Melbourne, Jan 12 (Reporter) Aryna Sabalenka, the world No.1, began her quest for a third consecutive Australian Open title with a commanding 6-3 6-2 victory over American Sloane Stephens in the first round at Melbourne Park here on Sunday. The two-time defending champion, who remains unbeaten at the tournament since 2022, swiftly took control of the match, racing to a 4-0 lead in the opening set. Although Stephens fought back to level at 4-3, Sabalenka regained the initiative and sealed the first set 6-3 in 38 minutes. Despite 13 unforced errors in the first set, Sabalenka improved her game in the second, breaking Stephens’ serve early to race to a 4-1 lead. She completed the win in just 71 minutes, maintaining her unbeaten streak at the Australian Open. Sabalenka’s victory extended her head-to-head record against Stephens to 5-0, with three of their previous encounters having gone to three sets. Next up for Sabalenka is Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, who won her first-round match against Britain’s Sonay Kartal. The Belarusian will be looking to add a third Australian Open title to her collection as she continues her pursuit of a historic hat-trick in Melbourne...////...