The first tour disaster of 2026 has occurred, with Sabalenka turning into a breakfast delivery person, finishing her match in just 47 minutes.

The first major upset of the 2026 season happened! Despite being showcased solely by the world’s top-ranked Sabalenka, the result caught many off guard.

Before the match between the Belarusian and Spain’s Buksha, fans and analysts expected this key battle to be fiercely contested.

The two met last year in the fourth round of the US Open, where Buksha, possibly facing Sabalenka for the first time and unfamiliar with her style, was soundly defeated 1-6, 4-6.

Just a few months later, in the second round of Brisbane at the start of the new season, fans and online viewers believed this rematch would differ from their US Open encounter. Although Buksha was humiliated by Sabalenka’s dominance, this quick chance for revenge meant that even if the Spanish player couldn’t topple the world No.1, she still had the ability to challenge her somewhat, as Buksha is a top 50 player, not a novice.

It’s unclear whether Sabalenka anticipated Buksha’s strong desire for revenge and aimed to crush any hopes of a competitive match, but after the Belarusian took an easy 2-0 lead in the first set and Buksha visibly struggled, an uneasy tension spread among the audience.

People initially thought Buksha might be slow to find her rhythm, but once Sabalenka unleashed a relentless assault leaving the Spaniard completely lost, it became clear that Sabalenka had no intention of allowing any trouble, aiming instead for a swift victory.

Seeing Buksha lose the first set without winning a game, her supporters began urging her from afar to recover quickly and fight fiercely in the second set against the Belarusian, hoping she could still showcase her strength; otherwise, the match would end quickly without much excitement.

Surprisingly, Buksha completely collapsed, allowing Sabalenka to dominate by winning eleven consecutive games and delivering a “bagel” finish, ending the match decisively and dismissing Buksha from Brisbane’s singles draw after breakfast.

After the match, some fans bluntly commented that Sabalenka might have shown mercy at critical moments.

Their implication was that the Belarusian probably held back out of respect for Buksha, a fellow Spaniard and close friend of Badosa, knowing the Spaniard had little chance to come back, so conceding a game was no big deal.

Whether Sabalenka deliberately eased up to avoid handing Buksha a double bagel and embarrassing her is unknown, but many were genuinely disappointed by the Spanish player's poor performance.

Though Buksha lost in straight sets at last year’s US Open, she managed to win five games off the hard-court queen, making the scoreline respectable. It’s hard to believe a player ranked 50th in the world could regress so drastically in just a few months, raising questions about what went wrong for Buksha.

Some fans and observers have another theory. At the start of a new season, after winter training, players are generally full of energy and stamina. It’s usually difficult for any top 10 player to deliver a “bagel and breadstick” scoreline against a top 50 opponent. Buksha’s performance was unexpectedly poor, allowing Sabalenka to create the first tour disaster of the new season in Brisbane with ease. Had Sabalenka faced someone ranked outside the top 100, the shock wouldn’t be so great.

Moreover, since Buksha offered no resistance throughout the match and Sabalenka finished in just 47 minutes, the Belarusian earned the nickname “Brisbane Efficiency Queen” from fans and netizens. Some even joked, “It feels like Sabalenka was playing a fixed match; otherwise, how could she only drop one game, and that game seemed intentionally given.”

Sabalenka’s surprising scoreline in her singles debut this season strongly signals her intent to defend her title, sparking another hot topic: with the Belarusian’s terrifying form and power, who can challenge or stop her from successfully defending in Brisbane?(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Starry Sky of the Moon River)