The 2026 Australian Open kicked off with high drama and decisive victories on Sunday, January 18, as the world's top tennis stars began their quest for the first Grand Slam title of the year.
Zverev Shakes Off Slow Start
Third-seeded German Alexander Zverev demonstrated his resilience on Rod Laver Arena, overcoming a challenging opener against Canada's rising talent, Gabriel Diallo. The world No. 41, Diallo, took an aggressive stance, pushing Zverev to a first-set tiebreak and clinching it 7-6(7).
However, the 2025 Melbourne Park runner-up quickly recalibrated. Leaning heavily on his formidable serve and powerful groundstrokes, Zverev dominated the subsequent sets to secure a 6-7(7), 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win. This victory extends his impressive streak of reaching the Australian Open second round to ten consecutive years.
Paolini's Commanding Start and Early Upsets
On the women's side, seventh seed Jasmine Paolini made a statement with a blistering performance. She needed only 27 minutes to claim the first set against Aliaksandra Sasnovich and wrapped up the match 6-1, 6-2 in a little over an hour, announcing her strong form early in the tournament.
The day was not kind to all seeded players. In a significant early upset on the men's side, Italy's 20th seed Flavio Cobolli became the first seeded casualty. He fell in straight sets, 7-6(7), 6-4, 6-1, to British qualifier Arthur Fery.
Other Key Results from Melbourne Park
Other seeds successfully navigated their opening rounds. Argentina's 18th seed Francisco Cerundolo advanced with a 6-3, 7-6(0), 6-3 win over China's Zhang Zhizhen. France's 32nd seed Corentin Moutet provided a moment of flair, sealing his 6-4, 7-6(1), 6-3 victory over Tristan Schoolkate with an underarm serve on match point.
In women's singles, 12th seed Elina Svitolina defeated Cristina Bucsa 6-4, 6-1, and Maria Sakkari moved past Leolia Jeanjean 6-4, 6-2. The draw saw one notable withdrawal, as former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova pulled out due to a shoulder injury.
This allowed Taylor Townsend to enter the main draw, where she faced Hailey Baptiste in an all-American battle on Court 13. Baptiste emerged victorious after a two-and-a-half-hour contest, winning 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-3.
As the first day's play continued, top seeds including Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz took to the court for their respective matches against Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah and Adam Walton.
