WTA PREVIEW 2024 Brisbane International with first look at 2023 Australian Open finalists Aryna SABALENKA and Elena RYBAKINA and return of Naomi OSAKA

The tennis trip Down Under towards the 2024 Australian Open begins with the return of the Brisbane International (December 31 – January 7, 2024) to the calendar and for those not involved in United Cup action, it will be the first chance for action before the main event.

Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina reached the final of last year’s Australian Open and both kick off their season as such here. The word as such due to both playing exhibitions as of late with Rybakina involved in the World Tennis League alongside Sabalenka in a short lived stint for the Kazakh. She withdrew due to sickness but has been seen practicing ahead of the tournament. While Sabalenka defeated Ons Jabeur the day after losing the final of WTL in Saudi Arabia. So both come in with match practice.

But one of the main intriguing storylines comes with the return of Naomi Osaka. The former World No.1 is a two-time Australian Open champion and had her last Grand Slam success in the country. She returns after becoming a mother for the first time and will be the potential first opportunity to see the Japanese ace tussle with the top stars again.

It has been a goal of Osaka since she announced her hiatus from the sport due to becoming a mother that she would play the 2024 Australian Open. Lo and behold, she gave birth to her daughter Shai with rapper Cordae in July 2023. She was then seen at the US Open where she confirmed that she would return and play the full tour after playing tournaments sparingly during her final years on court.

That has now been confirmed as she plays the WTA 500 after receiving a wildcard. Interestingly, she has not won back to back games though since her run to the latter stages in Miami in 2022 so she will hope to gain some valuable match practice over the next week and like Angelique Kerber in the United Cup and Rafael Nadal also in Brisbane, it will be a good early gauge as to where their level currently lies.

Some including Barbara Schett believe that Swiatek, Sabalenka and Rybakina will fear playing Osaka, but the time is now to put that into action.

That duo outside of Swiatek are the leading lights though in the sport right now and will both play Brisbane. At times last season, both were very much unplayable and two of the best on the planet. Sabalenka in particular could’ve won multiple majors if not for shock losses to Muchova at the French Open and semi-capitulating against Coco Gauff in New York.

But many thought that she was wrongfully denied of awards for the year she had where she broke the dominance of Iga Swiatek as World No.1 albeit with the Pole regaining it at the WTA Finals.

Rybakina too who after winning Wimbledon became a real force to be reckoned with during 2023 and had it not been for illness at Roland Garros perhaps would’ve won more. She was also dogged by scheduling issues in particular during the US hard court swing and at times has not been the player that she was. But many see a new top three now emerging and both Sabalenka and Rybakina form a big part of that and will be the top names to watch in Brisbane.

It is mainly those of neutral nationality who will play in Brisbane due to not being able to play United Cup. Among those are Liudmila Samsonova, Daria Kasatkina, Victoria Azarenka, Anastasia Potapova as well as Jelena Ostapenko being involved. Sofia Kenin too who showed some superb form in the UAE during World Tennis League like Rybakina, Sabalenka and also Sorana Cirstea will start her season in Brisbane.