[Source: Reuters]

Aryna Sabalenka opened her bid for a third straight Australian Open title with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Sloane Stephens on Sunday after rain had washed away a good chunk of play on the opening day at Melbourne Park.

The top seed did not have it all her own way against the 2017 U.S. Open champion but wrapped up the win in little more than an hour on Rod Laver Arena, one of three courts where play continued under closed roofs during the deluge.

Men’s second seed Alexander Zverev, seeking a maiden Grand Slam title, made a dominant start to his bid as he closed out the evening session on the main showcourt with a 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory over 2019 semi-finalist Lucas Pouille.

Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, who lost to Sabalenka in last year’s final, reached the second round indoors, while men’s sixth seed Casper Ruud and former world number four Kei Nishikori dodged the wet weather to secure five-set victories.

It was another matter on the outside courts where play ended after less than an hour in the morning and did not resume until more than six hours later in the early evening.

Eight of the 32 scheduled singles matches were scratched and organisers will be giving thanks for the cushion of the extra day which was first added to the tournament last year.

One of the benefits of winning three Grand Slam titles is preferential scheduling and the roof of Rod Laver Arena was open again to the evening sun as Sabalenka took to court to face American Stephens.

Five breaks of serve, 20 winners and 21 unforced errors later and the Belarusian was leading the crowd in an impromptu dance, having secured a second-round clash with Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

Zverev was equally impressive despite not hitting top gear as he began his quest to become the first German man to claim a major since Boris Becker at Melbourne Park in 1996.

Frenchman Pouille tried his best to resist Zverev in the third set, but the world number 103 who has endured injury problems in recent years faded away.

At the start of the day, the roofs of the showcourts were already closed before a violent thunderstorm brought the first rain and Zheng and Romanian qualifier Anca Todoni played out their baseline battle uninterrupted.

Fifth seed Zheng, who did not play a warm-up tournament, struggled against the tall Todoni in the first set, finally breaking for 4-3 only to be broken back.

The 22-year-old saved a set point before clinching the tiebreaker 7-3 and quickly raced to a 3-0 lead in the second while Todoni racked up unforced errors as she fought to stay in the contest.