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Sabalenka Beats Stephens to Begin Bid for 3rd Australian Open Title

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus (L) shakes hands at the net with Sloane Stephens of USA after winning the Women's Singles first round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 12 January 2025. EPA/LUKAS COCH
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus (L) shakes hands at the net with Sloane Stephens of USA after winning the Women's Singles first round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 12 January 2025. EPA/LUKAS COCH
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Sabalenka Beats Stephens to Begin Bid for 3rd Australian Open Title

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus (L) shakes hands at the net with Sloane Stephens of USA after winning the Women's Singles first round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 12 January 2025. EPA/LUKAS COCH
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus (L) shakes hands at the net with Sloane Stephens of USA after winning the Women's Singles first round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 12 January 2025. EPA/LUKAS COCH

Aryna Sabalenka began her bid to become the first woman in a quarter-century to win three consecutive Australian Open titles, eliminating 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens 6-3, 6-2 on Sunday night in just 71 minutes.

Sabalenka is seeded No. 1 at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time and while she was not perfect in this first-round match — “Not like I played my best, probably,” she said — it was plenty good, The Associated Press reported.

As big a server as there is in women's tennis, Sabalenka did not hit her first ace until the match's 15th game and finished with only two.

She won her first major championship at Melbourne Park in 2023, then added another last January, before raising her total to three Slam trophies at the US Open in September.

The last woman to win the Australian Open three years in a row was Martina Hingis from 1997 to 1999.

“I am super happy to be back,” Sabalenka said. “I love this place.”
In the second round, Sabalenka will take on Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, who upset reigning champion Marketa Vondrousova at Wimbledon in 2024.

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García Shines in Espanyol Goal and Valencia Hits Bottom of La Liga

Espanyol's Leandro Cabrera (C) celebrates scoring the 1-0 goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between RCD Espanyol and CD Leganes, in Barcelona, Spain, 11 January 2025. EPA/Alejandro Garcia
Espanyol's Leandro Cabrera (C) celebrates scoring the 1-0 goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between RCD Espanyol and CD Leganes, in Barcelona, Spain, 11 January 2025. EPA/Alejandro Garcia
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García Shines in Espanyol Goal and Valencia Hits Bottom of La Liga

Espanyol's Leandro Cabrera (C) celebrates scoring the 1-0 goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between RCD Espanyol and CD Leganes, in Barcelona, Spain, 11 January 2025. EPA/Alejandro Garcia
Espanyol's Leandro Cabrera (C) celebrates scoring the 1-0 goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between RCD Espanyol and CD Leganes, in Barcelona, Spain, 11 January 2025. EPA/Alejandro Garcia

Espanyol was grateful again that Joan García didn't end up at Arsenal last summer after the goalkeeper made multiple saves against Leganes to salvage a 1-1 draw in La Liga on Saturday.
Espanyol defender Leandro Cabrera headed in a headed pass by Alex Kral on a corner kick to put the hosts ahead just two minutes into the match.
But Leganes showed how it was able to stun Barcelona last month when it outplayed Espanyol the rest of the way. García’s timely saves were the only barrier to the small club from Madrid from taking the three points.
García made at least four quality stops in the second half, including back-to-back saves in the 74th, The Associated Press reported.
After Leganes midfielder Yvan Neyou hit the post, García dove to parry Miguel de la Fuente and then had to spring back up before stretching low to deny Juan Cruz from putting in the loose ball from a tight angle.
García was linked to a possible move to Arsenal after he helped Spain win the gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
He called the draw with Leganes, which like Espanyol was promoted last season, simply “not enough” given that they were considered rivals in the fight to avoid relegation.
“We have to find a way to win our home games against our direct rivals. Now we have to beat Valladolid,” García said about the next match against another struggler.
Espanyol was in 18th place, in the drop zone, with Valladolid one point behind in 19th after it beat Real Betis 1-0 to give new coach Diego Cocca his first win.
Valencia hits bottom Valencia sunk to last place after conceding late at Sevilla for a 1-1 draw in a matchup of two big clubs who find themselves in the doldrums.
Sevilla, whose club executives heard jeers before halftime, rescued a point at home thanks to a rare goalkeeping error by Giorgi Mamardashvili. The Georgia goalie let a last-gasp strike by Adria Pedrosa hit his arm and into the net for the stoppage-time equalizer.
Valencia had been eyeing its first away win of the season after Luis Rioja scored on the break with half an hour left.
Instead, the draw left it in last place halfway through the 38-round season and four points from safety.
“We are not able to finish off games and are receiving some hard blows,” Rioja said. “A little bad luck means we once again let points get away.”
Sevilla's disgruntled supporters called for the club executives to step down after a poor first half and then jeered its players after the final whistle.
Rubén Vargas debuted for Sevilla as a second-half substitute a day after the Switzerland forward completed his move from Augsburg. He curled a shot off the post in the 81st in one of the few bright moments for the team that is in 13th place.
Also, Girona substitute John Solís scored in injury time at Alaves to snatch a 1-0 win after he took advantage of a flubbed clearance attempt by defender Moussa Diarra.