Aryna Sabalenka opened her season by winning the Adelaide International title without dropping a set during the whole tournament. Sabalenka beat Czech qualifier Linda Noskova 6-3 7-6 (7-4) in 1 hour and 43 minutes.
Sabalenka has won her first title since she triumphed at the Madrid Mutua Open in May 2021. The Belarusian player lost all of three WTA Tour finals in 2022, but she qualified for the WTA Finals in Fort Worth, where she finished runner-up to Caroline Garcia in the championships match last November. She also reached the semifinals at the US Open, where she was defeated by Iga Swiatek.
Sabalenka has won a tournament in the opening week for the third time in her career after clinching titles in Shenzhen in 2019 and Abu Dhabi 2021.
World number 102 Noskova became the youngest player to reach the final at a WTA 500 tournament since Caroline Wozniacki won the New Haven title in 2008.
“I think I am a different player right now. Maybe I am a little bit smarter, a little bit calmer on court. Just a little bit of everything changed”, said Sabalenka.
Earlier this week Noskova scored her first two top 10 matches against Daria Kasatkina and two-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur and will climb into the top 60 next week.
Sabalenka fired 12 aces and fended off all three break points she faced.
Both players saved early break points before Sabalenka earned the first break to take a 4-2 lead with a backhand. The Belarusian player dropped only one more point on her serve to win the first set 6-3.
Noskova was just two points away from winning the second set after hitting a return winner for deuce at 5-4. The second set went into a tie-break. Sabalenka raced out to a 5-1 lead in the tie-break after Noskova made two early double faults.
Sabalenka earned three championship match at 6-3 with a passing shot winner and sealed the win on her second chance with her serve.
