Last year’s Australian Open finalists Madison Keys and Aryna Sabalenka both started their 2026 campaigns in the best possible way with victories at the Brisbane International.
Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion, recorded a 6-4, 6-3 victory over McCarthy Kessler in the second round at Pat Rafter Arena.
Meanwhile, Sabalenka established a superb marker with a brutal 6-0, 6-1 demolition of Cristina Bucșa in the very next match.
“It’s always a little nerve-wracking to play your first game of the year,” Keys said on the court after the victory.
“I felt like I was trying to shake off a little rust, but overall I’m really happy with how the day went.”
Making predictions based on just two sets of tennis is rarely advised, but Keys looked incredibly skilled at times in his victory.
And despite a disappointing end to the 2025 season that saw her lose eight of her 17 matches since a quarter-final appearance at Roland Garros, including a first-round exit at the US Open, Keys looks to be a threat at Melbourne Park.
The world number seven came out of the blocks strongly, hitting clean, clear winners with professional intensity from behind the baseline.
Her heavy groundstrokes earned her an early break, but the first set proved far from straightforward.
A combination of Keys’ ring rustiness and Kessler’s inventive, engaging tennis turned the contest into a serious battle.
McCartney Kessler played a valiant all-court game, but couldn’t stay with Madison Keys. (Getty Images: Albert Pérez)
Keys had never faced fellow American Kessler, world number 31, in a WTA Tour match.
But the 26-year-old Georgian would have made a lasting impression with an impressive response after being broken early.
“She’s a great competitor, so I knew it was going to be a great match,” Keys said.
The 26-year-old attacked with her hard-hitting two-handed backhand from the baseline and tested Keys by scrambling in wet conditions.
Keys was broken in the seventh game and had to avoid two break points in the ninth as Kessler fought back.
But every time Kessler’s serve was in the slot, Keys crushed it for a dominant winner and eventually converted a fifth break point to win the first set.
Madison Keys said she worked to start her points stronger during the offseason. (Getty Images: Albert Pérez)
“I feel like (Brisbane is) one of those places where you want to put your foot on the gas and try to dictate, because it’s really difficult to get back to points here if you’re on defense,” Keys said.
“I felt like at the end of the year I wasn’t starting points the way I wanted to…so I really tried to change my mentality and make sure I was the one that’s on my front foot and dictating the points, and I think a lot of that comes from the first two balls.”
The second set started in a similar vein to the first, as Keys was once again tested by Kessler’s moves on the court.
Both women earned early break points that neither could convert, before Keys’ power gave it away, breaking Kessler twice before securing a comfortable victory in one hour and 26 minutes.
“It’s amazing to come back to Australia,” said Keys, who also won the Adelaide International last season.
“Obviously last year was a dream come true and something I will remember as one of the highlights of my career.
“I would obviously like to repeat what last year did, but that’s a lot to ask if you want to leave the country undefeated.
“That’s still the goal but so far so good.”
Sabalenka destroys world number 50 in superb show
Aryna Sabalenka treated her second round opponent with complete contempt. (Getty Images: Albert Pérez)
So far so good for Keys, but the form of the woman she denied a hat-trick of victories at Melbourne Park last year, world number one Sabalenka, appears a serious obstacle to Keys’ back-to-back recovery.
Sabalenka’s 48-minute destruction of 50th-ranked Romanian Cristina Bucșa was as impressive to witness as it was undoubtedly heartbreaking in the end.
The slight-built Romanian was totally blown away, fading in front of Sabalenka’s genius.
If the match had taken place in the school playground, you would have wanted a teacher to stop it to avoid allegations of bullying.
But that wasn’t the case.
It was world number one versus world number 50 – hardly a mismatch on paper but nonetheless thrown out in a way that seemed desperately worrying to the rest of the field.
“I didn’t set out to warn anyone for the season,” Sabalenka said with a smile.
“I was just trying to show my level. I did it well, and if anyone got scared because of that, I’ll be happy to see the players give up, but unfortunately that won’t happen.
“But (I’m) just super happy with the level I was able to show today.”
Few players can match Sabalenka’s athleticism and power, but her competitiveness is also on another level.
Bucșa only won 22 points in the entire match, a handful due to Sabalenka’s own errors.
But these unforced errors were all treated as an almost personal affront by Sabalenka, furious at giving her opponent a taste of success against her.
“I’ve been on tour for quite a while and I’m a pretty experienced player, and I’ve seen a lot of things happen,” Sabalenka said of how she maintained her intensity even during such a victory.
“Even if you lead easily and lose momentum, give away a few easy shots (outside), things can change.
“That’s why, over the years, I’ve learned to stay focused, ignore the score and just focus on the things I need to do on the field.
“Being frustrated…I think that’s a good mentality to have, but it can also work against you if you go too hard and ignore that the score is pretty good for you.
“So you can relax sometimes. But if you can balance those two things, I think that’s a good mentality to have.”
Seventh-seeded Keys and top-seeded Sabalenka are expected to meet in the quarterfinals in Brisbane if they both win their next matches.
