BRISBANE, Australia (AFP) — World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka warmed up for a tilt at a third Australian Open title in four years in ominous fashion by winning her second successive Brisbane International crown on Sunday.

Sabalenka scored a dominant 6-4, 6-3 win over Marta Kostyuk in just 78 minutes.

"Every day you go out there and prove your level, and I think this week I did it really well," said Sabalenka after a week in which she powered to the title without dropping a set. 

Looking ahead to the Australian Open, which begins next Sunday, Sabalenka said: "The only thing I know is that I'll be there, I'll be fighting."

Salablenka lost in the Melbourne Park final last year to Madison Keys, having been Australian Open champion in 2023 and 2024.

"I'll do my best to go as far as possible," Sabalenka said. 

"And do a little bit better than last year. That's my focus."

Kostyuk, the world No. 26, had enjoyed a spectacular week, beating three top 10 players on the way to the final.

But she had no answer to the power of Sabalenka and the Ukrainian's serve, so reliable in the early rounds, also went off the boil.

Sabalenka was rarely troubled on her own delivery and faced only three break points.

There has been animosity between the two players in the past. 

Like many Ukraine players, Kostyuk refuses to shake hands with Russians or Belarusians because of the war in her homeland.

There was no handshake at the end of the Brisbane final and in her concession speech, Kostyuk brought up the situation in Ukraine.

"I play every day with a pain in my heart and there are thousands of people who are without light and warm water right now," she said.

"It's minus 20 degrees outside and it's very painful to live this reality every day."

Also emerging victorious ahead of the Australian Open was Elena Svitolina, who powered to a straight-sets victory over China's Wang Xinyu in the Auckland Classic final on Sunday.

Ukraine's Svitolina won 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) for a 19th career title in a battle between two baseline specialists which featured only one service break.

The world No. 13 reached the quarter-finals at Melbourne a year ago, the third time she had made the Australian Open last eight.

Svitolina, 31, was playing her first tournament in four months after choosing to finish the 2025 season early for mental health reasons.

"It definitely feels amazing to win another title and especially after not a very pleasant end of year for me," Svitolina said.

"That break really helped me to regroup and come back with new energy."

The former world No. 3 has a remarkable record in WTA finals, having won 19 times in her 23 appearances.

It was just the second time for the 24-year-old seventh seed Wang had reached a final.

The 57th-ranked player is recovering from injury disruptions over the last two years, having qualified her maiden final on grass in Berlin last year.