad about is that some people got it wrong, the
whole idea of that event.
"And I don't care. I feel like there's always going to be people who don't like
you, don't respect you, don't support you, but there's so many people who
support me, who really cheer me on and who find inspiration in me. I'm focusing
on that part."
Sabalenka's focus now is getting back onto a winning roll in Australia. She won
back-to-back Australian Open titles in 2023 and '24 and was on a 20-match
winning streak at Melbourne Park until a loss in last year's final to Keys.
"Going into this match, I was just playing my tennis, I was focusing on my
game, on things that I was working on," Sabalenka said, adding that the
exhibition with Kyrgios helped. "I mean, when you play against the guys, the
intensity is completely different, especially when there is Nick who is like
drop shotting every other shot, so you move a lot, so there was a great, great
fitness for me."
It wasn't so great for the often-injured Kyrgios, the 2022 Wimbledon finalist
and former Brisbane International winner who lost 6-3, 6-4 to No. 58 Aleksandar
Kovacevic in just over an hour in his first ATP Tour match since March.
He has been restricted in the last three years after knee and wrist surgeries.
The mercurial Australian has been playing exhibitions in an effort to get back
into touch and if he doesn't get a wildcard entry for the Australian Open, he's
planning on entering qualifying.
For No. 7 Keys, preparation for an attempted Australian Open title defense will
go via Brisbane and then Adelaide, where she won last year.
"Last year was a dream come true," Keys said. "I would obviously love a repeat
of last year. That is always the goal."
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