NewKerala.com

Sabalenka Powers Past Keys, Sets Brisbane Semifinal vs. Muchova

Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the Brisbane International semifinals with a straight-sets victory over Madison Keys. The win marks Sabalenka's eighth consecutive victory in Brisbane and avenges her loss to Keys in the 2025 Australian Open final. She will next face Karolina Muchova, who holds a 3-1 head-to-head advantage over the world No. 1. Muchova reached the semis by upsetting third seed Elena Rybakina in a three-set match.

Key Points: Sabalenka Beats Keys, Faces Muchova in Brisbane Semis

  • Sabalenka wins in straight sets
  • Rematch of 2025 Australian Open final
  • Sets semifinal vs. Karolina Muchova
  • Muchova leads head-to-head 3-1
2 min read

Sabalenka sets Muchova face-off in Brisbane semis

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka defeats Madison Keys to reach the Brisbane International semifinals, where she will face Karolina Muchova.

"I always approach each match the same... I will try to bring everything I've been working on - Aryna Sabalenka"

Brisbane, Jan 9

World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka moved into the semifinals of the Brisbane International after defeating world No. 5 Madison Keys 6-3 6-3 in straight sets in a rematch of the 2025 Australian Open final on Friday.

The victory also means Sabalenka has notched eight consecutive wins in Brisbane and 36 of her last 38 matches in Australia.

The match marked Sabalenka's second meeting with Keys since her loss to the American in the Australian Open final, following a dominant 6-1 6-0 victory at Indian Wells. She extends her head-to-head record to 6-2 since they first met in 2018.

The opening set was finely balanced, but it was Keys' lack of precision that proved decisive. She conceded seven points through double faults, hesitating between safety and aggression on her second serve as Sabalenka pressed relentlessly.

The second set unfolded as a series of breaks, with Keys losing serve five games in a row. Sabalenka steadied herself at 4-2 and then took full control, sealing the victory with three serves to close out the match.

"She's a great player. Always tough battles against her. I was trying to stay focused, trying to stay on my serve and put as much pressure as I can on her serve. That's all I was thinking about. I put so much pressure back on her. She's aggressive, and I tried to put all of that speed back on her," Sabalenka said.

A two-time Brisbane International champion in 2023 and 2025, Sabalenka will look to take another step toward a third title in four appearances, having finished runner-up in 2024 - when she faces world No. 20 Czechia's Karolina Muchova on Saturday.

Muchova leads the head-to-head 3-1 over Sabalenka, having won each of their last three meetings dating back to 2023. Sabalenka's lone victory in the series came in their first matchup in 2019.

"I always approach each match the same; it doesn't matter the score between us. What's in the past stays in the past. I will try to bring everything I've been working on throughout basically my whole career and try better every time," Sabalenka added.

Muchova has overcome chronic injury setbacks to emerge victorious against No. 3 seed Elena Rybakina in a thrilling upset at Pat Rafter Arena. She required just over two hours to secure the 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 victory.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Muchova leading 3-1 in the head-to-head is a worrying stat for Sabalenka fans. The Czech player has her number recently. But Sabalenka is in red-hot form in Australia. Saturday's match is going to be a real test of her growth. Can't wait!
A
Aditya G
Respect to Karolina Muchova for fighting through injuries and still pulling off that upset against Rybakina. That's the spirit! 🎾 Hope she's fully fit. It's great for the sport when players overcome such hurdles. May the best player win tomorrow.
S
Sarah B
While Sabalenka's power is impressive, I sometimes feel her game lacks the variety and finesse that players like Muchova bring. It's all brute force. That might be why she struggles against her. A more tactical approach could serve her well in this semifinal.
N
Nikhil C
36 wins out of 38 matches in Australia? That's just insane dominance. She owns the hard courts there. This consistency is what separates the greats from the good. Hope she can turn around that H2H against Muchova. Saturday match timing please? Need to set my alarm! ⏰
K
Kavya N
As an Indian sports fan, watching these high-quality women's matches is so inspiring. The power and athleticism are next level. Hope our Indian players can get more exposure to this level of competition. Sabalenka vs. Muchova promises to be a classic!

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50