Brisbane International: Aryna Sabalenka defeats Marta Kostyuk to win third title

“First of all, I would just like to congratulate Marta and her team on a fantastic start to the season [Kostyuk bowed in response]Sabalenka, who did not lose a set in five matches against the Ukrainian player, said.

“I wish you all the best this season, it looks like it will be great and I hope we meet again in the finals.”

Kostyuk (23 years old) succeeded in controlling herself after canceling an early break of serve, but she lost her serve again in the tenth game, as Sabalenka strengthened her strength to win the first set.

The 16th seed was aiming to win only her second singles title in her first final in two years and her fourth overall, but her form collapsed under the weight of Sabalenka’s blows.

One break of serve at the start of the second set was enough for Sabalenka to overcome the world number 26 as Kostyuk fired home a shot to earn her first point of the tournament.

Kostyuk struggled to hold back tears as she spoke to a Brisbane crowd about conditions back home in Ukraine, where officials are struggling to repair heating and water supply systems damaged by Russian bombing.

“I want to say a few words about Ukraine,” she said. “I play every day and feel pain in my heart. There are thousands of people living without warm and light water right now. The temperature outside is 20 degrees below zero, so it is very painful to live this reality every day.

“It’s very hot in Brisbane, so it’s hard to imagine, you know, but my sister is sleeping under three blankets because it’s so cold at home.”

Sabalenka’s 22nd WTA title is her first since winning her fourth Grand Slam title at the US Open last September.

Earlier, the top two seeds in Britain, Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool, lost the men’s doubles final 6-3, 3-6, 10-8 to third-seeded Portuguese Francisco Cabral and Austrian Lucas Midler.