Overview
- Aryna Sabalenka beat Madison Keys 6-3, 6-3 on Friday, breaking serve in five straight games to move into the Brisbane International semifinals.
- She will face Karolina Muchova next after the No. 11 seed upset Elena Rybakina; Muchova leads their head-to-head 3-1.
- Sabalenka called the tour schedule “crazy” and said she will forgo select events to protect her health even if it results in fines or point losses.
- She said last season’s rules penalized her for skipping some WTA 500 tournaments, and she intends to manage her 2026 workload more tightly.
- Despite her critique, she views Brisbane’s deep field as ideal preparation for the Australian Open, which begins January 18 in Melbourne.