Defending champ Sabalenka opens with win

Published 11:49 am Sunday, January 12, 2025

Field Level Media

Aryna Sabalenka took her first step Sunday toward a third consecutive Australian Open title as the top-seeded Belarusian breezed to a 6-3, 6-2 win over Sloane Stephens in a first-round match in Melbourne.

Sabalenka had 20 winners and broke Stephens, who won the 2017 U.S. Open, on five occasions from 13 break points. Afterward, Sabalenka shared a bit of a lighter side when asked about her tradition of posting a pre-tournament dance routine on social media.

“I’m not the best dancer, but I try my best,” Sabalenka said after extending her win streak at hard-court majors to 15 matches.

She is bidding to become the first woman since Switzerland’s Martina Hingis to record a three-peat at the Australian Open (1997-99). Sabalenka was able to dance around a rough patch in the first set after Stephens won three straight games to pull within 4-3.

Sabalenka advanced to face Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, who posted a 6-1, 7-6 (5) win over Great Britain’s Sonay Kartal 6-1, 7-6 (5). Fifth-seeded Qinwen Zheng of China overcame a tough first set to record a 7-6 (3), 6-1 win over Romanian qualifier Anca Todoni in their opening-round clash. Zheng, last year’s runner up in this tournament and the Olympic gold medalist in Paris, saved three set points in the first set en route to dispatching Todoni in one hour, 56 minutes.

“It is a tough match today,” Zheng said, “I think (Todoni), she’s playing really good. I’m just happy to get through the first round, playing not my best tennis. I’m just happy to win this match.” Also on Sunday, 11th-seeded Paula Badosa of Spain, 14th-seeded Mirra Andreeva of Russia, 18th-seeded Donna Vekic of Croatia and 30th-seeded Leylah Fernandez of Canada each recorded a straight-set victory over their opposition. Clara Tauson of Denmark rallied to a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 win over 29th-seeded Linda Niskova, a Czech.

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Alexander Zverev took a step toward his elusive first major championship, defeating Lucas Pouille of France 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the opening round of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Sunday.

The World No. 2, Zverev needed two hours, 20 minutes to dispatch the wild-card entrant and advance. He didn’t appear to be affected by a recent bicep strain as he fired 18 aces among his 40 winners. Pouile reached the semifinals at the Australian Open in 2019 and was ranked No. 10 in the world in March 2019. He since has suffered a variety of injuries, including a stress fracture in his lower back, a torn abdominal muscle and an elbow ailment that required surgery. Zverev didn’t take a win for granted.

“He’s someone that when healthy, he’s somebody definitely not at the ranking that he is,” Zverev said of Pouille, ranked No. 104. “He’s been in the semifinals here before. He’s definitely a great player. I wish him health, first of all, and he’s going to be back up the rankings soon.”

Zverev has played in the finals of two majors (U.S. Open 2020, French Open 2023) and was leading in both matches for faltering. As he continues his bid to become the first German man to capture a major title since Boris Becker in 1996, he’ll have to get by his next opponent, Pedro Martinez of Spain. Martinez was up one set and 4-1 when Luciano Darderi of Italy retired.

The opening day of play in Australia also featured a trio of scintillating five-set matches. Casper Ruud of Norway, the sixth seed, needed five sets to shake Spain’s Jaume Munar by a 6-3, 1-6, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 margin in three hours, 24 minutes. In a match that was close on most statistical levels, the difference was just seven points, with Ruud winning 134 total points to 127 for Munar. Kei Nishikori of Japan was down two sets and faced two match points in the third set against Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro before fighting back to win 4-6, 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-2, 6-3 in four hours, six minutes. “It was a really tough one,” Nishikori said.

“I almost forgot he had two match points. I tried to stay calm even though I was almost out of the tournament. I just tried to focus on what I can do. “I almost gave up. Match point and he was playing very good.” Home-country favorite Adam Walton was in control of his opening-round match against Quentin Halys before the Frenchman came back to nab a 4-6, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4), 7-5 victory, powered by 31 aces.

Among others to advance to the second round were seeded players Ugo Humbert and Arthur Fils of France and a pair of Czechs, Jiri Lehecka and Tomas Machac. Big-serving American Reilly Opelka struck 38 aces compared to two for his opponent as he defeated Gauthier Onclin of Belgium in four sets.