These two did not let go of each other in 2023 (four confrontations including the final of the Australian Open), they will meet again in the first week of the year in Brisbane. Falling from Victoria Azarenka in two sets (6-2, 6-4), Aryna Sabalenka joined Elena Rybakina in the final. The Belarusian and the Kazakh are respectively seeded n°1 and n°2 in the tournament. Note that the first leads in their confrontations (five victories for two losses).
Neither has lost a set in this tournament. Sabalenka was pushed around a little more than her rival in the semi-finals but that remains very relative. After pocketing the first set, the world No. 2 gave herself a little scare by conceding break points at 4-4 in the second. An alert without consequence since she saved her serve before stealing that of Azarenka a few moments later to put an end to the debates.
Earlier in the day, Rybakina continued her express journey. Between the abandonment of Anastasia Potapova in the quarterfinals against her and her 6-1, 6-0 victory against Élise Mertens, the Kazakh had not spent much time on the court in Brisbane. And in the semi-finals of the tournament, she did not linger against Linda Noskova either. The world No. 4 took a good hour to get rid of the Czech (6-3, 6-2). An appointment is made for Sunday against Sabalenka.
