World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka began her Australian Open title defence with a composed straight-sets win on Sunday, overcoming early nerves and a hesitant start to defeat French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah 6-4, 6-1 at Melbourne Park.
The Belarusian, chasing her third Australian Open crown in four years, admitted to feeling the pressure in the opening moments made heavier by the presence of tennis legends Rod Laver and Roger Federer watching from the stands on Rod Laver Arena. Sabalenka dropped her opening service game and lost the first three points of the match before gradually settling into her rhythm.
“I didn’t start my best,” Sabalenka said afterward. “She came out firing and played really well. It was a tricky start, but I’m happy I found my rhythm by the end of the second set.”
Rakotomanga Rajaonah, a 20-year-old left-hander making her Grand Slam debut as a wildcard, tested the top seed early with fearless shot-making. Sabalenka, however, relied on her experience to steady herself, breaking back to take control of the first set before dominating the second with cleaner ball-striking and reduced unforced errors.
In her on-court interview, Sabalenka revealed how the presence of Laver and Federer added to the pressure. “I’m a huge fan,” she said. “I wanted to show great tennis so they would enjoy watching. I kept telling myself, ‘Don’t look there!’”
The 27-year-old arrived in Melbourne in strong form after winning the Brisbane International, where she defeated Madison Keys, last year’s Australian Open finalist en route to the title. Sabalenka has now spent 74 weeks at the top of the WTA rankings and remains one of the leading contenders for the year’s first Grand Slam.
She will next face either Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan in the second round. As the Australian Open unfolds over the next fortnight, Sabalenka’s ability to manage pressure – both from opponents and the spotlight – will be key as she looks to further cement her dominance on the hard courts of Melbourne.
