Australian Open Day 1 preview: Sabalenka's journey to self-discovery

Last week in Brisbane, Aryna Sabalenka was asked about defending her title at the Australian Open.

“Just having this kind of thought in the background of your mind: 'I actually have title to defend,’ makes it actually not easy,” she said. “Especially with the Grand Slams, it can get super emotional.

“But I think I did a great job in the preseason, and I think I’m ready to do it.”

The last one to do it was Victoria Azarenka, in 2012-13. Sabalenka looked terrific beating Azarenka in the Brisbane semifinals, but that was before she was scalded 6-0, 6-3 by Elena Rybakina in the final.

“Elena just played incredible tennis,” Sabalenka told reporters Friday in Melbourne. “She just crushed it. I tried to do my best, and I’m just thankful for those three games. After the finals, was another week to work on those mistakes and just prepare myself as good as I can.”

Sabalenka’s first-round match against qualifier Ella Seidel is Sunday night in Rod Laver Arena. They have never played.

Sabalenka is an essential character in Season 2 of the Netflix docuseries “Break Point” that details the highs and lows of 2023 and became available Wednesday. Sabalenka, in the span of less than 10 months, experiences enough dramatic reversals to fill an entire career. 

Australian Open: Scores | Draws | Order of play

After winning her first major in Melbourne in Episode 1, she falls in the semifinals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Then, near the end of Episode 6, wins the first set of the US Open final against 19-year-old Coco Gauff and seems on the verge of collecting her second. But Gauff comes back to win her first major title. After shots of Gauff kissing the trophy we see Sabalenka, alone, in a dark tunnel under Arthur Ashe Stadium, smashing her Wilson racquet to pieces.

That episode is called “Becoming the One,” because despite losing, Sabalenka passed Iga Swiatek and became the WTA Tour’s 29^th No.1 player. Less than two months later, she was back to No.2.

Sitting down for an extensive Netflix interview before the US Open began, Sabalenka opened up about her pursuit of No.1.

“I had this chance already, and I didn’t make it at the French Open,” she said. “I lost focus because I was thinking about becoming World No.1. I had so many chances, I just lost it.”

Sabalenka fell to Karolina Muchova 7-6(5), 6-7(5), 7-5 in a match that ran 3 hours, 13 minutes and ended Sabalenka’s 12-match major winning streak.

“If it doesn’t kill us, it makes us stronger,” Sabalenka said, smiling. I’m getting [to be a] really strong person.”

Sabalenka reached the semifinals at all four majors last year, something no other woman came close to doing. She won 23 major matches, a total exceeded by only three women this century: Serena Williams, Justine Henin and Jennifer Capriati -- by one. But now, the loss to Rybakina in the Brisbane final is another jagged spike in the graph of Aryna Sabalenka’s timeline.

“I did a big change in my mindset last year,” Sabalenka said in Brisbane. “I kind of accept the fact that I can lose, that everyone can go there and beat me if I’m not bringing my best tennis. Accepting this fact give you more belief. 

“Worst case, what happen? I’m going to lose a Grand Slam, lose some points, drop a little bit in the ranking. There’s so many tournaments ahead. I’m going to prepare every match and have huge chances to win the match after match, probably to hold the trophy.”

Three more storylines to watch on Day 1

An under-the radar record continues

Alize Cornet has never been past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam but has developed a record of consistent excellence that is unmatched.

At the 2022 US Open, she appeared in her 63^rd consecutive major main draw, surpassing Ai Sugiama for the all-time record. The 33-year-old from Nice, France is still going; she plays qualifier Maria Timofeeva in the first round. That makes 68 straight majors. Don’t sleep on her chances to make an impression here. Two years ago, Cornet scored upset wins over Garbiñe Muguruza and Simona Halep to make the quarters for the first and only time.

Wozniacki still has belief

Returning last year after giving birth to two children, Caroline Wozniacki said she was capable of winning a second Australian Open title. Meeting with reporters Friday, she doubled down on that statement.

“I think anytime I step on a court, I believe I can win the match no matter who the opponent is across the net,” the 2018 champion said. “I think I’m playing well. I’m just going to focus on my first-round opponent and kind of go from there.”

That would be No.20 seed Magda Linette, in one of the more intriguing opening matches. Wozniacki, playing with a wild card, beat Linette the two previous times they’ve played, but that was back in 2016-17 when Linette was ranked much lower.

Wozniacki, 33, lost her first match in Brisbane to No.2 seed Elina Svitolina, while the 31-year-old Linette split matches there.

Youth is served quite nicely

Sabalenka’s first-round opponent, qualifier Ella Seidel, is an 18-year-old German. Leylah Fernandez, who also opens Sunday, meets another qualifier, 17-year-old Sara Bejlek from the Czech Republic.

Believe it or not, they’re not the youngest players in the women’s draw. There are three -- count them, three -- 16-year-old in the main draw. Mirra Andreeva got in with her ranking of No.47. Brenda Fruhvirtova (No.110) qualified for the second consecutive year, joining 18-year-old sister Linda (No.85), and Alina Korneeva (No.180) will play Sara Sorribes Tormo in the first round.

Both Brenda Fruhvirtova and Korneeva saved match points in qualifying.

Australian Open order of play: Day 1

Rod Laver Arena

Jannik Sinner vs. Botic van de Zandschulp

Maria Sakkari vs. Nao Hibino

Novak Djokovic vs. Dino Prizmic

Aryna Sabalenka vs. Ella Seidel

Margaret Court Arena

Mai Hontama vs. Barbora Krejcikova

Thiago Seyboth Wild vs. Andrey Rublev

Magda Linette vs. Caroline Wozniacki

Frances Tiafoe vs. Borna Coric

John Cain Arena

Leylah Fernandez vs. Sara Bejlek

Dane Sweeny vs. Francisco Cerundolo

Taylor Fritz vs. Facundo Diaz Acosta