Aryna Sabalenka dominates Bucsa at Brisbane International, eyes Australian Open

BRISBANE, Australia (AP)—The Battle of the Sexes exhibition was a bit of fun for Aryna Sabalenka, and a showdown she also regarded as good preparation for the Australian Open.

In her first match since playing Nick Kyrgios in Dubai last month, top-ranked Sabalenka overwhelmed No. 50 Cristina Bucsa, 6-0, 6-1 on Tuesday to start her title defense at the Brisbane International. The aim was to lay down a marker ahead of a potential quarterfinal against Madison Keys, who had a 6-4, 6-3 win over McCartney Kessler.

The exhibition attracted some criticism but also, at least as far as Sabalenka is concerned, a lot of positive attention.

"It was fun. It was a great challenge. I think we brought so many eyes on tennis," she said. "What I'm sad about is that some people got it wrong, the whole idea of that event.

"And I don't care. I feel like there's always going to be people who don't like you, don't respect you, don't support you, but there's so many people who support me, who really cheer me on and who find inspiration in me. I'm focusing on that part."

Sabalenka's focus now is getting back onto a winning roll in Australia. She won back-to-back Australian Open titles in 2023 and '24 and was on a 20-match winning streak at Melbourne Park until a loss in last year's final to Keys.

"Going into (Tuesday's) match, I was just playing my tennis, I was focusing on my game, on things that I was working on," Sabalenka said, adding that the exhibition with Kyrgios helped. "I mean, when you play against the guys, the intensity is completely different, especially when there is Nick who is like drop shotting every other shot, so you move a lot. So there was a great, great fitness for me."

It wasn't so great for the often-injured Kyrgios, the 2022 Wimbledon finalist and former Brisbane International winner who lost 6-3, 6-4 to No. 58 Aleksandar Kovacevic in his first ATP Tour match since March.

He's been restricted to just six matches in the last three years because of knee and wrist surgeries.

The mercurial Australian has been playing exhibitions in an effort to get back into touch and if he doesn't get a wildcard entry for the Australian Open, he's planning on entering qualifying.

For No. 7 Keys, preparation for an attempted Australian Open title defense will go via Brisbane and then Adelaide, where she won last year to kick start her run to a first Grand Slam title.

"Last year was a dream come true," Keys said. "I would obviously love a repeat of last year. That is always the goal."