MELBOURNE, Australia — Aryna Sabalenka kicked off her quest to become the first female player in 25 years to seize three consecutive Australian Open titles by defeating 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens with a score of 6-3, 6-2 in a match that lasted just 71 minutes.

As the top seed at a Grand Slam event for the first time in her career, Sabalenka acknowledged that her performance wasn’t flawless. “Not like I played my best, probably,” she admitted, yet her level of play was more than sufficient against her opponent.

Despite her renowned serving ability, Sabalenka didn’t record her first ace until the 15th game of the match, ultimately finishing with just two aces overall.

Having claimed her first major title at the Australian Open in 2023, Sabalenka followed it with another victory last January, and her collection grew to three Slam titles after her triumph at the U.S. Open in September.

The last female athlete to win the Australian Open three years in a row was Martina Hingis from 1997 to 1999.

“I am super happy to be back,” Sabalenka expressed, sharing her affection for the venue. “I love this place.”

In the upcoming second round, she is set to face Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, who managed to pull off an upset against reigning champion Marketa Vondrousova at Wimbledon in 2024.