Brisbane International: Marta Kostyuk books final date with Aryna Sabalenka

Brisbane: Marta Kostyuk continued her blistering form at the Brisbane International on Saturday, storming into the final with a commanding 6-0, 6-3 victory over No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula in the semifinals.

The 16th-seeded Ukrainian has been one of the standout performers of the tournament, having already eliminated second seed Amanda Anisimova and two-time WTA 1000 champion Mirra Andreeva in earlier rounds. She carried that momentum seamlessly into the semifinal, producing a ruthless opening stretch that left Pegula with little room to respond.

Kostyuk raced through the opening set without dropping a game and extended her dominance into the second, winning the first three games to surge ahead 6-0, 3-0. Pegula finally halted the run in the fourth game of the second set, but any hopes of a comeback were short-lived. The American failed to convert a break-point opportunity in the following game and did not earn another chance for the remainder of the match as Kostyuk closed out the contest in straight sets.

The Ukrainian’s efficiency was reflected in the numbers. She struck four aces, converted four of her eight break-point chances, and successfully defended both break points she faced. The win marked only her second victory over Pegula in six meetings and capped a run that has seen her defeat three top-10 opponents during the week.

Standing between Kostyuk and a maiden Brisbane title is world No. 1 and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, who earlier defeated Karolina Muchova 6-3, 6-4 to reach her third consecutive final at the tournament. Sabalenka has not dropped a set this week and will be chasing a second straight Brisbane crown.

The final will be Kostyuk’s first at the Brisbane International, a notable step forward for the 23-year-old, who had previously exited the tournament twice in the second round. It will also mark her first final appearance since Stuttgart in 2024 and offers her a chance to claim her first title since Austin in 2023.

The championship match will be the fifth meeting between Kostyuk and Sabalenka, with the Belarusian holding a dominant 4-0 head-to-head record, all wins coming in straight sets. Ranked world No. 26, Kostyuk will be aiming to overturn that history; a victory would secure her second WTA title. IANS

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