Aryna Sabalenka begins quest for third consecutive Australian Open title with win over American Sloane Stephens

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka began her Australian Open title defense by defeating Sloane Stephens 6-3 6-2 in the first round on Sunday.

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka began her Australian Open title defense by defeating Sloane Stephens 6-3 6-2 in the first round on Sunday. The Belarusian, who is seeking to become the first woman since 1999 to win three consecutive Australian Open titles, easily dispatched her American opponent before celebrating with a dance during her on-court interview afterwards. Inspired by Sabalenka’s tradition of posting dances on TikTok at the Australian Open, interviewer Jelena Dokic encouraged the three-time grand slam champion to lead the crowd in a dance. As the crowd clapped and music blared, Sabalenka overcame her embarrassment and showed off her dance moves before attempting to take a picture with her Polaroid camera, only to realise 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. “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.”