LAST UPDATE | 9 hrs ago

DEFENDING CHAMPION ARYNA Sabalenka extended her Australian Open winning streak to 15 matches on a rain-soaked opening day at Melbourne Park.

Less than an hour of play was possible on the outside courts before a huge thunderstorm hit Melbourne Park, sending spectators running for cover and causing a delay of more than six hours.

The matches continued as scheduled on the three covered courts, and Sabalenka opened the night session on Rod Laver Arena with a 6-3 6-2 victory over former US Open champion Sloane Stephens.

While it was a tough draw on paper, Stephens has slipped to 81 in the rankings and, barring a mini revival from the American when she won three games in a row after losing the first four, this was smooth sailing for Sabalenka.

The two-time champion said: “It was a tough match, always tough matches against her. Not that I played my best probably but I was glad I was able to close this match in straight sets.”

The player Sabalenka beat in the final last year, fifth seed Zheng Qinwen, also safely reached round two.

The 22-year-old from China, who went on to win Olympic gold in Paris, did not have things all her own way against Romanian qualifier Anca Todoni but battled to a 7-6 (3) 6-1 victory.

Zheng looked in complete control serving for the set at 5-4 and leading 40-0 only for Todoni to win five points in a row.

The Romanian then held three set points with Zheng serving at 5-6 but could not take any of them and things were comfortable for the fifth seed thereafter.

Teenager Mirra Andreeva could be a factor come the latter stages of the tournament and she began strongly with a 6-3 6-3 victory over Marie Bouzkova.

But 29th seed Linda Noskova, who upset Iga Swiatek on her way to the quarter-finals last year, fell to a 5-7 6-3 6-4 loss against talented Dane Clara Tauson.

Rain lashes the Australian Open. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

In the men’s singles, sixth seed Casper Ruud survived a major scare to avoid a first opening-round loss at a grand slam since Wimbledon four years ago.

The Norwegian was twice pegged back by Spaniard Jaume Munar but proved too strong in the deciding set to claim a 6-3 1-6 7-5 2-6 6-1 victory.

Also prevailing in a fifth was Japanese veteran Kei Nishikori, who came from two sets down to beat Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro 4-6 6-7 (4) 7-5 6-2 6-3 for just his second slam victory since 2021.

The 35-year-old former US Open finalist has been dogged by injuries in recent years but, after saving two match points in the third, he extended his five-set record to a superb 29 wins from 37 matches, coming through in four hours and six minutes.

Nishikori has quite the reputation for winning in matches that go the distance, and he said: “Even after the match, everybody, a couple of players, was joking to me, ‘Another five sets’.

“I mean, it’s good to have that record because I always have good confidence, and players know that I have a good record. It’s good pressure for them if I have that.” 

World number two Alexander Zverev surged into the second round with a straight sets victory to kickstart his bid to better the semi-final he made last year.

The German saw off French wildcard Lucas Pouille, who made the last four in 2019 before losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena.

It put him into round two at Melbourne Park for a ninth straight year, setting up a meeting next with Spain’s 44th-ranked Pedro Martinez.

Finally, Lebanon’s Hady Habib made history by becoming the first player from his country to win a Grand Slam match.

World number 219 Habib is the only Lebanese ever, man or woman, to come through qualifying and reach the main draw at one of the four majors.

The 26-year-old continued his fairytale run with a 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) victory over China’s Bu Yunchaokete in front of a frenzied crowd out on Court 13.

He was draped in the Lebanon flag as he signed autographs after the match.

Updated at 12.37 with Zverev result