The Australian Open champ just got bageled in Brisbane

In a performance so poor, the world No.2 had few of words in jest for her team post-match – “you did a bad job today”.

Elena Rybakina hits a return during the final against Aryna Sabalenka Picture: Getty Images

Elena Rybakina landed enough irresistible one-two punches to beat Aryna Sabalenka in a Brisbane International final that didn’t exactly make the traditionalists swoon. Rallies were so short you thought the police must have arrived and ordered everyone to move along.

Sabalenka is the defending Australian Open champion. She just got bageled, as they say in New York racquet clubs, starting slower than Soulcombe at last year’s Melbourne Cup in a humiliating 6-0, 6-3 defeat.

Last year’s Open finalists are the poster girls for winning points as quickly as possible and this was no exception. None of their rallies were peaceful demonstrations. They clubbed the ball and by my count, of the 97 points played, 67 lasted four strokes or less.

Pow. Pow. Pow. Pow. Sabalenka shrieked during groundstrokes and serves as if she’d stubbed a toe. Rybakina was quiet as a church mouse but gave the ball an equally stern wallop. The Kazakhstan 24-year-old had more patience, better court coverage, a calmer presence and a couple of moments of light-fingered finesse.

“Hopefully we meet in Melbourne again,” Rybakina said. “I think it will be a great battle again. Despite the score, it’s always tough to play against you. We always push each other, which I think is great. We’re improving in this way and hopefully we ­continue.”

Sabalenka won a tense three-setter over Rybakina in last year’s Australian Open decider. They’re the wrecking balls of women’s tennis. World No. 2 Sabalenka is 182cm and 79kg and world No. 4 Rybakina is 184cm and 72kg. World No. 1 Iga Swiatek repels them at 176cm and 65kg but she cops a few bruises and defeats in the process. Ash Barty was 166cm and 62kg but topped them all with her wizardry, magic spells and secret potions. Barty could bamboozle Sabalenka and Rybakina as if her sliced backhands and topspin forehands were accompanied by a whispered “abracadabra” or “alakazam” instead of grunts.

Rybakina’s win didn’t mark her as the woman to beat at the Australian Open. It marked her as the woman for Swiatek to beat. Open favourites? There’s a clear gap between the top four and the rest. I’ll be stunned if the champion at Melbourne Park doesn’t come from the bracket of Swiatek, Sabalenka, US Open champion Coco Gauff and Rybakina. World No. 5 Jessica Pegula and the rest look a step off the pace.

Sabalenka overdid the big-hitting on Sunday; Rybakina did it just right. Don’t think she’s devoid of skill. It was a swoonworthy performance in its own way that made Sabalenka panicky, confused, dishevelled, error-prone. The four-shot rallies are their norm. Turbo-charged tennis. A bruising rivalry is developing but there’s no animosity. They had a giggle and a cuddle at the net.

Sabalenka played so poorly she decided the best course of action was to laugh it off. “I don’t know where to start,” she told Rybakina with a grin at the presentation ceremony. “Thank you for the three games. Good job to you and your team for an amazing week. Couple of words for my team. You did a bad job today.”