Hey there, fellow tennis enthusiasts It’s your girl Mia Johnson-Carter here, living the dream in Miami. I’m super excited to share some awesome news about an incredible tennis star, Aryna Sabalenka, who has just confirmed her first tournament of 2025.
Aryna Sabalenka was seemingly very pleased with how the Brisbane International served her this year as she has agreed to return to the tournament in the first week of 2025. At the start of the 2024 season, the Belarusian tennis star made her first appearance in Brisbane, and it was a successful debut since she made the final but fell short against Elena Rybakina.
After a deep Brisbane run, Sabalenka went on to defend her Australian Open title without a dropped set and concluded her Australian swing with an 11-1 record. This week, the organizers of the Australian WTA 500 tournament confirmed that the three-time Grand Slam champion will be competing at the tournament between December 29 – January 05.
World No. 3 Jessica Pegula, who was beaten by Sabalenka in this year’s US Open final, was also confirmed to start her 2025 season in Brisbane. It will be the first appearance at the tournament for the 30-year-old American.
Sabalenka’s journey to the final in Brisbane was impressive. She didn’t drop a single set en route to making the final but was no match for Rybakina, who claimed a very dominant 6-0 6-3 victory. At one point, Rybakina even led 6-0 2-0. Afterward, Sabalenka joked and tried to keep it light-hearted but it was clear that she wasn’t happy at all with the outcome of the match.
“A couple of words to my team. You did a terrible job today. Wow. 6-0, 6-3. It’s all your fault, guys I honestly don’t know where to start. First of all Elena, wow. Thanks at least for those 3 games. We made it look like a fight. Great job, congratulations to you and your team on a great week. And see you in Melbourne,” the Belarusian told Rybakina during the trophy presentation.
However, Sabalenka will have another chance to collect a Brisbane title in late December and early January. It’s exciting to see her return to the court and compete against other top players like Pegula.
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