Aryna Sabalenka, Alexander Zverev In The Spotlight As Australian Open Begins

Aryna Sabalenka will begin her quest for a historic third consecutive Australian Open crown when the first Grand Slam of the year begins on Sunday. The Belarusian world number one headlines the evening session on the main Rod Laver Arena in a potentially tricky encounter with 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens at 7:00 pm (0800 GMT).  Men's second seed Alexander Zverev rounds off the first night against the dangerous Lucas Pouille of France, who made the semi-finals at Melbourne Park in 2019 before losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.

Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen of China has the honour of playing the first point of the tournament on centre court when the fifth seed faces Romania's 110th-ranked Anca Todoni at 11:30am (0030 GMT).

Sabalenka is aiming to become the first woman since Martina Hingis (1997-99) to win three consecutive Australian Opens.

If she lifts the winner's Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup again, Sabalenka will join a select group of Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles and Hingis as the only women to complete a Melbourne three-peat.

"I know that I have the possibility of joining legends by winning three times in a row," Sabalenka said.

"Hopefully by the end of this tournament I'll be able to put my name into history."

The Belarusian won the Brisbane International last week and accepts she is the woman to beat after the best season of her career in 2024, where she also won a maiden US Open.

"I like that feeling. That's what drives me and helps me to stay motivated because I know that I have a target on my back and I really like to have it," she said.

Germany's Zverev, at a career-high number two ranking, has eyes on Jannik Sinner and a first Grand Slam title after losing to