As well as defending champion, the Belarusian enters this year's grand slam as world No.1 and says she thrives under the pressure carried by those two mantles.
"I like that feeling - that's what drives me and help me to stay motivated because I know that I have target on my back," the 26-year-old said on Friday at Melbourne ParkÂ
"I really like to have it. That's why I work really hard; to make sure that nobody can get to me."
Getting her Open underway against out-of-form ex-US Open champion Sloane Stephens, Sabalenka can join an elite group of female players who have claimed a title hat-trick in the professional era.
Having not lost a grand slam match on a hard court since the 2023 US Open, when she lost the final in three sets against Coco Gauff, and on the back of another Brisbane International title, she's hot favourite to maintain the streak.
Martina Hingis in 1999 was the last to achieve the feat, following in the footsteps of legends Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Margaret Court.
"Of course, I know that I have possibility of joining legends by winning three times in a row," the three-time major champion said.
Aryna Sabalenka comes into the Australian Open off a tournament win in Brisbane. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)
"I don't want to overthink about that. I just want to do my job and hopefully by the end of this tournament I'll be super proud of myself and I'll be able to put my name in the history."
Sabalenka took over the top ranking from Polish five-time major winner Iga Swiatek last September and finished the year as No.1, but said it didn't guarantee success.
Former Australian Open semi-finalists Swiatek and Gauff are expected to be among the challengers in Melbourne, while Qinwen Zheng proved her run to last year's title match was no fluke, winning two titles to enter the tournament as fifth seed.
"You still have to go out there, you still have to compete, you still have to prove it every day, that you deserve to be where you are," Sabalenka said.
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