Elina Svitolina got her 2018 season off to a flying start after winning the Brisbane International title. The Ukrainian returns to world no.4 after defeating Belorussian qualifier, Aliaksandra Sasnovich, 6-4, 6-1 in the final.
The win means that Svitolina has now won six WTA titles in the last 12 months and extends her record in WTA finals to 10-2.
Svitolina looked the strongest player throughout the tournament, dropping just one set to Johanna Konta throughout.
Elina Svitolina puts on a serving masterclass
In the semi-final against Karolina Pliskova, Elina Svitolina had made a sluggish start, quickly finding herself 4-0 down. She made no such mistake in the final, breaking Sasnovich at the first time of asking to move into a 3-0 lead.
Using her improved serve to her advantage, the 23-year-old dominated the first set. Sasnovich did not have a single break point opportunity while Svitolina continued to carve a number of opportunities for herself.
A flurry of brutal groundstrokes brought up a pair of set points for Svitolina, who delivered at the second time of asking, sealing the first set 6-2.
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The dominance of Elina Svitolina never wavered in the second set. Errors began to flow from the Sasnovich racket as Svitolina continued to return every ball hard and deep. Before long, the world no. 6 had earned her first break of the set.
Sasnovich earned her first deuce in the third game of the set but could still not do enough to earn a break point and Svitolina duly responded by breaking the Belorussian to move 4-0 ahead.
After another routine service game, Sasnovich served to stay in the match. Despite being clearly jaded after playing eight matches in nine days, Sasnovich continued to fight. The Belorussian saved the first match point with an ace down the middle and avoided the bagel by closing out her serve.
The end was inevitable though, with Elina Svitolina serving out the match to win 6-2 6-1 and get her Australian Open preparations off to a roaring start.
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Australian Open contender
The Ukrainian will now take a one week break before the start of the Australian Open where she will be one of the main contenders.
Despite having 10 WTA titles to her name already, the 23-year-old has struggled at the Grand Slams, reaching just two quarter-finals and only the third round of the Australian Open.
Moving up to world no.4 with this victory, the Ukrainian now hopes to reach the latter stages of the first Grand Slam of the year.
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