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Rybakina dominates Sabalenka in Brisbane, Dimitrov ends title drought with victory over Rune
Before defending her Australian Open title, Elena Rybakina (24) gave Aryna Sabalenka (25) a harsh reality check by winning the Brisbane International final 6-0, 6-3. The men’s final that followed was significantly closer, with former world number three Grigor Dimitrov (32) defeating Holger Rune (20) 7-6, 6-4 to win his first ATP title in over six years. 24hscore
World number two and top seed Sabalenka, on a 15-match winning streak in Australia, was thoroughly outplayed by the former Wimbledon champion at Pat Rafter Arena.
Rybakina secured the first set in 24 minutes with three breaks of serve, as Sabalenka, expressing disbelief, made 12 unforced errors. The Kazakh broke Sabalenka again in the second set and sealed her sixth career title with another wide forehand from the Belarussian.
“I want to congratulate Aryna on a great week and a great season last year, and hopefully, we will meet again in Melbourne,” said the Moscow-born world number four in the on-court presentation ceremony. “Despite the score, it’s always tough to play you. We push each other, which is great, and we improve in this way, so I hope that continues.”
While Sabalenka won the match that mattered most to earn her first Grand Slam championship at Melbourne Park, the two split their four matches last year with two victories apiece.
“To be honest, I’m not sure where to begin,” Sabalenka said. “Elena, I’m not sure where to begin. I appreciate the three games we played; at least it appeared like a fight.
“A few remarks for my team: you didn’t do well today. We’re all to blame for the 6-0, 6-3 loss, ladies,” she teased. “Hopefully, we’ll improve at the Australia Open.”
Dimitrov’s seasoned expertise and strategic play prevailed over Rune’s youthful vigor in the men’s final, an enthralling match featuring a wealth of top-notch tennis that captivated the audience for over two hours.
The Bulgarian, once likened to Roger Federer for his style of play, secured a closely contested first set in the tiebreak. However, despite being the eighth-ranked player globally, Rune displayed unwavering determination.
The Danish player, adept at finding aces to navigate challenging situations, thwarted a break in a lengthy 17-minute game early in the second set. He remarkably saved three championship points, holding firm at 4-5.
Dimitrov ultimately sealed victory by serving out to love, marking his ninth career title and the first since his triumph at the ATP Tour Finals in London in November 2017. A gracefully executed backhand at the net secured the win.
“It’s been a while since I held one of these,” expressed the emotional Dimitrov upon receiving the trophy for the second time, harking back to his 2017 Brisbane victory. “I’m fairly tired, and I’ll take a few days off, but I’m really happy to be in Australia. I’ll keep on going, and yeah, onto the next one.”
