Sabalenka, Keys Launch 2026 Campaigns with Dominant Brisbane Wins

World No.1 Sabalenka opened her campaign in emphatic fashion, dismantling Spain's Cristina Bucsa in 47 minutes on Tuesday, while defending Australian Open champion Keys secured a 6-4, 6-3 win against McCarthy Kessler in the second round at Pat Rafter Arena.

Brisbane defending champion delivered a near-flawless performance at the Queensland Tennis Centre, striking 23 winners while committing only seven unforced errors in a dominant opening-round display. Sabalenka's power and precision proved far too much for Bucsa, who was unable to stem the flow from the first point.

It was a familiar matchup for the Belarusian, who also defeated Bucsa in the fourth round of last year's US Open on her way to claiming the title. That pattern quickly re-emerged in Brisbane, with Sabalenka racing through the first set and maintaining control throughout the second.

Bucsa, ranked 50th in the world, briefly lifted the crowd when she avoided a double bagel, drawing a warm ovation. Sabalenka, however, closed the match a game later, sealing a 6-0, 6-1 victory with her fourth ace.

"Wasn't focusing on warning anyone for the season; I was just too focused on things that I have been working on during the preseason. I was just trying to show my level. I did it well, and if someone got scared because of that, I'll be happy to see players giving up, but that's not going to happen, unfortunately," Sabalenka was quoted as saying by the WTA.

"I was surprised with my serve-and-volley points. I was practising, I was working on that, but I wasn't sure if it's gonna, you know, go my way on the match, but I'm happy that I was able to practise that on the match. I mean, I worked really hard, so I wasn't really surprised with the level," the Belarusian added.

On the other hand, fifth seed Keys recorded her first win on Australian soil since capturing her maiden major title at Melbourne Park last January, defeating fellow American McCartney Kessler 6-4, 6-3.

Keys admitted she needed time to settle, conceding she felt some early nerves and had to "knock off a bit of the rust" before finding her rhythm. Once she did, her shot-making began to click.

Now a Grand Slam champion, Keys said she was eager to challenge herself further in 2026, aiming to push beyond her comfort zone as the season unfolds.

"I have really been trying to focus on trying to get to the net a little bit more, and my biggest goal, not only for here but really just for the entire year, is to do the things that kind of make me uncomfortable on the court. Sometimes, especially if I get nervous or it's in tight moments, I kind of fall back on being a little bit more comfortable, which sometimes actually gets me in trouble. So continuing to try to do the things that I have been working on in practice, in matches, in the big moments, is probably my biggest goal of the year," Keys said after her win.

- IANS