Aryna Sabalenka officially began her 2026 campaign earlier this week by pairing with good friend Paula Badosa for a first-round doubles win in Brisbane.
Brisbane: Scores | Draws | Order of play
But it was Tuesday at Pat Rafter Arena when the World No. 1 kick-started her singles season, defeating Cristina Bucsa in convincing fashion. Sabalenka rolled past the Spaniard 6-0, 6-1 in just 47 minutes to reach the third round, matching the quickest victory of her career.
“Definitely my serve worked really well,” Sabalenka said after the match. “I mean, I did a couple serve-and-volleys, which is like, ‘Wow,’ so yeah, I’m super happy with the level. I’m happy to be back. I always enjoy playing in front of all you guys. And yeah, that was a great performance from me.”
The defending champion jumped on Bucsa early. After Bucsa saved a break point she faced in the second game, Sabalenka converted her next three chances before closing out a 22-minute opening set.
The second set brought more of the same. Sabalenka peppered winner after winner — 18 in total against just nine unforced errors — to begin her title defense, sealing the match with an ace.
Season-opening magic: Sabalenka’s dominance in season debuts has become a trend. Her win over Bucsa marked her fourth straight victory in opening matches. Extending further, she is 8-1 in her part nine WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes season debuts. It’s also the third consecutive year she has bageled an opponent in her first match of the season.
Her success in early season events typically extends well beyond the opener, too. Sabalenka has reached the final of her first tournament of the year in each of the past three seasons, winning two titles in that span.
What’s next: To make it three titles in four years, Sabalenka will likely have to make it through a bevy of heavy hitters. She’ll face the winner of Sorana Cirstea and Jelena Ostapenko next, and beyond that, potential matchups loom with Madison Keys in the quarterfinals, Elena Rybakina in the semis and Amanda Anisimova in the final.
A meeting with Keys would offer a chance at revenge; the last time they faced off in Australia, Sabalenka had to watch the American hoist the Australian Open trophy.
A final look at 2025: Sabalenka enters the season as World No. 1 for the second straight year, carrying high expectations after holding the top spot wire-to-wire in 2025. The 27-year-old delivered one of the most complete seasons of her career, winning four titles, including the US Open and two WTA 1000 events in Miami and Madrid, and reaching nine finals. She finished runner-up at the Australian Open, French Open and WTA Finals, and made the semifinals at Wimbledon.
Despite the heavy points load she must defend to keep her crown, she begins 2026 with a cushion of more than 2,300 points over World No. 2 Iga Swiatek.
