Victoria Azarenka is in an unfamiliar position as the Australian Open gets underway - unseeded after a long injury layoff and no longer a heavy favorite to capture a title she's already won twice.

While much as changed for the Belarussian, one thing has remained the same: her opponent on the other side of the net on Tuesday. For the third consecutive year, Azarenka knocked American Sloane Stephens out of the Open.

Their matches at Melbourne Park have all been one-sided - Azarenka has won all three in straight sets - but they haven't lacked drama.