Marta Kostyuk continued her blistering form at the Brisbane International on Saturday, storming into the final with a commanding 6-0, 6-3 victory over No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula in the semifinals.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The 16th-seeded Ukrainian has been one of the standout performers of the tournament, having already eliminated second seed Amanda Anisimova and two-time WTA 1000 champion Mirra Andreeva in earlier rounds. She carried that momentum seamlessly into the semifinal, producing a ruthless opening stretch that left Pegula with little room to respond.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Kostyuk raced through the opening set without dropping a game and extended her dominance into the second, winning the first three games to surge ahead 6-0, 3-0. Pegula finally halted the run in the fourth game of the second set, but any hopes of a comeback were short-lived. The American failed to convert a break-point opportunity in the following game and did not earn another chance for the remainder of the match as Kostyuk closed out the contest in straight sets.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Ukrainian’s efficiency was reflected in the numbers. She struck four aces, converted four of her eight break-point chances, and successfully defended both break points she faced. The win marked only her second victory over Pegula in six meetings and capped a run that has seen her defeat three top-10 opponents during the week.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Standing between Kostyuk and a maiden Brisbane title is world No. 1 and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, who earlier defeated Karolina Muchova 6-3, 6-4 to reach her third consecutive final at the tournament. Sabalenka has not dropped a set this week and will be chasing a second straight Brisbane crown.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The final will be Kostyuk’s first at the Brisbane International, a notable step forward for the 23-year-old, who had previously exited the tournament twice in the second round. It will also mark her first final appearance since Stuttgart in 2024 and offers her a chance to claim her first title since Austin in 2023.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Standing between Kostyuk and a maiden Brisbane title is world No. 1 and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, who earlier defeated Karolina Muchova 6-3, 6-4 to reach her third consecutive final at the tournament. Sabalenka has not dropped a set this week and will be chasing a second straight Brisbane crown.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
“I started unbelievably and, you know, we’re all human beings, so I was like, it’s going to end at some point today – maybe not today, but I’m very happy with how I stayed until the end of the match,” Kostyuk said after the game.<\/p>\r\n\r\n