Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Banner Left
Banner Right

Confident Rybakina, resurgent Dimitrov win in Brisbane

Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina in action at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane on January 7, 2024. AFP

Elena Rybakina will head to the Australian Open full of confidence after demolishing Aryna Sabalenka in the Brisbane International final Sunday, while Grigor Dimitrov upset Holger Rune to win his first title since 2017.

Rybakina, who will now become world number three, won the first eight games in a row on her way to a 6-0, 6-3 win in just 73 minutes over the Australian Open champion in a repeat of the 2023 Melbourne Park final.

It was her sixth WTA title and comes a week before the first Grand Slam of the year.

“For sure it gives me confidence,” she said about her Australian Open prospects.

“But this week is just the beginning for all the players. I feel like maybe not everyone is in the best form yet.

“I’m playing well now, so hopefully, as I said, I continue.”

The 2022 Wimbledon winner was in irresistible form all week, spending only three hours and 40 minutes on court in her four matches.

The final was expected to be a different challenge — the two players had met seven times previously with all but two of those matches going to three tough sets, including last year’s Australian Open final.

But Rybakina soon put those expectations to bed with a blistering start, racing through the first set in 24 minutes, only dropping three points on serve.

She outshone the Belarusian in all aspects, serving beautifully and hitting her groundstrokes with power and depth.

Rybakina admitted she was surprised at her form after being sick in the lead-up and unable to practise before the tournament because of rain.

“Also the first few days here it was really tough with the jet lag and everything,” she said.

“I’m just pleased with the way I started the tournament because I was not feeling the greatest physically after the illness and everything.”

World number two Sabalenka also had an impressive run to the final, but she appeared out of sorts and made a host of unforced errors.

She finally got on the board when she surprisingly broke Rybakina’s serve at 0-2 in the second set, but dropped her next serve and there was no way back.

‘Great tennis’

Sabalenka saw the humorous side during the presentations, laughingly blaming her own team for the loss.

“Congratulations to my team,” she said. “6-0, 6-3. That’s all your fault guys.

“Of course we should have finished this week differently but I think we showed some great tennis,” she added.

“Hopefully we’ll do better at the Australian Open.”

Bulgaria’s Dimitrov claimed his first title since 2017 with a 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 win over Rune, the world number eight from Denmark.

Dimitrov was once touted as the player most likely to break the stranglehold Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray had at the top of the men’s game.

But after winning four titles in 2017, including Brisbane, he never reached the heights expected of him and Sunday was a welcome return to the winner’s circle.

In a tight contest between two evenly matched players, Dimitrov took the few chances he had to win a tight tiebreak then break Rune at 3-3 in the second set.

He held on to clinch a high quality final, winning the match with a backhand volley.

Dimitrov said he had been forced to change his game over the past year to match the younger players such as Rune.

“I’ve had to find a way to get to those powerful guys differently,” he said.

“I’m playing a little bit differently to how I used to play before so basically I’m trying to find my way around the court against a different generation.”

Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!

Latest News