Australian Open order of play and schedule

Two-time Australian Open champion and World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka highlights the opening day of play at Melbourne Park, as the tournament gets underway on a Sunday for the second time.

The Australian Open became a 15-day event last year with the stated aim of helping reduce the number of late finishes at the event - although there were still instances of matches running into the early hours.

Sabalenka faces former US Open winner Sloane Stephens in the first night session of the tournament, in a battle of grand slam champions. The Belarusian is the hot favourite to defend her title and is aiming to become the first player to win three women’s titles in a row since Martina Hingis in 1999.

Earlier, Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng faces Anca Todoni, with the Chinese player aiming to avenge her defeat to Sabalenka in last year’s final. Zheng and Sabalenka happen to be on a collision course for the quarter-finals this year.

On the men’s side, World No 2 Alexander Zverev and World No 2 Casper Ruud are in action - with both players among those out to finally win a grand slam after several near-misses.

There is just one British player in action on the opening Sunday: Sonay Kartal, who won her first WTA title last season to crack the world’s top 100 for the first time, is in action against Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

Australian Open intended order of play - Sunday 12 January

(All times UK - GMT)

Rod Laver Arena

12:30 AM GMT

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

Not before 2:00 AM GMT

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

From 8:00 AM GMT

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

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

Margaret Court Arena

12:30 AM GMT

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

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

From 8:00 AM GMT

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

Anna Blinkova vs. Daria Saville (AUS)

John Cain Arena

From 12:00 AM GMT

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

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

From 5:00 AM GMT

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

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

KIA Arena

From 12:00 AM GMT

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

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

Not before 3:30 AM GMT

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

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

1573 Arena

From 12:00 AM 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 AM 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 AM GMT

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

Court 5

3:00 AM GMT

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

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

Court 6

12:00 AM 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 AM GMT

Jaime Faria (POR) vs. Pavel Kotov

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

Court 13

3:00 AM GMT

Tamara Zidansek (SLO) vs. Anastasia Potapova

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