Brisbane, Jan 6 (IANS): In a riveting day of tennis Elena Rybakina showcased her prowess, as she stormed into the final of Brisbane International after a commanding 6-3, 6-2 victory against Czech teen Linda Noskova at Pat Rafter Arena here on Saturday.
The Wimbledon 2022 champion secured her spot in the final setting up a potential clash against Aryna Sabalenka.
The world No.4, who fired 26 winners and committed only 10 unforced errors in a 63-minute encounter, has been on an impressive march through the draw, losing a mere 12 games in four matches this week.
Rybakina, from Kazakhstan, expressed her delight, saying, "It’s a really nice atmosphere, and I’m enjoying my time here in Brisbane. It’s an amazing start to the year for me."
This win propels the 24-year-old into her 15th career WTA singles final and fourth in Australia, setting the stage for a potential showdown with Aryna Sabalenka, who faces two-time Brisbane International champion Victoria Azarenka in the other semifinal.
Rybakina remains focused on the challenge ahead, stating, "I’ll watch a bit of their match and try to do my best tomorrow. Hopefully, it’s going to be a great battle." If Sabalenka advances, it could mark the first top-two seeds meeting in a Brisbane International women’s singles final since 2015.
In the men's singles draw, top-seeded Holger Rune from Denmark continues to impress, securing a 6-4, 7-6(0) victory against Roman Safiullin. Rune is now only one win away from claiming the ATP 250 title and becomes the fourth top-seeded man to reach the singles final in the tournament's history, joining the ranks of Roger Federer, Andy Murray, and Robin Soderling.
Rune, who had wins over Max Purcell, Alexander Shevchenko, and James Duckworth earlier in the week, expressed satisfaction with his performance, saying, "It’s been a great week so far. Playing some good matches against some great players. Yeah, I’m excited for tomorrow and then Melbourne."
Rune's final opponent will be decided in the clash between second seed Grigor Dimitrov and Australian Jordan Thompson later on Saturday night.