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Sabalenka sends Australian Open warning with Adelaide triumph
Aryna Sabalenka fired an Australian Open warning shot Sunday by winning her first title since 2021 at the Adelaide International, beating rising Czech teenager Linda Noskova 6-3, 7-6 (7/4).
The world number five ended a slump of three consecutive defeats in WTA finals with victory in 1hr 43min in torrid 36 Celsius (96.8 Fahrenheit) conditions at Memorial Drive.
The Belarusian double-faulted on the first of three match points but sent over a serve winner on the second to wrap up the afternoon.
World number 102 Noskova, the 2021 Roland Garros junior champion, will rise towards the top 50 with her run to the final.
Second seed Sabalenka, a holder of 10 titles, added one more to her career total as she put her veteran's experience to good use, ending the week without the loss of a set.
She had last lifted a trophy at the Madrid Masters in May, 2021.
L. Brown--BTZ
