BENGALURU, Jan 12 (Reuters) - World ‌number one Aryna Sabalenka enters the Australian Open in her familiar role as the hot favourite ‌but unlike in the past two years the powerful Belarusian arrives without a title ‌to defend or the momentum of a winning run in Melbourne.

The twice champion's 20-match winning streak at the season's opening major was snapped in the title clash 12 months ago when American outsider Madison Keys denied her a successful defence and a rare ‍three-peat last achieved by Martina Hingis in 1999.