Anastasia Potapova defeated Daria Kasatkina 7–5, 4–6, 6–4 in the first round of the Brisbane WTA 250 on hard court on 4 January 2026. Despite Kasatkina entering as the pre-match favourite according to the odds, Potapova secured the upset victory in a competitive three-set encounter. The first set went to Potapova 7–5, before Kasatkina levelled the match by taking the second set 6–4. Potapova regained control in the decider, winning 6–4 to advance. The result represents a solid opening victory for Potapova at the tournament and a setback for the seeded Kasatkina in her Brisbane campaign.