MATCH REPORT | 2024 Brisbane International: Aryna SABALENKA exhibits top form, dispatching Lucia BRONZETTI in straight-sets

World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka took less than an hour to defeat Lucia Bronzetti (No. 52) by 6-3, 6-0, securing her spot in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Brisbane International. The Belarusian tennis player played her first official match since her semifinal loss at the WTA Finals in November 2023 against Iga Swiatek.

Sabalenka advanced directly from the first round with a bye as the top seed. Her opponent, Bronzetti, had shown a strong performance in the opening round against the world No. 78 Ashlyn Krueger, defeating her 6-4, 7-5. However, she couldn't replicate that success in her first-ever encounter against Sabalenka.

The beginning of the first set was evenly matched, with Bronzetti having the first break point in the initial game of the match. However, Sabalenka saved it, marking the only opportunity she gave to her opponent. The Belarusian was leading 3-2 when she capitalized on her first break chance, taking the lead in the match. She then closed the set 6-3 in her favor on her serve.

Sabalenka accelerated in the second set, capitalizing on Bronzetti's inconsistency in serving, with only a 43% first serve rate and winning 33% of them. Additionally, Bronzetti failed to win any of the 8 points played with her second serve. Sabalenka did not concede any games and finished the match with a convincing 6-3, 6-0 victory, showcasing an impressive level to start the 2024 season.

Sabalenka faces the challenging task of defending 2500 points in January alone. Last year, she began the season with a 13-match winning streak, securing the WTA 500 Adelaide International title and her first Grand Slam at the Australian Open.

Currently, the Belarusian has no chance of reclaiming the No. 1 spot until after the Aussie Open. If she fails to defend her January titles, there's a risk of a decline in her ranking. In the third round of Brisbane, Sabalenka awaits the winner between the 15th seed Lin Zhu and former Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins.