Aryna Sabalenka waited to begin her title defence at Australian Open 2024. But once she was on court, she sure did not linger.
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Sabalenka ensured a difficult Grand Slam debut for Ella Seidel, beating the 18-year-old German qualifier 6-0 6-1 at Rod Laver Arena in 53 minutes on Sunday night.
Sabalenka ripped a first serve that drew a return into the net on the first point of her defence, which set the tone for what was to follow.
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Things moved quickly indeed, unlike in the previous match at Rod Laver Arena when Novak Djokovic beat another 18-year-old qualifier, Dino Prizmic, in four hours.
It meant that Sabalenka and Seidel began their tussle at about 11:40pm local time.
Defending a Grand Slam title for the first time can be difficult, but Sabalenka told reporters in the lead-up that she was happy to be back and buoyed by a good pre-season.
Nothing that transpired in her pre-AO preparations in Brisbane would have countered that. Even though Sabalenka lost to Elena Rybakina – the player she downed in last year’s high-quality finale at Melbourne Park – she stormed to the final.
Two seasons ago, it was all so different for the 25-year-old. Undone by double faults and plagued by serving woes which she has never been shy to discuss, Sabalenka fell in the fourth round to Kaia Kanepi as the second seed.
On Sunday, Sabalenka struck six aces and won 80 per cent of her first-serve points against world No.173 Seidel.
The Hamburg native came back in her second qualifying match at Melbourne Park, winning via a retirement when Fran Jones succumbed to leg cramps in the third set after the Briton led 4-0 in the decider. But on Sunday, Sabalenka gave her no such opportunity.
Trailing 3-0 in the second set, Seidel wiped away a tear and the crowd, sensing the difficult moment, rallied around her.
Sabalenka pressed on as any player in her position would. She held two match points at 5-0 in the second set and thought it was over when a Seidel ball fell close to the baseline. But the ball was good, and the match continued.
Sabalenka – who last won a match 6-0 6-0 in 2015 – nonetheless closed it out on serve in the next game on her seventh match point after Seidel initially clawed back from a 40-0 deficit.
“It feels so great to be back and feel all the support and atmosphere,” Sabalenka told Jelena Dokic in her post-match on-court interview. “I know you guys were cheering for her, but anyway thank you so much for staying that late and supporting us, it’s really important.”
The spectators also cheered for Sabalenka, as Dokic mentioned.
Winning that long-awaited Grand Slam title hasn’t stopped Sabalenka from working hard and wanting more, the former No.1 told Dokic.
“It’s really amazing that I was able to achieve so many goals in tennis and there are many more to come,” she said. “I’m working really hard to achieve all my goals.
“I’m just very grateful for everything I have in life and for every opportunity I have playing on this incredible court. I really missed you so much. Hopefully I can stay here until the very, very, very last day.”
Sabalenka – bidding to become the first back-to-back women’s champion since countrywoman Victoria Azarenka in 2013 – admitted to enjoying some of Melbourne’s famous coffee, and likely will keep on going in that regard.
“Probably I need to grab some for the rest of the season and maybe I will do the same (as last year)," she said.