MELBOURNE (Reuters) – The first round of the Australian Open begins in Melbourne on Sunday, with the world’s top players competing for glory in the year’s first Grand Slam.
Aryna Sabalenka, who is going for a third straight title at Melbourne Park, faces Sloane Stephens while men’s world number two Alexander Zverev launches another bid for his first Grand Slam crown when he takes on wildcard Lucas Pouille.
TOP WOMEN’S MATCH: SABALENKA V STEPHENS
Sabalenka begins her title defence against 2017 U.S. Open champion Stephens, and the Belarusian world number one is in strong form after kicking off the season with a trophy in Brisbane.
Aiming to become the first woman since Martina Hingis in 1999 to win three straight Australian Open titles, Sabalenka has beaten Stephens in all four of their previous meetings.
She has also been dominant in hardcourt Grand Slams in recent years, boasting a 27-1 record since the start of 2023.
Asked about her record on the surface, Sabalenka said on Friday: “Yeah, it’s been a while (since I lost).
“I’m not thinking about that kind of stuff. I’m just focusing on myself, trying to improve myself every day, and really hoping that I can continue doing what I’m doing on the Grand Slams.”
TOP MEN’S MATCH: ZVEREV V POUILLE
Grand Slam success has so far eluded Zverev but after a 2024 season in which he won Masters 1000 titles in Rome and Paris and reached the French Open final the German is once again among the favourites in the men’s draw.
He will be hoping to improve on last year’s semi-final run at Melbourne Park during which he defeated Carlos Alcaraz.
“I’m happy to be playing Grand Slam tennis again. I’m feeling pretty good. I had a little bit of an issue at the United Cup, but feeling better now, ready to get going,” Zverev told reporters on Friday.
The 30-year-old Pouille might prove a tricky early opponent.
The Frenchman has plummeted down the rankings to 104th but was once in the top 10, reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open in 2019.
NISHIKORI MAKES MELBOURNE PARK RETURN
Kei Nishikori, a four-times quarter-finalist at the Australian Open, will return to the tournament for the first time since 2021.
The 35-year-old reached a career-high ranking of fourth shortly after becoming the first man from Asia to reach a major final at the 2014 U.S. Open. However, he has been plagued by injuries in recent years and struggled for consistency.
“I’m back to 80%,” Nishikori, who faces Brazilian qualifier Thiago Monteiro in the first round, told reporters this week.
“It feels like I’m at a venue I know and love. I am not feeling any pain in particular, so regardless of who I play, I think I can give him a tough match.”
AUSTRALIAN OPEN ORDER OF PLAY ON SUNDAY
Here is the order of play on the main showcourts on the first day of the Australian Open (prefix number denotes seeding):
ROD LAVER ARENA
Day session (0030 GMT/1130 AEDT)
5-Zheng Qinwen (China) v Anca Todoni (Romania)
6-Casper Ruud (Norway) v Jaume Munar (Spain)
Night session (0800 GMT/1900 AEDT)
1-Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) v Sloane Stephens (United States)
Lucas Pouille (France) v 2-Alexander Zverev (Germany)
MARGARET COURT ARENA
Day session (0030 GMT/1130 AEDT)
Otto Virtanen (Finland) v 20-Arthur Fils (France)
Diane Parry (France) v 18-Donna Vekic (Croatia)
Night session (0800 GMT/1900 AEDT)
24-Jiri Lehecka (Czech Republic) v Li Tu (Australia)
Anna Blinkova (Russia) v Daria Saville (Australia)
JOHN CAIN ARENA
Day session (0000 GMT/1100 AEDT)
Marie Bouzkova (Czech Republic) v 14-Mirra Andreeva (Russia)
Kei Nishikori (Japan) v Thiago Monteiro (Brazil)
Night session (0600 GMT/1700 AEDT)
11-Paula Badosa (Spain) v Wang Xinyu (China)
14-Ugo Humbert (France) v Matteo Gigante (Italy)
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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