Sabalenka and Keys' Rivalry Ahead of the Australian Open

BRISBANE, THURSDAY — Aryna Sabalenka rarely faces opponents who are superior to her on hard courts, and this occurred when she met Sorana Cirstea in the third round of the WTA 500 Brisbane tournament. Sabalenka avenged her previous defeat to face Madison Keys in the quarterfinals.

The meeting with Cirstea took place at the Queensland Tennis Centre, Brisbane, Australia, on Thursday (8/1/2026). Previously, they had shared one victory from two matches that took place in 2023: Cirstea won at the WTA Miami hard court tournament, while Sabalenka won at the WTA 1000 Madrid (clay court).

Three years later, the two met again. This time, Sabalenka did not miss the opportunity to win on hard courts, the type of surface she masters the most. She won with a score of 6-3, 6-3.

"I don't remember our previous encounters on hard courts, which is probably good for me. Sorana is a great player who always makes me work hard. So, I'm really happy to win in straight sets. Throughout the match, I tried to focus on my game," Sabalenka told the WTA's official website.

The victory was achieved after she performed solidly in her first match of 2026, which was against Cristina Busca in the second round. Sabalenka won 6-0, 6-1.

Nevertheless, the world’s top-ranked female singles player stated that there is still much room for her to grow. With two matches recently played, Sabalenka has yet to showcase her best abilities.

The owner of four Grand Slam titles hopes that the competition at the WTA Brisbane will have a positive impact on her performance at the Australian Open. The Grand Slam event at the beginning of the year will take place in Melbourne from January 18 to February 1.

"With seven of the top ten players in the world present, the competition here can push me to perform better. I have to adapt to the pressure, and this is good preparation for the Grand Slam," said Sabalenka.

In addition to Sabalenka, one of the tournaments that began in the first week of January is participated in by Amanda Anisimova (ranked third), Elena Rybakina (5), Jessica Pegula (6), including Keys (7) as the next opponent. Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek (2) and Cori Gauff (4) are participating in the mixed team championship of the United Cup, which is also taking place in Australia, specifically in Perth and Sydney. Gauff led the United States to the semifinals, while Swiatek and her teammates in the Polish team will face Australia in the quarterfinals on January 9.

Keys defeated Sabalenka in the Australian Open final. Although the defeat was avenged at the WTA 1000 Indian Wells, Sabalenka still regrets the loss in Melbourne. The Grand Slam status is higher than that of the WTA 1000, and Sabalenka was the favorite to win.

This time, Keys and Sabalenka will meet earlier in the early part of the year. The match could be a tough one for Keys as her energy was drained during the third round against Diana Shnaider. They competed in a match that lasted just under three hours, with Keys winning 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4).

Other tennis players who advanced to the quarter-finals include Rybakina, who won against Paula Badosa 6-3, 6-2. "Matches against Paula are always difficult because she has a great shot and plays very fast. There are many things I need to improve for the next match," said Rybakina, who will face Karolina Muchova in the quarter-finals. (AP)