Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka has advanced to the Brisbane International final for the third year in a row after a 6-3, 6-4 win Saturday over Karolina Muchova.
Sabalenka clinched the semifinal at Pat Rafter Arena on her fourth match point to advance to Sunday's final against Marta Kostyuk, who beat fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula 6-0, 6-3.
It was Kostyuk's third win in a row over a top-10 opponent. She came into the match with only one win in five previous matches against the American.
On Friday, in a rematch of last year's Australian Open final, Sabalenka broke Madison Keys in five straight service games on the way to a 6-3, 6-3 win. Last year at Melbourne Park, Keys beat Sabalenka for her first Grand Slam singles title.
The Brisbane International is a tuneup event for this year's Australian Open, which begins Jan. 18.
Although three match points slipped away amid a late flurry of pressure from the Czech player, Sabalenka sealed victory when a Muchova shot sailed long.
“I always try to stay in the present,” Sabalenka said. “I worked really hard and each match against her is just another opportunity to get the win and I’m super happy that today was the day when I was able to get the win. She is such a great player and I always enjoy battles against her.”
With 32 winners and all four break points saved, Sabalenka will look to carry that momentum into her 13th WTA 500-level final on Sunday.
In the men's tournament at Brisbane, Brandon Nakashima beat Aleksandar Kovacevic 7-6 (4), 6-4 in an all-American semifinal. Nakashima will play the winner of the later semifinal between top-seeded Daniil Medvedev and American Alex Michelsen in Sunday's final.
It will be Nakashima's first ATP Tour final in four years. The 24-year-old American has not lost a set this week.
“We’re really good friends,” Nakashmia said of Kovacevic. “We have been practicing a lot the last month or so and it’s great to see him playing well at these kind of tournaments. It was a super tough match, right from the beginning.”
