Alcaraz, Sabalenka make stuttering starts to Australian Open 2026

Alcaraz, Sabalenka make stuttering starts to Australian Open 2026Top seeds are pushed despite straight-sets wins as the tennis Grand Slam gets under way on a hot day in Melbourne.Spain's Carlos Alcaraz beat Australia's Adam Walton in their men's singles first round match at the Australian Open in Melbourne on January 18, 2026 [Paul Crock/AFP]Published On 18 Jan 2026Top seeds Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka have entered the second round of the Australian Open despite some early scares as the main draw of the first tennis Grand Slam of 2026 got under way in Melbourne.Alcaraz was pushed in the second round by home qualifier Adam Walton despite a straight-sets win for the world number one on Sunday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Yin-yang of tennis: ‘Sincaraz’ rivalry back in focus before Australian Openlist 2 of 3Australian Open 2026: All to know about the first tennis Grand Slamlist 3 of 3‘I didn’t set out to break records’: Pakistan’s first female MMA fighterend of listThe Spaniard won 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 in two hours and five minutes to launch his quest for his maiden Australian Open title, which would help him complete a career Grand Slam.The reigning French and US Open champion hit eight aces and 38 winners to set up a second-round clash with Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann.But he also made 36 unforced errors, more than his 81st-ranked opponent.He has not made it past the quarterfinals in four trips to Australia, losing at that stage last year to Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev the year before.Should he snap his Australia drought, Alcaraz would become the youngest man to bank a career Grand Slam, surpassing retired compatriot Rafael Nadal, who secured all four majors by the age of 24.He would also be the youngest man in the Open era to win seven Grand Slams since Bjorn Borg, aged 23.Meanwhile, an error-strewn Sabalenka made a stodgy start to her title charge in a 6-4, 6-1 win over French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah.The world number one, who is chasing a third Melbourne crown in four years, faces Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia or Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan next.“I did not start my best, but she was playing great; it was a tricky start,” said Sabalenka, who lost last year’s final.The 27-year-old Belarusian, fresh from winning the season-opening Brisbane International, made a sloppy start in losing the first three points of the match when serving.In front of the watching Roger Federer, Sabalenka clawed back to deuce but then misfired again to fall a game down in front of a shocked Rod Laver Arena.Aryna Sabalenka was frustrated by Rakotomanga in the women’s singles first round [Martin Keep/AFP]Sabalenka, who is favourite to add a fifth Grand Slam title to her career haul, pulled back level, but if she expected the spirited world number 118 to melt away, it did not immediately happen.The reigning US Open champion offered an apology to her underdog opponent at 4-4 when she unleashed a forehand into the 20-year-old’s head.Sabalenka’s error count was rising, but she finally broke Rajaonah’s resistance to claim the first set, then eased home in the second.“I was super-happy I found my level,” said Sabalenka, who was guilty of 13 unforced errors in the first set.“It is always tricky playing someone young, someone you don’t know, and a lefty [left-hander].”Sabalenka takes a selfie with the crowd, including Federer (front row, fourth right) and Laver after her match [Paul Crock/AFP]Earlier, Zverev, last year’s runner-up to Jannik Sinner, shrugged off a sluggish start to beat Gabriel Diallo 6-7 (7), 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in the afternoon match to enter the second round for the 10th straight year.“Definitely, when I saw the draw, wasn’t too happy to be honest,” he said of the tricky challenge presented by 41-ranked Diallo. “He’s very young, very talented. Unbelievably aggressive.“First set wasn’t my best tennis, I would say. It got a lot better after that for me.”Alexander Zverev hits a return to Diallo during their men’s singles first round match [Paul Crock/AFP]Seventh-seeded Jasmine Paolini beat Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-1, 6-2, and number 12 Elina Svitolina and Maria Sakkari also advanced in straight sets.Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova withdrew because of a shoulder injury before her scheduled first-round match, giving a place in the main draw to Taylor Townsend, the lucky loser from qualifying, to take on Hailey Baptiste, who won 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3.Frances Tiafoe overpowered Jason Kubler 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-2, and Michael Zheng fended off Sebastian Korda 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (0), 6-3 in an all-American first-round match on Kia Arena.Zheng will next face number 32 Corentin Moutet, who was booed after his underarm serve on match point in a 6-4, 7-6 (1), 6-3 win over Tristan Schoolkate.Number 20 Flavio Cobolli became the first of the seeded men’s players to exit the tournament in a 7-6 (1), 6-4, 6-1 loss to British qualifier Arthur Fery.In another eagerly-awaited match, former champion Venus Williams was unable to progress after being handed a wildcard by the tournament organisers.Olga ‌Danilovic beat Williams 6-7(5), 6-3, ‍6-4 after the Serbian fought back from 4-0 down in the deciding set to knock the American ⁠veteran out.Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam champion who ‍returned to tennis last season after a 16-month break, became the oldest woman ever ‍to compete ⁠in the singles main draw on her return to the tournament after five years.