Australian Open 2026, Day 1 Highlights: Sabalenka, Alcaraz Seal Easy Wins; Pavlyuchenkova Stunned By Bai

Greetings and welcome, tennis lovers. It is finally time for the first Grand Slam of the year, with the opening day featuring Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka, Venus Williams and several other star players. Stay with us for the latest updates from Down Under.

Greek tennis star Maria Sakkari is in action at the Margaret Court Arena. She is taking on Leolia Jeanjean of France and has won the 1st set 6-4.

Elsewhere, no 7 seed Jasmine Paolini made light work of her opponent Aliaksandra Sasnovich, as the Italian won 6-1, 6-2 and progressed to the next round.

We could have the 1st major upset of the day in the form of Flavio Cobolli, no 20 seed. The Italian is struggling against Arthur Fery with the latter 3-0 in the third set and already 2-0 in the match.

Flavio Cobolli becomes the first seeded player to exit on the 1st day of AO 2026. The 20 seed Italian lost 6-7 (1-7), 4-6, 1-6 to Britan's Arthur Fery.

Alexander Zverev's match against Gabriel Diallo has started on Rod Laver Arena. The German is trailing 1-4 in the first set.

In shocking turn of events, German Alexander Zverev has lost the 1st set to Gabriel Diallo. The Canadian won the 1st set 7-6 (7-1). A lot of work to do for Zverev in this set now.

Now that's called a comeback. After losing the first set 7-6, Zverev makes a stunning comeback and beat Diallo 6-1 with pure domination throughout the set.

Elena Svitolina progressed to Round 2 of the Australian Open 2026, defeating Critina Bucsa 6-4, 6-1 at John Cain Arena. 

After shockingly going behind in the 1st set, Alexander Zverev has taken the next two sets, to lead 2-1 in the match. If he wins the fourth set, the German will clinch victory in a hard-fought match.

And just like that, Alexander Zverev survives a scare in the opening round, by defeating Gabriel Diallo. The German wins 6-7(1), 6-1, 6-4, 6-2.

No. 7 seed Jasmine Paolini got the dominant start she wanted, defeating Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour at the Rod Laver Arena as the Australian Open got started on Sunday.

In early matches, No. 20 Flavio Cobolli became the first seeded man to lose. Arthur Fery defeated Cobolli 7-6 (7), 6-4, 6-1.

Also, No. 18 seed Francisco Cerundolo beat Zhang Zhizhen 6-3, 7-6 (0), 6-3, and No. 32 seed Corentin Moutet defeated Tristan Schoolkate 6-4, 7-6 (1), 6-3.

On the women’s side, No. 12 Elina Svitolina defeated Cristina Bucsa 6-4, 6-1, and Maria Sakkari won over Leolia Jeanjean 6-4, 6-2.

(AP)

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka will begin her AO 2026 campaign against qualifier Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah. The 27-year-old is a two-time Australian Open singles champion and has reached each of the past three finals in Melbourne.

Fresh from her 'Battle of the Sexes' face-off against Kygrios, which she lost, Sabalenka is back amongst where she belongs - the Grand Slam. The Belarusian will be favourite tonight, given her ranking and class. A huge night for the qualifier Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah.

Aryna Sabalenka is having a rough start to her opening round match against Rakotomanga Rajaonah. One thought she would start easy but the Belarusian has been challenged by the qualifier in the opening set.

Sabalenka 4-3 Rakotomanga Rajaonah

Aryna Sabalenka has won the first set 6-4 but the no. 1 seed was made to work for it. The qualifier, Rakotomanga Rajaonah, did have the Belarusian on the strings with the tournament favourite often committing errors.

Australian Open top seed Aryna Sabalenka converts her second match point to advance to round two in straight sets. The Belarusian was made to work hard for the 1st set, but showed her class in the 2nd set.

It began as a tight contest as Alcaraz's Aussie opponent gave him some tough test, tying the set 3-3 at one point. However, the Spaniard's skillset was too much at the end, generating power out of nowhere to dominate the contest and win the first set 6-3.

British star Cameron Norrie, ranked 28 in the world, has moved on to the second round with a 6-0, 6-7(2), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Frenchman Benjamin Bonzie. After a stunning start, the Brit was pegged back by two narrow losses, but rallied to win the match 3-2.

What a stunning comeback from Danilovic to beat Venus Williams 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4!! The American legend got the upper hand after winning the first set on tie-break, but the 24-year-old Serbian roared back to clinch the second. Venus looked confident to clinch the match after leading the decider 4-0 at one point. However, Danilovic won six games in a row to seal victory.

World no. 44 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has been stunned Chinese underdog Zhuoxuan Bai. The 24-year-old, ranked 697, beat the Russian veteran 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(10). Despite dominating most of the play, the high number of unforced errors derailed Pavlyuchenkova's campaign.

And the Carlos Alcaraz train marches on to the second round! A brilliant fight back from the home player, forcing the second set into tie-breaks but eventually losing the match in straight sets by 6-3, 7-6(2), 6-2. The Spaniard, meanwhile, is on his way to a maiden AO title.

British star Emma Raducanu has made a solid start to her Australian Open campaign, beating Thailand's Mananchaya Sawangkaew in straight sets by 6-4, 6-1. The 24-year-old Thai challenger led the first set 3-1, but from then on, Raducanu dominated the contest and moves on to the second round.

Men’s Singles

• Tristan Schoolkate (AUS) vs. Corentin Moutet (FRA) — Moutet wins 6-4, 7-6(1), 6-3

• Alexander Zverev (GER) vs. Gabriel Diallo (CAN) — Zverev wins 7-6(1), 6-1, 6-4, 6-3

• Francis Tiafoe (USA) vs. Jason Kubler (AUS) — Tiafoe wins 7-6(4), 6-3, 6-2

• Alexander Bublik (KAZ) vs. Jenson Brooksby (USA) — Bublik wins 6-4, 6-4, 6-4

• Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) vs. Adam Walton (AUS) — Alcaraz wins 6-3, 7-6(2), 6-2

Women’s Singles

• Talia Gibson (AUS) vs. Anna Blinkova (RUS) — Gibson wins 6-1, 6-3

• Jasmine Paolini (ITA) vs. Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR) — Paolini wins 6-1, 6-2

• Venus Williams (USA) vs. Olga Danilović (SRB) — Danilović wins 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-4

• Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) vs. Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah (FRA) — Sabalenka wins 6-4, 6-1

• Emma Raducanu (GBR) vs. Mananchaya Sawangkaew (THA) — Raducanu wins 6-4, 6-1