Aryna Sabalenka, the dazzling Belarusian tennis phenom, blasted her way into the second round of the Australian Open 2026. She fought back from a horrid beginning against Rajaonah Rakotomanga to victory. World no. 1 Carlos Alcaraz also breezed through, beating Adam Walton in straight sets.
Sabalenka started her quarterfinal match with an unusual trip to rocky ground, dropping the first three points on serve. After a dreadful beginning to the match, she surprisingly bounced back immediately, fighting back to hold serve to deuce. But unfortunately, a misfire resulted in her carpet being captured, costing her the game and leaving her in a deep, immediate hole.
“I was a little bit off my best,” said Sabalenka after the match. She herself had such a strong performance that it created a tough first impression.
After settling into her match, Sabalenka’s saw muscle and might take center stage on the courts. She blasted an impressive eight aces and tallied 38 winners overall. This adventurous early play proved enough to overcome Rakotomanga’s defenses, and she took the first set. In the second set, Sabalenka was able to go unscathed over her opponent, clinching her place in the following round.
When asked how she felt about her run, she said, “I was really, really excited I was able to figure out my level.
Following her win, Sabalenka held an impromptu victory celebration with her fans. She stole the show with an unforgettable photo-op with tennis greats Roger Federer and Rod Laver.
Elsewhere, on his 22nd birthday, Carlos Alcaraz moved into the fourth round as he seeks a third Melbourne title in four years. He drew Adam Walton in the first round and won convincingly. With an uncharacteristic lack of consistent precision and control, Medvedev couldn’t find his footing and fell to Alcaraz in straight sets.
Alcaraz will play the winner of Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Bai Zhuoxuan next. He hopes to continue his sublime form in this year’s edition of the tournament.
Alexander Zverev, despite a slow start, staged a comeback to win over Gabriel Diallo. Zverev had dropped the first set before turning things around to take the match 6-7, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. When faced with his original draw, he stated, “For sure, when I saw the draw, I was not really glad to be honest. That’s a positive indication that he understands the squeeze he will likely be in during the first few rounds.
The tournament also featured another unexpected upset – this time in the opening round where Venus Williams took on Olga Danilovic. Aside from an early Williams double break, Williams was on the ropes as Danilovic wouldn’t relent. He came back from a 4-0 hole in the final set tiebreak and claimed the victory 6-7, 6-3, 6-4.
As the Australian Open start, Sabalenka and Alcaraz look to continue the momentum of their promising season opening. They’ll get that baptism with fire against the elite competition they’ll see in a loaded NCAA tournament.
