World number one Aryna Sabalenka opened her 2026 season in emphatic fashion with a dominant win at the Brisbane International on Tuesday, while Nick Kyrgios suffered a defeat in his return to singles competition after nearly a year on the sidelines.
Sabalenka continued her build-up to the Australian Open by dismantling Cristina Bucsa 6-0, 6-1 in just 47 minutes to advance to the third round. The Belarusian, who lost to Kyrgios in straight sets during a Dubai exhibition match last week, said her serve was the key to the quickest win of her career.
She praised her performance, highlighting the effectiveness of her serve and her willingness to mix in serve-and-volley tactics, adding that she was delighted to be back competing in front of fans.
The defending Brisbane champion will next face either Sorana Cirstea or Jelena Ostapenko as she looks to gain momentum ahead of the Australian Open, scheduled from January 18 to February 1 at Melbourne Park, where she is chasing a third title.
In contrast, Australia’s Kyrgios endured a brief outing in his first singles match since March, losing 6-3, 6-4 to American Aleksandar Kovacevic in 65 minutes. The 30-year-old, who has struggled with injuries, is hoping to secure a wildcard entry into the Australian Open and plans to rebuild his match fitness through doubles play.
Kyrgios is partnering Thanasi Kokkinakis in Brisbane, with the pair already recording a win over Matthew Ebden and Rajeev Ram. They are set to face Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul in the round .
