A dream start: Sabalenka has taken a steady step in her Australian Open defense

A scary start to a title defense as important as a Grand Slam is part of the logic, even more so if it's the first. but Aryna Sabalenka (No. 2 in the WTA Rankings) Challenges what is defined every time you step onto the tennis court. At the start of her two-time champion run at the Australian Open, there were no doubts: she beat Ella Seidel (172) 6-0, 6-1. In less than an hour of the match. The next match will be against the future star: Brenda Fruvertova (107) from the Czech Republic.

The 25-year-old Belarusian appears at the Australian Open as the latest champion seeking to become the first tennis player to retain the Oceania title since her compatriot Victoria Azarenka achieved it in 2012-2013.

She arrives in 2024 after a breakout year in which she won her first Grand Slam tournament and landed at the top of the rankings, briefly replacing Iga Swiatek until the Pole finished the season as master of the WTA Finals in Cancun.

Sabalenka began this cycle by adding definition at the WTA 500 in Brisbane, where she lost in the title fight with Elena Rybakina – her rival in the Australian Open grand final a year ago. On this occasion, my inaugural test in this field was Ella Seidel from Germany.

The 18-year-old Hamburg-born player made her Grand Slam debut after coming through qualifying with victories over Elisabeth Mandlik, Francesca Jones and Hailey Baptiste. In 2023, he made his professional debut with two W25 titles in Stuttgart-Veihingen and Braunschweig, and a W60 in Bratislava. Last year in Hamburg, she entered the WTA main draw for the first time, losing to her compatriot Julie Niemeyer.

Finally, in the first round of the Oceania Grand Slam, she had no answers at the high level of her opponent, the Rod Laver Arena champion herself and former world number one.

All Australian Open action exclusively on ESPN and STAR+.