Sabalenka to face Sanders in Australian Open first round

The 2022 Australian Open women's singles draw was revealed on Thursday, BelTA has learned.

Belarus’ world number 2 Aryna Sabalenka will play world number 135 Storm Sanders of Australia. Two-time Australian Open champion and former world number one Victoria Azarenka, ranked 25, will open against Hungary’s world number 98 Panna Udvardy. Belarus’ world number 77 Aliaksandra Sasnovich will face one of the winners of the qualifying round.

In the men’s event Belarus’ world number 48 Ilya Ivashka will take on Spain’s world number 88 Pablo Andujar of Spain. Belarus’ world number 106 Egor Gerasimov will play Poland’s world number 10 Hubert Hurkacz.

The main draw of the 110th edition of the Australian Open will take place on the Melbourne Park hard courts on 17-30 January. The event’s prize money totals $53.9 million. Last year the Australian Open men’s event was won by Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, the women’s event by Naomi Osaka of Japan. Victoria Azarenka won the event in 2012 and 2013.