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Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Bouzas Maneiro are finishing their warm-up on RLA with the roof now open in a sign of confidence that the rain has passed. The world No 1 breezed into the second round with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Sloane Stephens. Tennis reporter Tumaini Carayol could hardly have been more impressed.
Over the next fortnight, Sabalenka will attempt to become the first woman in 26 years – since Martina Hingis – to win three consecutive Australian Open singles titles. She opened up her title defence in Melbourne with an imperious performance, dismantling the former US Open champion Stephens.