As Marta Kostyuk sat in the press conference room after her defeat to Aryna Sabalenka in the Brisbane International final, one reaction spoke volumes. 

"I was, like, wow," Kostyuk said.

"I mean, some serves … it was 175 kilometres per hour out wide.

"I would say Aryna was very powerful today."

There speaks someone who has just been comprehensively Sabalenka-ed.

And come the end of the Australian Open in three weeks' time, there may be a few more who will be able to say the same.

Sabalenka's brutal victory on Pat Rafter Arena was the perfect tune-up to another lengthy run at the Australian Open and extended a stunning record for the Belarusian on Australian soil.

Since winning the Adelaide International in 2023, Sabalenka has reached seven consecutive finals on Australian soil.

She won five of them.

Aryna Sabalenka has five wins in seven tournaments in Australia. (Getty Images: Albert Perez)

It's a statistic that proves without question that she is the queen of Australian hard courts.

Watching her in Brisbane, where she didn't drop a single set — and rarely looked like doing so in truth — you wouldn't bet against her making it six wins from eight at Melbourne Park this month.

But in an ominous sign to the rest of the field, she has not only blown her rivals off the court, but shown an awful lot more to the watching public.

Sabalenka has long been known for her power.

Rightly so. Her serve is an awesome weapon. Her baseline groundstrokes are earth-shatteringly good.

Four women in a row have been blown away by the Belarusian's power in this tournament alone; whether it be a stunning knockout of the type that accounted for Cristina Bucșa in 48 minutes in round two, or the steady wearing down of Kostyuk in the final.

"She's been really, really good today retrieving these balls … It was incredible speed," Kostyuk said.

"I actually want to know, there were some points I want to know what was the speed of the ball, because it felt like we were hitting 150kmh, which was crazy."

Aryna Sabalenka has astonishing power. (Getty Images: Albert Perez)

That is the typical Sabalenka experience.

But that would be an oversimplification of what the 27-year-old has produced this tournament.

The world number one has added an impressive degree of guile to her stroke play on the fast-paced Brisbane courts.

That alone should be a warning to everyone else in the main draw in Melbourne.

In a match like Sunday's final in Brisbane, Sabalenka could have been drawn into a slugfest.

Kostyuk seemed to want one, standing toe-to-toe (albeit 25 metres apart at either end of the court) with Sabalenka as both women attempted to bludgeon winners from the baseline.

But then Sabalenka went to work on the angles, adding deft touches at the net, forcing Kostyuk to move front to back as well as laterally.

It drove Kostyuk to distraction.

Marta Kostyuk was beaten into submission. (Getty Images: Albert Perez)

That variety, coupled with the power, just wore her down.

"I tried different things, and at that moment on the court, it felt like it's the right thing to do … it's almost the only thing I could do," Kostyuk said. 

"I was missing a lot of balls today, was going for a little bit more than usual, because the pressure that she creates on the court.

"If you play a little bit shorter, it's almost a winner right away."

That's where Sabalenka showed her real class this week.

Mixing up that power with skill.

A sign of added maturity, perhaps?

"This is something I have been working for I don't know how long, probably my whole life, but never really worked well for me," Sabalenka said, pleased her efforts to add strings to her bow have been acknowledged.

Aryna Sabalenka had to show some guile in her victories this week. (Getty Images: Albert Perez)

"A couple years ago, I finally found the touch game. I figured something, and I kind of changed my game style. 

"Now I'm not only the aggressive player. I can play at the net, I can be in the defence, I can use my slice, I have a good touch.

"To be at the top of the game, to be strong, it's not enough that's for sure.

"You have to be strong mentally, physically. Also, you have to have that variety in your game just to mess up a little bit on the court.

"That's something that I have been working my whole career to be, to have that variety in my game, to have A, B, C plans for the match. 

"And I'm super happy to see that things are clicking together."

Sabalenka knows more than anyone that success, or failure, in a grand slam warm-up does not always precede success in the slam.

Aryna Sabalenka was left disappointed last year. Don't bank on that happening again. (Getty Images: Sports Illustrated/Erick W. Rasco)

She won in Brisbane last year and was then stunned by Madison Keys in the final at Melbourne Park.

She was beaten in the Brisbane final in 2024 and came out on top on Rod Laver Arena.

This year she's hoping to complete the double.

"I don't know. It's tennis, it's sport, and that's why it's so beautiful because you cannot predict anything," Sabalenka said.

"It's like, every day you go out there and you prove your level, you prove your point.

"I think this week I did it really well, but nobody knows what's gonna happen in the future.

"The only one thing I'm sure is that I will be there, I'll be fighting, I'll do my best to go as far as possible and do a little bit better than I did last year."

Email address