Elena Rybakina defeated Paula Badosa 6–3, 6–2 in the round of 16 at the Brisbane WTA 250 on hard court on 8 January 2026. As the pre-match favourite at odds of 1.22, Rybakina delivered a commanding performance to advance, with Badosa unable to mount sustained resistance at 4.61 odds. The Kazakhstani's dominance across both sets underlined her status as a seeded contender in the tournament. Rybakina's progression to the quarterfinals strengthens her opening campaign on the Australian summer swing.