Aryna Sabalenka moved one step closer to another title in Brisbane. She beat Karolina Muchova in straight sets on Saturday. The win sent her into her third straight final at the Brisbane International.
Sabalenka faced a tough test against the Czech player. Muchova had won their last three meetings. She was also one of the few players with a winning record against the world number one. But this time, Sabalenka stayed in control.
She broke serve once in each set. She closed the match 6-3, 6-4 in 89 minutes. Her power and focus made the difference throughout the match.
After the win, Sabalenka said she had struggled against Muchova before. She said she was happy to stay focused from the start. She added that she played strong tennis and managed to win in straight sets.
The 27-year-old said her level is improving with every match in Brisbane. She is yet to drop a set in the tournament. She also said the strong field made it perfect preparation for the Australian Open, which begins on January 18.
Sabalenka is chasing a third Australian Open title in four years. She said she feels she is playing better now than in her first match of the week. She added that facing top players helps her build momentum before Melbourne.
The defending champion will now play in Sunday’s final. Her opponent will be either fourth seed Jessica Pegula or Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk.
