Aryna Sabalenka will take on Elena Rybakina in the 2024 Brisbane International final, but for her, it's all about the Australian Open and not this match specifically.
At first glance, you might think that it's a weird way of thinking about it, but it kind of makes sense. She is out for the big trophies, and while this is a WTA final, it's not the most important event, which she's going to play in the coming weeks.
Still, a final is a final, and of course, Sabalenka, like any other competitor, will want to win the event, but the most important part of this week was playing and winning matches, which means finding the rhythm before Melbourne.
After all, it's a preparation for the Australian Open, which is the event that counts for many top players. Still, the final will be played against Rybakina, and it's a rivalry, and it's a trophy, so you should definitely expect the Belarusian to take it seriously.
She lost the last time she played Rybakina, so you can bet she won't like to do it again.
"I would say that every tournament is separated event. Like, doesn't matter who wins that match, it's not a guarantee that you're going to win that match in the next tournament. Every tournament, it's a new story. It's just a preparation before the big tournament."
As the defending champion, Sabalenka has added pressure this year because it's the first time she's the defending champion, and that has to be a bit daunting. The two have similar strengths, as the Kazakhstani player also possesses a strong serve, and that's something the world no. 2 talked about ahead of the match.
"Yeah, I mean, that's definitely not easy to deal with such an aggressive serve. It's definitely putting you under so much pressure. But I'm just trying to use all the opportunities I have on her serve and focus on my serve, make sure that I stay controlled and focused on my serve and see what happens on her serve. But, yeah, it's definitely not easy to play against somebody who is serving big."
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