Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina kick off 2024 with wins at Brisbane International

Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina are among the players on the WTA tour who are 25 or younger and have won a Grand Slam championship. Currently, Sabalenka is ranked No. 2, and Rybakina is ranked No. 4. Both recently kicked off their 2024 seasons with straight-set wins at Brisbane International. Rust was not an issue for either player.

Sabalenka will soon head to Melbourne to defend her Australian Open title. Rybakina challenged her in the 2023 final in a three-set thriller that spanned almost two hours and thirty minutes. It kicked off a great 2023 for both of them as Rybakina went on to win Indian Wells and nearly captured the Sunshine Double, but Petra Kvitova defeated her in the Miami Open final.

Women's tennis is so deep with talented and competitive players that Sabalenka and Rybakina's start in 2023 was nearly eclipsed by Coco Gauff's amazing late summer run, and Iga Swiatek's surge in the fall to recapture the World No. 1 ranking.

What can we expect from Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina in 2024?

Both are Grand Slam champions, and the potential to win more titles is there. Sabalenka's game is aggressive and fierce, but she can struggle when not firing on all cylinders on the serve and the big shots. Physically Rybakina has suffered several illnesses throughout 2023. Her illness at the 2023 French Open was so severe that she had to withdraw from the tournament, limiting her preparation for Wimbledon and her ability to defend her title.

Barring injury or illness, Sabalenka and Rybakina should be in the mix for the Grand Slams this year along with Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff who also opened their seasons with impressive victories at the United Cup and ASB Classic, respectively, and look as strong as ever.

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