Medvedev, Sabalenka clinch Brisbane titles

World No.13 Daniil Medvedev announced himself as a genuine Australian Open contender with a grinding 6-2 7-6(1) victory over Brandon Nakashima to clinch the Brisbane International title.
The Russian joined women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka in saluting as the tournament top seed on Sunday night, capping a brilliant week in Brisbane that saw him drop just one set en-route to a 22nd career ATP title.
Incredibly it was also the 22nd unique title in Medvedev’s trophy cabinet – he has never repeated a winning performance at the same event throughout his hugely successful career, a stat he was well aware of when asked after the match.
A finalist in Brisbane seven years earlier where he lost to Kei Nishikori in three sets, Medvedev made amends in his do-over after surviving a late Nakashima fight back to begin the Australian summer swing in perfect fashion.
Last year he endured a horror run at grand slams, losing a five-set epic against unheralded American Learner Tien in the second round at Melbourne Park while being bundled out in the first round at Wimbledon, Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows.
Aryna Sabalenka has capped off the perfect preparation for a run at a fourth consecutive Australian Open final by defending her Brisbane International title with a straight sets 6-4 6-3 win over Marta Kostyuk.
But she’s already sent a warning to rivals that her best is yet to come in Australia.
Sabalenka, who kissed both biceps after converting match point – in a nod to her display of power – notched her second Brisbane title in a dominant display.
And she’s hoping the silverware could come with some more bling, calling out boyfriend Georgios Frangulis – “hopefully soon I’ll call you something else right” – in front of an adoring Pat Rafter Arena crowd.
Sabalenka, who kissed both biceps after converting match point – in a possible pointed response to Kostyuk’s comments about the “higher level of testosterone” of rivals including the Belrusian – notched her second Brisbane title in a dominant display.
The Ukrainian had been the tournament’s giant-killer, beating three top-10 rivals in succession, including a semi-final rout of world no.6 Jessica Pegula in under an hour.
But she faced a different challenge against world no.1 Sabalenka, who has dominated the Australian summer for the past four years.
In her seventh consecutive final in Australia – a run that had included titles in Adelaide, Brisbane and a pair of Australian Open trophies – Sabalenka dominated play despite losing her serve in a tight first set that looked as though it would go to a breaker.
But she believes she can be better by the time the Open starts in a week.
There was no post-match handshake between the pair but nor was there the controversy that dogged Kostyuk when she brushed Sabalenka, who had lingered at the net knowing there would be no acknowledgement given the war in Ukraine.
In fact, Sabalenka started her on-court speech acknowledging Kostyuk and her efforts in Brisbane this week, hoping the pair would meet in more finals this season.
Kostyuk did not name Sabalenka, thanking instead “all of the opponents I’ve played this week”.
The war was on the mind of Kostyuk though, who paused to “say a few words” about her homeland.