Defending champion baffles Australian Open fans by causing a stir on live television after securing her passage to the second round

Defending Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka booked her passage to the second round of the tournament on Sunday evening, sealing a straight sets victory against former US Open champion Sloane Stephens.

But after the match there was a bizarre moment when the 2024 Australian Open champion was dared to do a dance by presenter Jelena Dokic.

Dokic played some of the 26-year-old’s dancing TikToks on the big screen, with Sabalenka saying, “I’m trying my best, I’m not the best dancer, but I’m doing my best.”

But Dokic pressed further, telling the world number one: ‘I have a question. You’re always dancing, but there’s no one in the crowd. So I have an idea…’

Sabalenka appeared to blush before saying, “Only if the whole crowd joins me!”

‘Of course, but shall we dance? If you want, I can dance with you,” Dokic said.

It came after the defending champions (left) defeated Sloane Stephens (right) in their opening round match

She added, “You’re showing us the moves!”

The tunes started blasting over the tannoy system at Rod Laver Arena before the pair began showing off their dancing skills.

Australian actress Rebel Wilson was seen in the crowd boogying while Sabalenka and Dokic danced on the field.

“Now they’ve approved that I’m the worst dancer,” Sabalenka said, laughing into the microphone after the jive.

Sabalenka impressed on Sunday against Stephens who took a 4-0 lead in the first set.

Struggling to hold off the American’s advance, with Stephens coming back twice, she closed with a break of her own before serving out for set point.

The 26-year-old began to put pressure on her opponent again in the second set and this time she would be more clinical on her own serve, not allowing Stephens to hit back before taking the match.

She raised eyebrows earlier this week by dropping a bombshell about when she could retire.

“Now I don’t walk much anymore. I have to save my hips and my back,” she said, reflecting on her time running along the Yarra River as a younger player.

“I’m 26 this year, 27, oh my god, 27 this year,” she said.

‘I played an exhibition with Mirra Andreeva – I am nine years older than her. Nine. As a professional athlete, I am getting very close to retirement. Can you believe that? People retire at the age of thirty.’

Sabalenka secured a 6-3 6-2 victory over her opponent to get her title defense off to a flying start in Melbourne

She was again pressured about her future.

“I don’t know, it’s a hard question,” she said.

‘I hope I have a family. I love children, I don’t want to have my first child at 35.

‘I really want to have a child and then come back. I want my child to see how hard you have to work in life to get things. So yeah, I don’t know. That’s a very deep conversation.’