Elena Rybakina's Brisbane Triumph; Dimitrov & Rublev Clinch Titles

Elena Rybakina won the Brisbane International final 6-0, 6-3 over Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling precursor to the Australian Open. Aryna, the world No. 2, entered the match on a 15-match winning streak in Australia, but was easily defeated by the tenacious Kazakh, who won her sixth career title. Elena, a former Wimbledon winner, won the opening set in just 24 minutes, breaking Aryna three times.

Despite the overwhelming result, Elena commended Sabalenka on the court and expressed optimism for future meetings. The two women had a challenging 2023 season, splitting their four matches, with Sabalenka claiming her maiden Grand Slam trophy in the decisive match at Melbourne Park.

On the men's side, Grigor Dimitrov won a closely fought final against Danish rising sensation Holger Rune, 7-6(5), 6-4. Grigor, a former world No. 3, won his first ATP victory in more than six years, demonstrating his expertise and court skill. The 32-year-old Bulgarian expressed delight at his eighth career triumph and declared plans to rest for a few days before preparing for future challenges.

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, Russia's Andrey Rublev began his season with a win in the Hong Kong Open, defeating Emil Ruusuvuori in the final 6-4, 6-4. Rublev, who won his 15th Tour-level championship, voiced optimism ahead of the Australian Open, which begins on Sunday and goes until January 28.