MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP) — Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen and sixth seed Casper Ruud rallied to make the Australian Open second round Sunday as storms caused havoc ahead of Aryna Sabalenka beginning her quest for a historic third consecutive crown.

Fifth seed Zheng, last year’s losing finalist, had the honor of playing the first point on center court at the opening Grand Slam of the season against Romania’s 110th-ranked Anca Todoni.

She came through 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 on Rod Laver Arena but was rusty after opting not to play a warm-up event.

Zheng had three set points on her own serve at 5-3 in the first set, but allowed Todoni to come roaring back before closing her down in the tiebreak then racing through the second set.

“The first match is always not easy,” she said.

“Just happy to get through the match, the tiebreak and find my rhythm.”

The 22-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough 2024 with her Australian Open exploits helping spur her to Olympic gold — beating Iga Swiatek on the way — and three WTA titles.

While Zheng was able to play, the action on outside courts at Melbourne Park was halted barely an hour after it started when storms rolled in that turned the sky black.

Thunder and lightning saw players and fans rushing for cover, with heavy rain lashing Melbourne Park in a headache for organizers who face a match backlog.

No play was scheduled before 6:30 p.m. at the earliest.

Only the three main stadiums — Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena and John Cain Arena — have roofs.

Norway’s Ruud said ahead of the event that playing better at Grand Slams was on his agenda this year after an underwhelming 2024 at the majors.

But he will need to lift his game to go deep in Melbourne after a rollercoaster 6-3, 1-6, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 win over Spain’s Jaume Munar, ranked 106.

“It was just a really tough match,” he said.

Japanese veteran Kei Nishikori also came through a five-set marathon, saving two match points to beat Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro 4-6, 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-2, 6-3 in four hours and six minutes.

‘The first match is always easy.’

“I almost gave up at match point,” said Nishikori, who is on the comeback trail after spending years sidelined by major hip surgery and an ankle injury.

“But I somehow fought through.”

Mirra Andreeva was the first player into the second round, with the 14th seeded Russian easing past the Czech Republic’s Marie Bouzkova 6-3, 6-3.

The 17-year-old made the fourth round in Melbourne last year and is looking to better that performance.

“Honestly, it was a bit hard for me when they started closing the roof (mid-match),” said Andreeva, who is coached by former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez.

“I’m very happy today that I played in a stadium with a roof.”

Croat 18th seed Donna Vekic also progressed.

Belarusian world number one Sabalenka headlines the evening session on Rod Laver Arena in a potentially tricky encounter with 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens.

Men’s second seed Alexander Zverev rounds off the first night against the dangerous Lucas Pouille of France, who made the semi-finals in 2019 before losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.

Sabalenka is aiming to become the first woman since Martina Hingis (1997-99) to win three consecutive Australian Opens.

If she lifts the winner’s Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup again, Sabalenka will join a select group of Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles and Hingis as the only women to complete a Melbourne three-peat.

“Hopefully by the end of this tournament I’ll be able to put my name into history,” she said.

Sabalenka won the Brisbane International in the lead-up and accepts she is the woman to beat after the best season of her career in 2024, where she also won a maiden US Open.

“That’s what drives me and helps me to stay motivated because I know that I have a target on my back and I really like to have it,” she said.