January 2026 Tennis Results: Brisbane, Hong Kong, Auckland, and United Cup
Highlights
- Sabalenka and Medvedev Dominate Brisbane: Top seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Daniil Medvedev justified their favorite status, cruising to the Brisbane International titles in straight sets to establish themselves as the players to beat heading into the Australian Open.
- Bublik’s Flair Conquers Hong Kong: The unpredictable Alexander Bublik captured the ATP Hong Kong Open title, defeating Lorenzo Musetti in a stylish final, while local hero Coleman Wong thrilled home fans with a breakout quarterfinal run.
- Svitolina Holds Off the “Next Gen” in Auckland: Experience triumphed at the ASB Classic as Elina Svitolina battled past Wang Xinyu to win the title, surviving a tournament defined by deep runs from teenage stars Iva Jovic and Alexandra Eala.
- Doubles Drama and “Super Teams”: The week saw exciting doubles results, highlighted by the “chaos and craft” pairing of Hsieh Su-wei and Jeļena Ostapenko winning in Brisbane, and the all-Italian duo of Musetti and Sonego upsetting the favorites in Hong Kong.
- Poland Takes the United Cup: In the mixed-team event, Team Poland demonstrated their squad depth by defeating Switzerland 2-1 in the final, capping off a successful week for European tennis.
The opening week of the 2026 tennis season has concluded with a mix of familiar dominance and chaotic flair. As the tours diverge towards Melbourne for the upcoming Australian Open, the champions in Brisbane, Hong Kong, and Auckland have laid down the first markers of the new year.
From Aryna Sabalenka’s power display in Queensland to the rise of teenage sensations in New Zealand, here is a comprehensive wrap of the final results from the ATP and WTA opening week.
Brisbane International (ATP 250 & WTA 500)
Venue: Queensland Tennis Centre, Brisbane, Australia
WTA: Sabalenka Remains Queen of Queensland
Aryna Sabalenka has started her 2026 campaign in imperious form, capturing the Brisbane International title with a commanding straight-sets victory over Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk. Sabalenka, thriving in the Australian summer conditions that have historically served her well, defeated Kostyuk 6-4, 6-3.
The final was a showcase of Sabalenka’s trademark aggressive baseline play, which proved too heavy for Kostyuk to dismantle. While the Ukrainian fought bravely, coming off a strong semifinal run, she could not neutralize the Sabalenka serve on the crucial points. Sabalenka’s path to the trophy also included a semifinal victory over Karolina Muchová, cementing her status as the favorite heading into the first Grand Slam of the year.
Doubles Highlight: In a result that delighted fans of stylistic contrasts, the “chaos and craft” pairing of Hsieh Su-wei and Jeļena Ostapenko lifted the doubles trophy. The duo defeated the established team of Cristina Bucșa and Ellen Perez. Hsieh’s deft net play combined with Ostapenko’s bludgeoning groundstrokes proved to be an unsolvable puzzle for their opponents.
ATP: Medvedev’s Masterclass
On the men’s side, Daniil Medvedev reaffirmed his affection for hard courts, defeating America’s Brandon Nakashima 6-2, 7-6(1) to take the title. The “Octopus” was in vintage form, turning the court into a chessboard and frustrating Nakashima with his deep court positioning and impenetrable defense.
Nakashima, who has been steadily climbing the rankings, offered spirited resistance in the second set, forcing a tiebreak. However, Medvedev locked down in the decider, surrendering only one point to clinch the trophy.
- Men’s Doubles: The pairing of Francisco Cabral and Lucas Miedler took home the silverware, defeating the British duo of Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool.
ATP Hong Kong Open (ATP 250)
Venue: Victoria Park Tennis Stadium, Hong Kong
Bublik’s Magic Show
In a final that promised flair, Alexander Bublik delivered. The unpredictable Kazakhstani star defeated Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti 7-6(2), 6-3 to win the Hong Kong Open. Known for his underarm serves and nonchalant shot-making, Bublik remained focused during the critical moments of the first-set tiebreak, eventually wearing down the stylish Italian in the second set.
Local Hero’s Run: The tournament was notably buoyed by the performance of local favorite Coleman Wong. The young Hong Kong native thrilled the home crowd by reaching the quarterfinals, where he eventually fell to the finalist Musetti in a tight two-setter (6-4, 6-4). Wong’s run confirms his trajectory as a rising force in Asian tennis.
Musetti’s Redemption: Despite the singles loss, Lorenzo Musetti did not leave empty-handed. Returning to the court later in the day, he partnered with compatriot Lorenzo Sonego to win the doubles title, defeating the powerful Russian duo of Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev.
ASB Classic (WTA 250)
Venue: ASB Tennis Centre, Auckland, New Zealand
Svitolina’s Grit Prevails
In Auckland, experience triumphed over youth as Elina Svitolina battled past China’s Wang Xinyu to claim the ASB Classic title. The match was a tense affair, ending 6-3, 7-6(8-6) in favor of the Ukrainian.
Wang Xinyu, known for her clean ball-striking, pushed Svitolina to the limit in the second set, forcing a dramatic tiebreak that went to 8-6. Svitolina’s renowned defensive skills and mental fortitude allowed her to save set points and close out the match, marking an emotional victory to start her season.
The Rise of the Teens
While Svitolina took the title, the narrative of the week in Auckland was the “Next Gen” breakout. The semifinals featured two teenagers who are quickly becoming household names:
- Iva Jovic (USA): The 18-year-old American pushed Svitolina in the semifinals before falling.
- Alexandra Eala (Philippines): The 20-year-old Filipino star had a stellar run to the final four, where she was stopped by Wang Xinyu in a three-set battle.
Doubles: The title went to the Chinese-French pairing of Guo Hanyu and Kristina Mladenovic, who defeated Xu Yifan and Yang Zhaoxuan in the final.
United Cup
Venue: Sydney, Australia (Final)
In the team event that runs parallel to the individual tournaments, Team Poland emerged victorious, defeating Team Switzerland 2-1 in the final tie. The victory underscores Poland’s depth and sets the stage for their top stars to enter the Australian Open with high confidence.
Summary of Champions (Week 1, 2026)
| Tournament | Category | Champion (Singles) | Runner-Up (Singles) | Score |
| Brisbane | WTA 500 | Aryna Sabalenka | Marta Kostyuk | 6-4, 6-3 |
| Brisbane | ATP 250 | Daniil Medvedev | Brandon Nakashima | 6-2, 7-6(1) |
| Hong Kong | ATP 250 | Alexander Bublik | Lorenzo Musetti | 7-6(2), 6-3 |
| Auckland | WTA 250 | Elina Svitolina | Wang Xinyu | 6-3, 7-6(8-6) |
| United Cup | Team | Poland | Switzerland | 2-1 |
