Aryna Sabalenka failed the three-peat at the 2025 Australian Open, but the Belarusian is gearing up with "confidence" for the same challenge this time.

In a recent interview with Gulf News, Sabalenka shared her thoughts ahead of the 2026 Australian Open.

"The Australian Open is very special to me. Winning it twice gives me confidence. But every year brings a new challenge. I’m excited to return and see what I can achieve."

After defeating Elena Rybakina in the 2023 edition to win the first major singles title of her career, Sabalenka successfully defended her title with a victory over Qinwen Zheng in the finals in 2024.

However, the 2025 season of the Australian Open proved tough for the Belarusian. Despite gliding to the 2025 finals, the 27-year-old lost two out of the three sets against Madison Keys.

Nevertheless, Sabalenka finished the year as the WTA's top athlete, winning the U.S. Open along the way. Moreover, she has shown the ability to come back. Back in 2023, she lost the U.S. Open final, only to return in 2024 to win the major.

And Aryna Sabalenka has already started her Australian campaign

After losing to Nick Kyrgios at the 'Battle of the Sexes', Aryna Sabalenka has already set her sights on the 'Happy Slam'.

According to an update on Puntodebreak, Sabalenka is already in Brisbane, getting ready for the Brisbane International in the run-up to the Australian Open.

"The priority is staying healthy, improving consistency and continuing to evolve my game. I’m always looking for small areas where I can get better, both physically and mentally. Preparations are going well, and I’m motivated to keep building on the level I’ve reached this season."

And she's using the Kyrgios loss as fuel. "I always say that when you are losing you are learning and I learned a lot about his game. I know Nick as a player and a person better and I feel I know how to play against him. I would do it again. I need revenge."

Written by

Souvik Roy

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar