MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Aryna Sabalenka launched her bid for a third successive Australian Open title with a storm of power hitting and a 6-3 6-2 demolition of former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens on Sunday.
It was by no means peak Sabalenka, with the world number one broken twice by the American in a wayward first set at Rod Laver Arena.
But on the same court where she hoisted the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup twice in two years, Sabalenka steadied with the help of her pulverising forehand to claim a 15th successive win at hardcourt Grand Slams.
"I think I just love the people, love the crowd. I love all the support I feel during basically every match I played there," she said of Rod Laver Arena, the site of two of her three Grand Slam triumphs.
"It's just an incredible feeling. I just want to keep winning as long as I can just to feel the atmosphere."
For all the acclaim from fans, the U.S. Open champion's three major titles have all come competing as a neutral.
Russian and Belarusian tennis players are unable to compete under their national flags since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 which Moscow called a "special military operation".
Belarus was a staging ground for the invasion.
"I was always really proud that I was able to make it from such a small country as Belarus," Sabalenka said of the ban after extending her winning record to 5-0 over Stephens.
"Of course, it would be nice to see my flag next to my name. But, once again, I'm not sure that I have that control to change that.
"Whenever it happens, I'll be happy to see that."
The stand-out hardcourt player in the women's game, Sabalenka stormed to a 4-0 lead over Stephens in the first set as fans were still settling in their seats for day one's first evening match on centre court.
Though Stephens broke her twice to claw back to 4-3, Sabalenka regrouped to claim the set with strong net play and customary aggression.
A few years ago, Sabalenka might have lost her head after surrendering a few games but she is now a different player.
"In that moment I would get frustrated and probably would lose the first set," she told reporters.
"I'm really glad that I improved my mental toughness, let's say."
Though appearing determined to belt the cover off the ball, Sabalenka also showed fine touch to break Stephens in the third game of the second set with a drop-shot chipped crosscourt from the baseline.
Caught well short, Stephens threw her racket in resignation as she chased fruitlessly for the ball before bowing out in 71 minutes.
Sabalenka will play Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro for a place in the third round in her bid to become the first woman to pull off the Australian Open "threepeat" since Martina Hingis (1997-99).
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in MelbourneEditing by David Goodman and Ed Osmond)
