Two-time Australian Open champion and world number one Aryna Sabalenka lights up the opening day at Melbourne Park as the tournament begins on a Sunday for the second time.

The Australian Open became a 15-day event last year with the stated aim of reducing the number of late arrivals to the event – although there were still instances of matches running into the early hours of the morning.

Sabalenka will face former US Open champion Sloane Stephens in the first night session of the tournament in a battle of Grand Slam winners. The Belarusian is the hot favorite to defend the title and is aiming to become the first player since Martina Hingis in 1999 to win three women’s titles in a row.

Previously, Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng will face Anca Todoni, with the Chinese player looking to avenge her loss to Sabalenka in last year’s final. Zheng and Sabalenka happen to be on a collision course for the quarterfinals this year.

On the men’s side, world No. 2 Alexander Zverev and world No. 2 Casper Ruud are in action – with both players looking to finally win a Grand Slam after several near misses.

Only one British player will be in action on the opening Sunday: Sonay Kartal, who won her first WTA title last season and cracked the world top 100 for the first time, will take on Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

Scheduled order of play for the Australian Open – Sunday, January 12th

(All times UK – GMT)

Rod Laver Arena

00:30 GMT

Anca Todoni (ROU) vs. Qinwen Zheng (CHN) (5)

Not before 2:00 GMT

Casper Ruud (NOR) (6) vs. Jaume Munar (ESP)

From 8:00 a.m. GMT

Aryna Sabalenka (1) vs. Sloane Stephens (USA)

Lucas Pouille (FRA) vs. Alexander Zverev (GER) (2)

Margaret Court Arena

00:30 GMT

Otto Virtanen (FIN) vs. Arthur Fils (FRA) (20)

Diane Parry (FRA) vs. Donna Vekic (CRO) (18)

From 8:00 a.m. GMT

Jiri Lehecka (CZE) (24) vs. Li Tu (AUS)

Anna Blinkova vs. Daria Saville (AUS)

John Cain Arena

From 12:00 GMT

Marie Bouzkova (CZE) vs. Mirra Andreeva (14)

Kei Nishikori (JPN) vs. Thiago Monteiro (BRA)

From 5:00 GMT

Paula Badosa (ESP) (11) vs. Xinyu Wang (CHN)

Ugo Humbert (FRA) (14) vs. Matteo Gigante (ITA)

KIA Arena

From 12:00 GMT

Yuliia Starodubtseva (UKR) vs. Leylah Fernandez (CAN) (30)

Gauthier Onclin (BEL) vs. Reilly Opelka (USA)

Not before 3:30am GMT

Damir Dzumhur (BIH) vs. Aleksandar Vukic (AUS)

Nao Hibino (JPN) vs. Marta Kostyuk (UKR) (17)

1573 Arena

From 12:00 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 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 GMT

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (27) vs. Yue Yuan (CHN)

Court 5

3:00 GMT

Sonay Kartal (GBR) vs. Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (ESP)

Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) vs. Aziz Dougaz (TUN)

Court 6

12:00 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 GMT

Jaime Faria (POR) versus Pavel Kotov

Jule Niemeier (GER) vs. Maja Chwalinska (POL)

Court 13

3:00 GMT

Tamara Zidansek (SLO) versus Anastasia Potapova

Pedro Martinez (ESP) vs. Luciano Darderi (ITA)