Aryna Sabalenka begins quest for third consecutive Australian Open title with win over American Sloane Stephens
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World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka started her campaign to defend her Australian Open title with a dominant 6-3, 6-2 victory over American Sloane Stephens in the first round on Sunday. Sabalenka, who is aiming to become the first woman since 1999 to win three consecutive Australian Open titles, made light work of her opponent before celebrating in a unique way—by dancing during her on-court interview.
The Belarusian, known for her social media dance videos, was encouraged by interviewer Jelena Dokic to lead the crowd in a dance after her impressive win. As music played and the crowd clapped along, Sabalenka, though a bit shy, embraced the moment, showing off her dance moves. She then attempted to take a photo with her Polaroid camera but quickly realized the film had run out. “I’m super happy to be back. I love this place, and wow, we have a full stadium, I couldn’t dream for more,” the 26-year-old said, beaming with excitement.
Sabalenka reflected on her performance, admitting she didn’t play at her best but was glad to close the match in straight sets. “It was a tough match. I don’t feel like I played my best probably, but I’m glad that I managed to close this match in straight sets. It definitely feels like home,” she added.
From the outset, Sabalenka overpowered Stephens, breaking her twice to race into a 4-0 lead. The first three games of the match lasted just seven minutes, giving the impression that Sabalenka would wrap things up quickly. However, Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion, showed resilience and fought back, showcasing the qualities that have made her a Grand Slam champion. A stunning crosscourt forehand winner allowed her to break Sabalenka’s serve and reduce the deficit to 4-3.
Sabalenka, though, was quick to regain control and shut down any hopes of a Stephens comeback. After a lengthy game, Sabalenka broke Stephens again and held her serve to clinch the first set. “I think I kind of stepped back after a few games didn’t go well,” Sabalenka said. “I stepped back, and I gave her a chance to come back in the match. I’m glad that in that game on 4-3 I stepped in and I was going forward to the net. I think that was the key to get back to this match.”
The second set followed a similar pattern as Sabalenka tightened her grip on the match. She raced to an early lead and then broke Stephens twice more. This time, the American could not recover, and Sabalenka held serve to secure the second set and the match in dominant fashion.
With this win, Sabalenka advances to the second round, where she will face Spain’s Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro. The Belarusian’s quest for a third consecutive Australian Open title continues, as she seeks to join an elite group of women who have won three titles in a row in Melbourne. The last woman to achieve this feat was Martina Hingis, who won three consecutive Australian Open titles between 1997 and 1999.
Sabalenka’s dominance in the match and her confident attitude on the court indicate that she is prepared for the challenges ahead. As she continues her journey toward a third consecutive title, the world will be watching closely to see if she can make history in Melbourne once again.
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