Key Takeaways
- World number 1 Elena Rybakina has officially committed to opening her 2027 season at the Brisbane International.
- The 27-year-old won the tournament in 2024 and reached the quarterfinals in 2026, holding a 7-1 overall match record at the venue.
- Brisbane tournament organizers announced that both Rybakina and incoming ATP number 1 Alexander Zverev will headline the event, which runs from January 3-10.
World number 1 locked in for Australian warm-up event
Reigning US Open champion Elena Rybakina has finalized her schedule for the beginning of 2027 by entering the Brisbane International. The 27-year-old from Kazakhstan, who climbed to world number 1 after capturing her third career Grand Slam crown in New York by defeating Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, will head back to Queensland to launch her new competitive year.
Rybakina previously made two appearances at the WTA 500 competition. In her 2024 debut, she swept five consecutive opponents, highlighted by a dominant 6-0, 6-3 victory over Sabalenka in the final to take the trophy. After skipping the event in 2025 in favor of the United Cup, she returned in 2026, extending her event record to seven consecutive match wins before falling to Karolina Muchova in the quarterfinals.
The newly crowned top-ranked player expressed her enthusiasm about returning to the tournament, noting, “I can’t wait to come back.” She also praised the local fans and overall environment, recalling her prior triumph as a memorable milestone in her career.
Top-ranked players confirmed for Queensland draw
Tournament director Cameron Pearson welcomed Rybakina’s commitment alongside Alexander Zverev, who is set to ascend to world number 1 by passing Jannik Sinner. With both top-ranked players on the entry list, the tournament is poised to host the world’s leading woman and man simultaneously.
Pearson pointed out that both players dominated the major championships over the past season, each claiming two Grand Slam titles. The tournament is scheduled to run from January 3 to January 10, with Rybakina positioned as one of the headline contenders.
Elena Rybakina in 2026
At the moment ranked no.1, the Kazakhstani played her last match on the 3rd of October when she lost to world no.98 Alina Charaeva 3-6 6-4 6-3 in the 2nd round in Beijing (draw).
At present, during this year the Kazakhstani achieved a 49-14 record. Elena conquered 3 titles in 2026 at the Australian Open, Stuttgart and U.S. Open.
