Two-time Australian Open champion and World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka highlights the opening day of play at Melbourne Park, as the tournament gets underway on a Sunday for the second time.
The Australian Open became a 15-day event last year with the stated aim of helping reduce the number of late finishes at the event – although there were still instances of matches running into the early hours.
Sabalenka faces former US Open winner Sloane Stephens in the first night session of the tournament, in a battle of grand slam champions. The Belarusian is the hot favourite to defend her title and is aiming to become the first player to win three women’s titles in a row since Martina Hingis in 1999.
Earlier, Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng faces Anca Todoni, with the Chinese player aiming to avenge her defeat to Sabalenka in last year’s final. Zheng and Sabalenka happen to be on a collision course for the quarter-finals this year.
On the men’s side, World No 2 Alexander Zverev and World No 2 Casper Ruud are in action – with both players among those out to finally win a grand slam after several near-misses.
There is just one British player in action on the opening Sunday: Sonay Kartal, who won her first WTA title last season to crack the world’s top 100 for the first time, is in action against Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
Australian Open intended order of play – Sunday 12 January
(All times UK – GMT)
Rod Laver Arena
12:30 AM GMT
Anca Todoni (ROU) vs. Qinwen Zheng (CHN) [5]
Not before 2:00 AM GMT
Casper Ruud (NOR) [6] vs. Jaume Munar (ESP)
From 8:00 AM GMT
Aryna Sabalenka [1] vs. Sloane Stephens (USA)
Lucas Pouille (FRA) vs. Alexander Zverev (GER) [2]
Margaret Court Arena
12:30 AM GMT
Otto Virtanen (FIN) vs. Arthur Fils (FRA) [20]
Diane Parry (FRA) vs. Donna Vekic (CRO) [18]
From 8:00 AM GMT
Jiri Lehecka (CZE) [24] vs. Li Tu (AUS)
Anna Blinkova vs. Daria Saville (AUS)
John Cain Arena
From 12:00 AM GMT
Marie Bouzkova (CZE) vs. Mirra Andreeva [14]
Kei Nishikori (JPN) vs. Thiago Monteiro (BRA)
From 5:00 AM GMT
Paula Badosa (ESP) [11] vs. Xinyu Wang (CHN)
Ugo Humbert (FRA) [14] vs. Matteo Gigante (ITA)
KIA Arena
From 12:00 AM GMT
Yuliia Starodubtseva (UKR) vs. Leylah Fernandez (CAN) [30]
Gauthier Onclin (BEL) vs. Reilly Opelka (USA)
Not before 3:30 AM GMT
Damir Dzumhur (BIH) vs. Aleksandar Vukic (AUS)
Nao Hibino (JPN) vs. Marta Kostyuk (UKR) [17]
1573 Arena
From 12:00 AM GMT
Bernarda Pera (USA) vs. Tatjana Maria (GER)
Clara Tauson (DEN) vs. Linda Noskova (CZE) [29]
Sumit Nagal (IND) vs. Tomas Machac (CZE) [26]
Court 3
From 12:00 AM GMT
Hugo Gaston (FRA) vs. Omar Jasika (AUS)
Adam Walton (AUS) vs. Quentin Halys (FRA)
Cristina Bucsa (ESP) vs. Chloe Paquet (FRA)
Not before 6:00 AM GMT
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova [27] vs. Yue Yuan (CHN)
Court 5
3:00 AM GMT
Sonay Kartal (GBR) vs. Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (ESP)
Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) vs. Aziz Dougaz (TUN)
Court 6
12:00 AM GMT
Veronika Erjavec (SLO) vs. Suzan Lamens (NED)
Hady Habib (LBN) vs. Yunchaokete Bu (CHN)
Juncheng Shang (CHN) vs. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP)
Court 7
2:00 AM GMT
Jaime Faria (POR) vs. Pavel Kotov
Jule Niemeier (GER) vs. Maja Chwalinska (POL)
Court 13
3:00 AM GMT
Tamara Zidansek (SLO) vs. Anastasia Potapova
Pedro Martinez (ESP) vs. Luciano Darderi (ITA)
