Kostyuk’s Surge Sets Brisbane Clash with Sabalenka
Marta Kostyuk carved through Jessica Pegula in a semifinal rout, positioning herself for a high-stakes final against Aryna Sabalenka where past defeats meet fresh momentum on Brisbane’s hard courts.
In the steamy confines of Pat Rafter Arena at the Brisbane International, Marta Kostyuk dismantled fourth seed Jessica Pegula 6-0, 6-3, wrapping the semifinal in under an hour. Her flat groundstrokes sliced through the humid air, pinning Pegula deep and forcing errors on every turn. This wasn’t just a win; it was Kostyuk’s third straight top-10 scalp in the draw, a run that whispers of a player finally syncing speed with strategy after a choppy 2025.
Kostyuk unloads on familiar foe
Against Pegula, Kostyuk flipped a lopsided head-to-head, improving to 2-4 after dropping the first set in a bagel. She targeted the American’s backhand with crosscourt lasers and inside-in forehands, breaking serve four times in the opener while holding her own delivery clean. Pegula, who had taken four of their prior five meetings including both in 2025, couldn’t muster her usual 1–2 punch, her returns floating short under the Ukrainian’s pressure.
This marked only Kostyuk’s second career victory over Pegula, the first coming in San Diego back in 2024. Her Brisbane path already included straight-set triumphs over No. 2 seed Amanda Anisimova 6-4, 6-3 in the Round of 16 and No. 6 seed Mirra Andreeva 7-6(7), 6-3 in the quarters. Now with 12 top-10 wins lifetime and a second tournament featuring three such upsets—after Stuttgart in 2024—Kostyuk carries the weight of expectation into Sunday.
Firing on all cylinders 🙂↕️@marta_kostyuk | #BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/XfbmwC1O4D
— wta (@WTA) January 10, 2026
Sabalenka powers past Muchova
Earlier, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka ended a three-match skid against Karolina Muchova, prevailing 6-3, 6-4 in the day’s opener. She unleashed nine aces and saved every one of the four break points Muchova earned, her heavy topspin serve kicking high off the hard courts to set up aggressive forehands. Muchova’s underspin slices disrupted the early rhythm, but Sabalenka stepped inside the baseline, taking balls on the rise to redirect pace and seize control.
The Belarusian hadn’t beaten the Czech since Zhuhai in 2019, dropping their next three including a three-set heartbreaker in the 2023 Roland Garros semifinals. Two of those losses came on clay in 2025, where Muchova’s variety thrived, but Brisbane’s quicker surface tilted the balance. Sabalenka’s adjustments—varying her one–two patterns and staying low on returns—blunted the threat, paving her path to a 22nd career title chase.
The final is calling ☎️@SabalenkaA | #BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/USklCJuO9R
— wta (@WTA) January 10, 2026
Hard-court history meets resolve
Sabalenka holds a perfect 4-0 edge over Kostyuk, all in straight sets with three on clay including two last year. Yet Brisbane’s outdoor hard courts shift dynamics, favoring Kostyuk’s flat trajectories and footwork against the top seed’s raw power. The Ukrainian, eyeing her second title since Austin in 2023, mixes underspin approaches with down-the-line winners to extend rallies and probe weaknesses.
Crowd energy pulses through the arena, a post-holiday hum building toward Australian Open previews. Kostyuk’s mental unburdening this week contrasts Sabalenka’s title defense poise, promising a final where precision clashes with thunder. Whoever navigates the tempo best gains early 2026 momentum, the winner’s game sharpened for the majors ahead.
