Aryna Sabalenka won her maiden Grand Slam in Melbourne last year, so now she becomes the hunted in the Australian Open. And the Belarusian star has been preparing for her title defence by competing in the Brisbane International recently.
Sabalenka will definitely face stiff competition, as the likes of WTA No. 1 Iga Swiatek and No. 4 Coco Gauff are also both looking to win in Melbourne for the first time ever.
Meanwhile, Petra Kvitova will sit this one out for personal reasons, while Naomi Osaka is making her comeback after a long hiatus.
Learn more about the latest Australian Open 2024 updates in today’s SBOTOP round-up.
Sabalenka’s runner-up finish in Brisbane
Aryna Sabalenka saw her 15-match winning streak in Australia ended by Elena Rybakina during the Brisbane International final last night in what was a rematch of last year’s Australian Open final.
Rybakina came out hot out of the gates by winning her first eight games in a row, which gave her enough momentum to eventually claim a 6-0, 6-3 win in just 73 minutes.
Overall, it was a bad day at the office for Sabalenka, but she maintained her positive demeanour throughout the match, even jokingly “blaming” her team for the loss.
The reason why is because Aryna Sabalenka, who was known for her outbursts when things did not go her way, said that she has made a huge change in terms of her approach to the game, which will help her in the long run.
“I decided to change my approach, just let it go, don’t get crazy on the court, try to control myself better,” explained Sabalenka.
“Since then, I’ve realised that it’s bringing me so much control over myself and the game. Hopefully, I can improve that kind of thinking this season,” she added.
Last year, Sabalenka reached the US Open final and the semi-finals of Roland Garros and Wimbledon to become the first woman to reach at least the final four at all the majors in a single season since Serena Williams in 2016.
If it weren’t for her loss to Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals of the WTA Finals in Mexico, Sabalenka would’ve ended up as the top-ranked WTA player, but she has a chance to do so this time, and winning the Australian Open is a good place to start.
Swiatek, Gauff gunning for their first Australian Open
One trophy that’s missing for Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff is the Australian Open, and both of them are out for redemption after a poor finish in last year’s tournament.
Swiatek and Gauff were defeated in the fourth round last season, although that didn’t stop them from having successful campaigns, as the former won the WTA Finals and Roland Garros, while the latter won the US Open.
And the Australian Open 2024 odds back them as two of the competition’s favourites, as Swiatek was named the MVP of the recently concluded United Cup while Gauff successfully defended her crown at an Australian Open tune-up event in Auckland last weekend.
Swiatek, in particular, is under pressure to maintain her top spot in the WTA rankings. Other than a win in the Australian Open, the hope for the Pole is that she’ll stay healthy throughout the year after suffering injuries last season.
As for Gauff, she has steadily improved since she burst onto the scene at Wimbledon in 2019. She will certainly aim to win back-to-back Grand Slams before turning 20 years old in March.
Kvitova makes big announcement, Osaka is back
Petra Kvitova has started the New Year with good news, albeit off the tennis court, as she recently revealed that she is pregnant with her first child.
Because of this, the 17th-ranked WTA player will not play in Melbourne. Her last appearance on court came at the China Open in October, where she lost 6-4, 7-6 to Liudmila Samsonova in the Round of 32.
Meanwhile, another mom, Naomi Osaka, returned to the court last week after an indefinite break from the game due to mental health concerns and giving birth to her daughter Shai.
Osaka competed in the Brisbane International but lost 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 in the second round to Karolina Pliskova, although what was more noticeable was the fact that she is more engaging with other players and fans compared to before.
The 26-year-old is no stranger to the hard courts in Melbourne, as she won the 2019 and 2021 editions of the Australian Open. Other than that, Osaka has also won the 2018 and 2020 Wimbledons.
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