Sabalenka ousts Stephens and gets her Australian Open off to a perfect start

The two-time title-holder made her appearance in the arena. On Rod Laver Arena, the world number 1 is aiming to become the first player to win three consecutive Australian Grand Slams since Martina Hingis in the late 1990s.

The Belarusian inherited a tricky draw, as Sloane Stephens, winner of the US Open in 2017, was the first player to stand in her way in the quest for the treble.

Without forcing her talent, Aryna Sabalenka won 6-3, 6-2 in 1h10 to claim her 15th consecutive victory in this tournament.

Having already won the Brisbane tournament at the start of January to kick off the season, Sabalenka will now face Spanish player Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, who defeated Sonay Kartal earlier in the day (6-1, 7-6), in a bid to reach the third round.