The red-hot favourite in the Australian Open 2025 women’s draw, world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka, kick-started her bid for a third successive trophy at Melbourne Park with a solid, if not spectacular, win against American Sloane Stephens late on Day 1.
MORE: All the scores from Day 1 at AO 2025
The two-time defending champion, who last tasted defeat at the opening major of the season back in 2022, made it 15 successive wins in Melbourne with a 6-3 6-2 victory over the 2017 US Open champion.
First matches at majors – even for a player as dominant as Sabalenka has been – are never easy, and the three-time major champion will be relieved to have navigated an early test against a fellow Grand Slam winner.
MORE: AO 2025 women's singles draw
“I’m super happy to be back, I love this place,” Sabalenka told the Rod Laver Arena crowd after 71 minutes on court.
“It was a tough match – always tough matches against her. It’s not like I played my best probably, but I’m happy I was able to close this match in straight sets. Melbourne Park feels like home.”
The result took Sabalenka’s head-to-head against the former world No.3 to 5-0, although three of their first four encounters had gone the distance.
After the opening quarter of an hour had seen Sabalenka sprint into a 4-0 lead, it had the feel of another routine appointment for the 26-year-old.
From nowhere, however, Stephens started to find her way back into the set, breaking twice to get things on serve when they switched ends at 4-3.
That’s where the American’s first set challenge hit the buffers, as Sabalenka wrapped up the opener with another break and a hold after 38 minutes.
Despite her one-set lead, the 13 unforced errors during that opener will have been a concern for Sabalenka, and she quickly began to tidy up her game to take control of the second.
The right-hander broke for 2-1, took Stephens’ serve again for a double break at 4-1, and it wasn’t long before she was laughing her way through MC Jelena Dokic’s post-match questions in front of a packed house during the first evening session of the tournament.
Once the match analysis had been dealt with, Dokic quickly switched the focus to one of Sabalenka’s Aussie traditions – viral TikTok dances with her team that have become popular with her fans worldwide.
Her impromptu routine along with the RLA crowd to conclude her on-court interview brought the curtain down on another successful visit to a court she truly loves.
Back in the press room a little later, Sabalenka reflected on the improvements she has made mentally and how she stayed calm after Stephens had won three straight games to get back into the first set.
“I think it's a big difference, compare myself to even like three years ago,” she admitted.
“In that moment I would get frustrated and probably would lose the first set. I'm not sure if I would be able to win the match. That's what I remember.
“I'm really glad that I improved my mental toughness, let's say. I'm able to stay focused no matter what the score, what the situation is. I'm focusing on the game, on the point.”
Next in Sabalenka’s path is Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, who eased past Briton Sonay Kartal in straight sets on Court 5.