Brisbane International WTA Round-up: Amanda Anisimova continues imperious form as Jessica Pegula squeezes through tight matchup

Amanda Anisimova has shown no rust after winning her first match of 2026, defeating Kimberly Birrell 6-1, 6-3 one of two top Americans to win in the Brisbane International.

The two-time Grand Slam finalist goes into the current campaign as the world number three, a new career high ranking. Now the new American number one, she is looking to cement this with a positive showing in Australia as she does not have many ranking points to defend.

The first set was completely dominated by the two-time WTA 1000 winner. She went 3-0 ahead before missing a chance to take a second break as the Aussie got a first game on the bard. Anisimova lost just two points in the final three games to move her closer to the next round. She began the second set with a break, but it was not going to be as straightforward. Birrell broke back to make it 3-3, but this was extinguished as Anisimova dented the Aussie fans hopes by re-taking her advantage. She would win the next two games to seal her spot in the next round.

Before this, Jessica Pegula had got the job done. She has had a knack of making matches very tough for herself in recent time, with a lot of them going to three sets. This pattern showed itself once more as she fended off Anna Kalinskaya 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.

It was a comfortable first set showing from the American, breaking on her fourth opportunity before leaving it late to clinch another one and seal up the set. The roles would be reversed in the sext set. It was the Russian who raced into a hefty advantage, sailing into a 5-1 lead before holding on her serve to force a decider. After breaks were traded at the start, Kalinskaya looked like she had the upper hand. However, Pegula showed off her trademark fighting style as he got on level terms before producing some quality to win a fourth game in a row to send her through to the last-16.

Pegula could have had a tricky opponent in the form of Leylah Fernandez, but the Canadian failed to progress against Dayana Yastremska, resoundingly defeated 6-1, 6-2. The Ukrainian was not letting Fernandez get anything. Even in the second set when Fernandez clinched a brace of games, she had to survive five break points in total. Yastremska won four games on the bounce to seal a big victory against an opponent looking to continue from the positive end of 2025.

Clara Tauson was also someone looking to continue her rise up the rankings. This will not come in Brisbane after she suffered a surprise defeat against Belarusian qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-2, 6-3. Sasnovich had five set points before eventually clinching the first set before winning the final four games of the match in another disappointing result for Tauson.

No such issues for Mirra Andreeva, who disposed of Olivia Gadecki 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, while fellow Russian Liudmila Samsonova fended off 17-year-old Aussie talent Emerson Jones 6-4, 6-1. Linda Noskova and Magdalena Frech played out a thriller, but the talented Czech was able to prevail 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4. Another Ukrainian will advance with Marta Kostyuk winning over Yulia Putinseva 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-0.