BRISBANE, Australia: World number one Aryna Sabalenka brushed aside Russian teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva to storm into the final of the Brisbane International on Saturday, as men's defending champion Grigor Dimitrov retired with soreness.
Sabalenka broke Andreeva once in the first set and twice in the second to win 6-3, 6-2 in an ominous display just over a week before she launches her Australian Open defence.
Sabalenka, runner-up in Brisbane in 2024, has won the last two Australian Opens and the way she absorbed the pressure from Andreeva in the first set, then turned the screws in the second, showed why she is considered a strong chance to make it three in a row this year.
"I definitely think that I have improved a lot mentally, physically and skills as well," the Belarusian said.
"I think every year I'm getting a little bit better."
Sabalenka now plays Russian qualifier Polina Kudermetova, who continued her fairytale week when she beat Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina 6-4, 6-3.
In the men's draw, Dimitrov retired from his semi-final with a painful hip.
Unseeded Czech player Jiri Lehecka was leading 6-4, 4-4 when the Bulgarian left the court with the physiotherapist for a medical timeout.
Dimitrov, ranked 10 in the world, returned but played one point before retiring.
Lehecka will play giant American Reilly Opelka, who has one of the biggest serves in the game.
It will be the 23-year-old Lehecka's fourth final on the ATP Tour and he will be aiming to add the Brisbane title to his Adelaide win last January.
"I will need to be focused 100 per cent all the time," Lehecka said about facing Opelka's huge serve in the final.
"I will need to focus on every point, every chance, because the chance can be gone in a very small moment."
Opelka, who was ranked 17 in the world before being forced out of the game for almost two years with wrist and hip injuries, managed to outserve rising French star Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
He broke the Frenchman in the first set then was able to take the tie-break to win 6-3, 7-6 (7/4).
"It's great to be in another final — I didn't think I'd be playing in one at all," Opelka said.
"But once I was out of pain I had confidence that I could make it back." — AFP
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