Injury is a cruel mistress for any professional sportsperson, a fact no more evident than yesterday when Victoria Azarenka faced Sloane Stephens in the first round of the Australian Open.

Azarenka, after all, was a two-time champion on the Melbourne Park courts, while Stephens was the woman she beat in the semi-finals two years ago, after the American had already beaten Serena Williams in the previous round.

Poor form had not forced the pair, undoubtedly two of the stronger players in the women’s draw, together in a surreal first round clash on Hisense Arena. It was injury.

The 25-year-old Belarusian entered the season opening grand slam ranked 44th, a major step down for a woman who had held the number one spot in the world for almost a year.

A foot injury that worsened after last year’s Australian Open cost her the first half of the season, while a knee injury accounted for much of the second, with both afflictions restricting her to just nine tournaments in 2014.

Ranking points disappeared and she tumbled down to a season-ending 32nd, her lowest position since 2006, while she came into the tournament unranked at a grand slam for the first time since 2007.

Azarenka, however, demonstrated in her 6-3 6-2 victory how dangerous a floater she will be in the draw.

“Since I missed so much, I think it’s kind of what it is,” Azarenka told reporters of her possible tournament path after she set up a second round clash with former world number one Caroline Wozniacki.

“You just accept that and you just try to do the best as possible. So if you play against seed or unseeded player, it’s going to be tough.

“You have got to be ready 100 per cent every day no matter who you’re facing.”

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