Sabalenka fires warning shot with Australian Open masterclass

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka opened the defence of her Australian Open title in ominous fashion Sunday, blasting past German qualifier Ella Seidel for the loss of just one game.

The powerful Belarusian, who came from a set down to beat Elena Rybakina in the final 12 months ago, was in a different class on her way to a 6-0, 6-1 victory in just 53 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

Seidel, playing her debut Grand Slam, won only 10 points in a 22-minute first set demolition, making multiple unforced errors as Sabalenka imposed herself.

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It did not get much better in the second set as the world No 2 kept up the hard-hitting barrage, with her serve unstoppable.