Aryna Sabalenka started her quest to become the first woman in 25 years to win three consecutive Australian Open titles with a dominant 6-3, 6-2 victory over 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens on Sunday night. The match lasted just 71 minutes.
Sabalenka, who is seeded No. 1 at a Grand Slam for the first time, acknowledged that she didn’t play her best tennis but still delivered a strong performance. “Not like I played my best, probably,” she said, but it was more than enough to secure the win.
Known for her powerful serving, Sabalenka didn’t hit her first ace until the 15th game of the match, finishing with only two aces overall.
She claimed her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in 2023, then won again in January, and added a third Slam victory at the U.S. Open in September.
The last woman to win three consecutive Australian Open titles was Martina Hingis, who achieved the feat from 1997 to 1999.
“I am super happy to be back,” Sabalenka said. “I love this place.”
In the second round, Sabalenka will face Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, who caused an upset by defeating reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in 2024.