Sabalenka Embarks on Australian Open 'Threepeat' With Dominant Victory
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka dispatches Sloane Stephens as she sets sights on a third consecutive title at Melbourne's prestigious tournament.
Aryna Sabalenka, the world number one tennis player from Belarus, began her quest for a third consecutive Australian Open title with a commanding 6-3, 6-2 victory over Sloane Stephens, a former U.S. Open champion from the United States, on Sunday.
The match, held at the iconic Rod Laver Arena, marked Sabalenka's 15th consecutive triumph at hardcourt Grand Slams, showcasing her dominance on this surface.
Despite a faltering start in the first set, where she was broken twice by Stephens, Sabalenka utilized her formidable forehand to regain control of the match.
"I think I just love the people, love the crowd.
I love all the support I feel during basically every match I played there," she expressed, attributing her success at Rod Laver Arena to the invigorating atmosphere.
The arena has been the site of two of her three Grand Slam titles.
The Belarusian, known for her power-packed gameplay, quickly advanced to a 4-0 lead in the opening set, with fans still settling in for the day's first evening match on center court.
Although Stephens mounted a brief comeback, narrowing the lead to 4-3, Sabalenka regrouped with strong net play and characteristic aggression, claiming the set.
In previous years, Sabalenka might have struggled mentally after losing a few games.
However, she has developed greater resilience, as evidenced by her ability to maintain composure.
"In that moment, I would get frustrated and probably would lose the first set," she reflected.
"I'm really glad that I improved my mental toughness, let's say."
Sabalenka's strategic play was on full display in the second set, breaking Stephens in the third game with a deft drop-shot.
As Stephens failed to counter Sabalenka's tactical prowess, she was defeated in just 71 minutes.
Sabalenka now advances to face Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the second round, with an eye on becoming the first woman to achieve an Australian Open three-peat since Martina Hingis from 1997 to 1999.
Elsewhere in the tournament, China's Wang Xinyu faced an early exit, losing to No. 11 seed Paula Badosa from Spain with a scoreline of 6-3, 7-6 (5).
Wang's performance, though promising in parts, was marred by unforced errors, particularly in the second set tiebreak where she had initially led.
"She's a very aggressive type of player, but actually today I felt more like I was more aggressive," Wang reflected post-match.
"So I gained some points and then there were some errors, but I feel like this is the tennis I want to play."
The matches highlighted both the established prowess of top-ranked athletes and the ongoing challenges faced by emerging talents on the global tennis stage.
As the Australian Open progresses, fans can anticipate more compelling matches and potential upsets in this year's edition of the tournament.
The match, held at the iconic Rod Laver Arena, marked Sabalenka's 15th consecutive triumph at hardcourt Grand Slams, showcasing her dominance on this surface.
Despite a faltering start in the first set, where she was broken twice by Stephens, Sabalenka utilized her formidable forehand to regain control of the match.
"I think I just love the people, love the crowd.
I love all the support I feel during basically every match I played there," she expressed, attributing her success at Rod Laver Arena to the invigorating atmosphere.
The arena has been the site of two of her three Grand Slam titles.
The Belarusian, known for her power-packed gameplay, quickly advanced to a 4-0 lead in the opening set, with fans still settling in for the day's first evening match on center court.
Although Stephens mounted a brief comeback, narrowing the lead to 4-3, Sabalenka regrouped with strong net play and characteristic aggression, claiming the set.
In previous years, Sabalenka might have struggled mentally after losing a few games.
However, she has developed greater resilience, as evidenced by her ability to maintain composure.
"In that moment, I would get frustrated and probably would lose the first set," she reflected.
"I'm really glad that I improved my mental toughness, let's say."
Sabalenka's strategic play was on full display in the second set, breaking Stephens in the third game with a deft drop-shot.
As Stephens failed to counter Sabalenka's tactical prowess, she was defeated in just 71 minutes.
Sabalenka now advances to face Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the second round, with an eye on becoming the first woman to achieve an Australian Open three-peat since Martina Hingis from 1997 to 1999.
Elsewhere in the tournament, China's Wang Xinyu faced an early exit, losing to No. 11 seed Paula Badosa from Spain with a scoreline of 6-3, 7-6 (5).
Wang's performance, though promising in parts, was marred by unforced errors, particularly in the second set tiebreak where she had initially led.
"She's a very aggressive type of player, but actually today I felt more like I was more aggressive," Wang reflected post-match.
"So I gained some points and then there were some errors, but I feel like this is the tennis I want to play."
The matches highlighted both the established prowess of top-ranked athletes and the ongoing challenges faced by emerging talents on the global tennis stage.
As the Australian Open progresses, fans can anticipate more compelling matches and potential upsets in this year's edition of the tournament.
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