Sabalenka and Rybakina repeated the final of the Australian Open-23

The Soviet tennis school again showed its superiority over the Western system of training tennis players.

Belarusian and Kazakh tennis players reached the finals of the tournament in Brisbane, Australia, a week before the start of the first Grand Slam tournament in Melbourne.

World number two Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka beat compatriot Victoria Azarenka 6-2 6-4 in the semi-finals of the Brisbane tournament on January 6 to set up a tantalizing final against Elena Rybakina in a rematch of their 2023 Australian Open title clash .

Sabalenka made her Grand Slam breakthrough, lifting the trophy at Melbourne Park in 2023, but lost to Rybakina in the Indian Wells final and Beijing quarter-finals. To then beat her before winning the final chapter of their rivalry at the WTA Finals in Mesick.

The Belarusian can improve on her 5-2 win-loss record against Rybakina on Sunday and claim her first trophy of the season ahead of her title defense at the Australian Open, which runs from January 14 to 28 in Melbourne.

World number four Rybakina earlier defeated Czech tennis player Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-2 to reach her 15th career women’s singles final, her fourth tournament final on Australian soil.

“I like playing against Elena. Always high quality… I hope there will be a great battle tomorrow, and I’m really looking forward to it,” Sabalenka said ahead of the final in Brisbane, which will take place on January 7 at 7:00.