Sabalenka was staring down the barrel at a first-round defeat as she trailed by a set and 3-1 to wildcard Storm Sanders of Australia.

Double faults were costing Sabalenka dear as Sanders had a point to secure a double-break lead in the second set in front of a partisan home crown.

However, Sabalenka crucially managed to hold serve before turning the match on its head, completing a 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 triumph in a little more than two hours.

The women's draw lost another former Australian Open champion as Germany’s Angelique Kerber followed Sofia Kenin of the United States through the exit door.

Kerber, a winner in 2016, suffered a 6-4, 6-3 defeat to Estonian Kaia Kanepi in the first round.

Sorana Cîrstea of Romania stunned two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitová of the Czech Republic with a 6-2, 6-2 success.

Cîrstea was one of three Romanians to advance to the next round of the women's singles, with Irina-Camelia Begu beating Océane Dodin of France 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 and former world number one Simona Halep overcoming Poland’s Magdalena Fręch 6-4, 6-3.

There were also comprehensive victories for top-10 seeds Iga Świątek of Poland, Garbiñe Muguruza of Spain, Anett Kontaveit of Estonia and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia.

Reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu of Britain marked her Australian Open main-draw debut with a 6-0, 2-6, 6-1 win over American Sloane Stephens.

In the men's draw, Murray battled hard to defeat Georgian 21st seed Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, 6-7, 6-4 to reach the second round.

It was Murray's first appearance at the Australian Open since 2019, which he feared would be the final tournament in his professional career before undergoing hip surgery.

The former world number one's victory was his first in the event since 2017.

"It is amazing [to be back]," said Murray.

"It has been a tough three, four years.

"I have put a lot of work to be back here and I have played on this court many times and the atmosphere has been incredible.

"I have always had fantastic support and this is the court I thought I potentially played my last match on.

"But it is good to be back, winning a five-set battle like that.

"I could not ask for any more."

There were no big surprises in the opening round of the men’s singles as Russians Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev and Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece swept to straight-sets victories.

Now the highest-ranked men’s competitor following Serbian Novak Djokovic’s deportation, second seed Medvedev thrashed Henri Laaksonen of Denmark 6-1, 6-4, 7-6.

Fourth seed Tsitsipas beat Mikael Ymer of Sweden 6-2, 6-4, 6-3, while Rublev, seeded fifth, claimed a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Gianluca Mager of Italy.

World number nine Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada came from behind to defeat Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori 6-4, 0-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

There was disappointment for Italy as Lorenzo Musetti, Andreas Seppi, Mager, Marco Cecchinato and Stefano Travaglia all went out.

But Jannik Sinner ensured there was another Italian in the second round following Matteo Berrettini’s win yesterday as the 11th seed beat Portugal’s João Sousa 6-4, 7-5, 6-1.

Competition is due to continue tomorrow.