Sabalenka Starts New Season with a Sweep: Dominates for 48 Minutes on Court, Calmly Addresses Controversies Off Court

Under Brisbane’s blazing sun, Belarusian star Sabalenka kicked off the 2026 season with an almost flawless victory. In the second round of the WTA500 Brisbane tournament, the top seed crushed Bouksha in just 48 minutes with a commanding 6-0, 6-1 scoreline, at one point winning 11 consecutive games and showcasing her fiery form.

However, even more attention was drawn to Sabalenka’s post-match response to the “gender battle” controversy.

At the end of last year, she participated in a unique exhibition match against Australian tennis star Kyrgios. This event, designed to attract greater attention and highlight tennis’s diverse appeal, unexpectedly sparked controversy in some circles.

“I mean, guys, unfortunately some people completely misunderstood the whole concept of that event,” Sabalenka said candidly in a post-match interview. “I don’t care. You know, I think there will always be people who don’t like you, don’t respect you, or don’t support you.”

Facing criticism, her stance was clear and resolute: “But there are so many people who support me sincerely, cheer for me, and find inspiration in me. That’s where my focus is.”

The exhibition match was originally just a light-hearted experiment. “It was fun. It was a huge challenge,” Sabalenka explained. “I think we brought a lot of attention to tennis. It wasn’t about proving anything to anyone.”

In her view, the event’s significance went beyond the match itself: “It was about showing that tennis can become very big, that we can attract massive attention to exhibitions, which usually doesn’t happen. We just proved that, and had fun doing it.”

From controversy to her season opener, Sabalenka demonstrated the mental toughness of a top athlete: “Going into this match, I just played my tennis. I focused on my game, on what I’ve been working on. That’s it.”

This focus was fully evident on Brisbane’s court. Against Bouksha, Sabalenka controlled the pace from the start, with precise serves, aggressive baseline play, and agile footwork, perfectly translating her off-season training into on-court dominance.

The first win of the new season means a lot to any player. For Sabalenka, it was not only a boost in points and confidence but also the strongest reply to her critics. While some still talk about the off-court exhibition, she has already proven her concentration and strength through her performance on court.

Tennis has long sought ways to expand its influence; gender battles, exhibition matches, and crossover challenges are some of these efforts. Sabalenka’s collaboration with Kyrgios was essentially an innovative experiment aimed at reaching a wider audience. As she said, they proved “tennis can become very big.”

Perhaps this is the multifaceted challenge contemporary top athletes face: they are not only competitors but also ambassadors for their sport; they must handle opponents on court as well as various voices off it.

Sabalenka’s choice is clear—focus on supporters and the sport itself. This straightforward philosophy might be one reason she maintains her elite status in the fiercely competitive women’s tennis circuit.

With the new season underway, Sabalenka’s strong start in Brisbane sends a clear message: she is ready to face all challenges in 2026. Neither rivals on court nor discussions off it will distract her from pursuing the highest honors.

In the tennis world, it is always the performance on court that speaks loudest. A 48-minute sweep is the simplest and most powerful response to all questions. Sabalenka is writing her new season’s declaration with her racket, and this is just the beginning.(Source: Tennis Home Author: Mei)