The 2026 Australian Open got underway in Melbourne on Sunday, with Aryna Sabalenka advancing comfortably, while tennis icon Venus Williams made history as the oldest woman to compete in singles during the Open Era before falling in her first match.
When Sabalenka was star struck and recognizable and asked for it 🤳@wwos • @espn • @tntsports • @wowowtennis • #AO26 pic.twitter.com/84iX3QwDN5
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2026
Sporty the Nike Spring Slam Dress Inspired by the iconic looks of Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, top-seeded Sabalenka struggled to find her rhythm early but ultimately triumphed against wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah 6-4 6-1 at Rod Laver Arena. After breaking her opponent’s serve to close out the first set, Sabalenka seized control early in the second set and quickly built a 3-0 lead. Her power proved overwhelming as Rakotomanga Rajaonah repeatedly returned a mishit into the net or long. Under the watchful eyes of tennis legends Roger Federer and Rod Laver, Sabalenka then closed out the match by winning three of the last four matches, completing the match in 1 hour and 17 minutes.
Sabalenka will now face Zhuoxuan Bai in the second round. The Chinese qualifier, ranked No. 702 as she returned from injury to play in her first Grand Slam main draw since Wimbledon 2024, saved a match point in a dramatic super tiebreak to beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4 2-6 7-6(10).
Guess who’s back. Back again. 😎
28 years after making her #AusOpen debut, Venus Williams returns to Melbourne Park. pic.twitter.com/KEORkY6Fd6
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) January 17, 2026
Williams, 45, made history as the oldest player to compete in women’s singles at the tournament during the Open Era after accepting a wild card into the main draw. Her campaign was short-lived, however, as she fell 7-6(5) 3-6 4-6 to Olga Danilovic in the opening round.
The American – who was just 17 when she made her Australian Open debut in 1998, three years before her first-round opponent Danilovic was born – looked on course for her first Grand Slam singles victory since Wimbledon 2021 after racing to a double-break 4-0 lead in the deciding set, only to see the match slip away as she lost the last six matches in a row.
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