After turning heads with a glamorous walk-on outfit, Naomi Osaka had to battle hard to escape Antonia Ruzic in three sets in the Australian Open first round. Naomi Osaka's arrival to the Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday night was all glamoUr, but her performance needed to be all grit. 16 seed needed 2 hours and 22 minutes to quell the challenge of Croatia's Antonia Ruzic 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 after coming from a break down in the third set. It was modeled after a jellyfish, she revealed in her on-court interview, and the butterflies referenced her 2021 title run in Melbourne. Though she was making her Australian Open debut, and competing in just her second Grand Slam main draw, the Zagreb native was high on confidence -- last week, she made her first WTA semifinal in Hobart, pushing her up to a career high ranking of No. "I thought my level was pretty good," Osaka said after the match. Obviously I don't want that to happen. "I tried to change it up a little. I know she had a really good backhand. Ruzic's baseline brilliance: As befitting someone with the confidence to pull off that outfit, Osaka made a lightning-fast start, dropping just three points in the first three games. Osaka had the edge in shorter exchanges, winning 62 of the points that lasted four shots or fewer compared to Ruzic's 47. But once the rally went to five shots, it was Ruzic who had the slight advantage, winning 45 of those points to Osaka's 40. And the fact that she was able to extend points to that length on 85 occasions -- invariably high-octane, crowd-pleasing tussles -- was itself evidence of her impact on the match. Deciding set calls for perfection and Osaka answered, winning this 18-shot rally 🤌@wwos • @espn • @tntsports • @wowowtennis • #AO26 pic.twitter.com/MXusOaTOsz Osaka's last-minute escalation: Ruzic also showed impressive fortitude at the start of the third set, fending off three points to go down 3-0 and another one to go down 3-1. But Ruzic wobbled, and Osaka stepped up to break back. With the match poised at 4-4, Osaka fired four straight unreturned serves, including two clean aces, each punctuated by a cry of "c'mon!". Ruzic's forehand, which had been so lethal for much of the match, let her down badly in the final game with three unforced errors from that wing. "Honestly it was kind of fun to trade backhands," Osaka said. Osaka will next face Sorana Cirstea, who came from a set down to defeat Eva Lys 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. Hard-fought win; statement made, Naomi 💪@wwos • @espn • @tntsports • @wowowtennis • #AO26 pic.twitter.com/JQrAUzgxVk After turning heads with a glamorous walk-on outfit, Naomi Osaka had to battle hard to escape Antonia Ruzic in three sets in the Australian Open first round.

1 made an unforgettable entrance on Rod Laver Arena, complete with a large hat, veil, and parasol combination—plus a pair of pleated pants.ByDavid KanePublished Jan 20, 2026 copy_link MELBOURNE, Australia—To quote the supermodel of the world, “You better work.”Naomi Osaka rocked Rod Laver Arena Tuesday night when she arrived to the 2026 Australian Open in an unforgettable ensemble courtesy of Nike, accessorizing a seafoam appliqued dress with a pair of pleated white pants and a matching winged white hat and parasol. "Yeah, no, honestly it came together quite beautifully because I didn't know what to expect when I arrived here. Then it just felt like everywhere I looked the theme was water. Obviously the walkout was like you see oceans and waves. I thought that it was really beautiful. 1 has unveiled her share of audacious looks over the years—even revisiting her Harajuku fantasy in December when she competed at the Garden Cup—but suffice to say these looks (plural) take the cake. Naomi Osaka rocked Rod Laver Arena Tuesday night when she arrived to the 2026 Australian Open in an unforgettable ensemble courtesy of Nike, accessorizing a seafoam appliqued dress with a pair of pleated white pants and a matching winged white hat and parasol. "Yeah, no, honestly it came together quite beautifully because I didn't know what to expect when I arrived here. Then it just felt like everywhere I looked the theme was water. Obviously the walkout was like you see oceans and waves. 1 has unveiled her share of audacious looks over the years—even revisiting her Harajuku fantasy in December when she competed at the Garden Cup—but suffice to say these looks (plural) take the cake. "Yeah, no, honestly it came together quite beautifully because I didn't know what to expect when I arrived here. Then it just felt like everywhere I looked the theme was water. Obviously the walkout was like you see oceans and waves. 1 has unveiled her share of audacious looks over the years—even revisiting her Harajuku fantasy in December when she competed at the Garden Cup—but suffice to say these looks (plural) take the cake. "Yeah, no, honestly it came together quite beautifully because I didn't know what to expect when I arrived here. Then it just felt like everywhere I looked the theme was water. Obviously the walkout was like you see oceans and waves. 1 has unveiled her share of audacious looks over the years—even revisiting her Harajuku fantasy in December when she competed at the Garden Cup—but suffice to say these looks (plural) take the cake. 1 has unveiled her share of audacious looks over the years—even revisiting her Harajuku fantasy in December when she competed at the Garden Cup—but suffice to say these looks (plural) take the cake. Following her arrival to court for her first round against Antonia Ruzic, Osaka dispensed with the hat and pants and traded them for a warm-up jacket to match her dress, the tie-dye seafoam top accentuated by frilly appliques along the sleeves. "I just feel like I want to do things that, like, create joy and happiness," Osaka said after defeating Ruzic in three sets. "For me, obviously I really love fashion. That makes me excited to wake up and do the whole, like, walk-on or whatever. It just creates a little bit more joy in that whole match preparation. "I just feel like I want to do things that, like, create joy and happiness," Osaka said after defeating Ruzic in three sets. "For me, obviously I really love fashion. That makes me excited to wake up and do the whole, like, walk-on or whatever. It just creates a little bit more joy in that whole match preparation. "For me, obviously I really love fashion. That makes me excited to wake up and do the whole, like, walk-on or whatever. It just creates a little bit more joy in that whole match preparation. "This is definitely months in planning," Osaka confirmed. "Obviously you kind of have to I guess prep for this. I did low-key like hit a couple of the little boards. Before the match, Osaka teased the looks in a dramatic sizzle reel with a "WUN OF ONE" caption. "This is definitely months in planning," Osaka confirmed. "Obviously you kind of have to I guess prep for this. I did low-key like hit a couple of the little boards. "This is definitely months in planning," Osaka confirmed. "Obviously you kind of have to I guess prep for this. I did low-key like hit a couple of the little boards. Osaka will be decked out once more in the second round when she faces Sorana Cirstea. "You have like hopes and dreams, but also there's some things that are out of my control. If she beats you, then that's unfortunate. But hey, at least you're trending on Twitter!" "You have like hopes and dreams, but also there's some things that are out of my control. If she beats you, then that's unfortunate. But hey, at least you're trending on Twitter!" If she beats you, then that's unfortunate. But hey, at least you're trending on Twitter!"

Gigantic hat decorated with a butterfly and worn low over the eyes à la Beyoncé in the singer's "Formation" video? 17-ranked player on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz, made a diva-worthy entrance to the Rod Laver Arena for her first-round match against Antonia Ruzic, turning her entrance on to court into a high-fashion catwalk. Another cultural reference point seemed to be Gunna's 2024 album "One Of Wun," whose cover featured a painting of the rapper veiled in a floral headscarf by artist Calvin Clausell Jr. "WUN OF ONE," Osaka captioned an Instagram post which went up shortly after her match began. Designed in collaboration with Robert Wun, it had been modeled after a jellyfish. The butterfly accoutrements had been a reference to Osaka's 2021 Australian Open title run, during which a butterfly had landed on Osaka in her third-round match against Ons Jabeur. "Honestly it came together quite beautifully," she said, "because I didn't know what to expect when I arrived here. Then it just felt like everywhere I looked, the theme was water. Obviously the walkout was like, you see oceans and waves. I thought that it was really beautiful. After the match, the 28-year-old revealed that the grand entrance was planned well ahead of time, and required some logistical legwork to ensure that it was properly executed. "This is definitely months [of] planning," the four-time Grand Slam champion said. "Obviously you kind of have to prep for this. I did, low key, hit a couple of the little boards. Watch the two-time champion's iconic opening to her tournament below. A post shared by Australian Open (@australianopen) "Obviously I really love fashion," she said. "That makes me excited to wake up and do the whole, like, walk-on. It just creates a little bit more joy in that whole match preparation."

Things are heating up Down Under as World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka kicks off the action, with Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva, and Victoria Mboko all fighting for third-round spots in a packed Day 4 schedule. Sixty-four WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz matches are in the books and already surprises abound. Elsa Jacquemot of France displayed some serious stamina to take out No. Turkey's Zeynep Sonmez was a three-set winner over No. We can't wait for Wednesday's second round, which includes four Top 10 seeds: No woman has been more consistent than Sabalenka in majors over the past three years. She's played in 11 of them, winning four titles, losing three finals, three semifinals and one quarterfinal (2024 Roland Garros). How has she maintained that sort of upset-proof play in the biggest tournaments? “Maybe because I'm not really thinking about that,” Sabalenka said. “I'm just taking one step at a time. Sabalenka was a 6-4, 6-1 winner over wild card Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah in the first round, and now she faces another upstart -- Bai, a 23-year-old from China ranked No. Gauff, a 6-2, 6-3 winner over Kamilla Rakhimova, has won four of her first five matches this year, including a definitive win over World No. Meanwhile, Danilovic came back from a set down to defeat venerable Venus Williams. “I remember she beat Jess [Pegula] I think it was two years ago and obviously had a good match last night,” Gauff said. “It's going to be a tough match. Not often I get to play a lefty. Paolini is the only Top 10 singles player also competing here in doubles. She and Sara Errani -- who also, uh, doubles as one of her coaches -- are the No. 2 seeds, behind Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend. “I like to play doubles and I think, you know, it can help me to stay in the competition,” Paolini said. “Also to share the court with Sara is great.” Paolini breezed past qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-1, 6-2, while Frech was a 6-1, 6-1 winner over Veronika Erjavec. This one could be fun, for Sakkari is showing early signs she might be returning to the form that brought her to a pair of Indian Wells finals and three year-end Top 10 finishes. Sakkari, staging a Greek revival at 30, beat both Naomi Osaka and Emma Raducanu at the United Cup. She credits tweaks to her serve and forehand under the guidance of coach Tom Hill. You could see that in her 6-4, 6-2 win over Leolia Jeanjean. Andreeva, the champion in Adelaide, will be a tough out. She fought off Donna Vekic 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 in a testing first-round match and is eager to put together another run like last year's back-to-back titles in Dubai and Doha. Mboko looked tired in the Adelaide final after earlier playing three consecutive matches, but the Canadian teenager scored a crisp 6-4, 6-1 win here over Australian wild card Emerson Jones. “I felt pretty good on court today,” Mboko told reporters. “I didn't feel too super tired. Mentally I just wanted to put in my head that it's a continuation of the tournament and not really think too much of having to sort of have a brand-new week, brand-new everything.” McNally was a 6-3, 6-1 winner over qualifier Himeno Sakatsume. Muchova started the season quickly by beating Top 10 players Alexandrova and Elena Rybakina in Brisbane before falling to Sabalenka in the semifinals. She dispatched Jaqueline Cristian in straight sets. Parks overcame Alexandra Eala and her contingent of supportive fans with a 0-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory. 99, is a go-for-it player; against Eala, she had 12 aces and 10 double faults. Raducanu advanced with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Mananchaya Sawangkaew, while Potapova was pushed by Suzan Lamens 3-6, 7-5, 6-2. -- Elena-Gabriela Ruse (ROU) vs Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) -- Kamil Majchrzak (POL) vs Fabian Marozsan (HUN) -- Tatjana Maria / Simona Waltert vs Mariia Kozyreva / Sabrina Santamaria-- Katerina Siniakova / Taylor Townsend [1] vs Magali Kempen / Anna Siskova-- James McCabe / Li Tu vs Zizou Bergs / Raphael Collignon-- Yifan Xu / Zhaoxuan Yang vs Antonia Ruzic / Renata Zarazua Things are heating up Down Under as World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka kicks off the action, with Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva, and Victoria Mboko all fighting for third-round spots in a packed Day 4 schedule.

Zizou Bergs is a Top 40 tennis player on court and a budding TikTok star off it — and he's twerked his way through a hot start Down Under.The 26-year-old from Belgium has opened the year on a high, going 3–1 at the United Cup as Team Belgium reached the semifinals alongside Elise Mertens. Bergs punched above his weight with wins over Felix Auger-Aliassime, Jakub Mensik and Stan Wawrinka.WATCH: Zizou Bergs powers past Felix Auger-Aliassime for first Top 5 winHe also delivered one of the tournament's most viral moments. Amid the good vibes on Belgium's two-player squad, Bergs' twerking during post-match celebrations quickly caught the internet's attention. Bergs punched above his weight with wins over Felix Auger-Aliassime, Jakub Mensik and Stan Wawrinka.WATCH: Zizou Bergs powers past Felix Auger-Aliassime for first Top 5 winHe also delivered one of the tournament's most viral moments. Amid the good vibes on Belgium's two-player squad, Bergs' twerking during post-match celebrations quickly caught the internet's attention. WATCH: Zizou Bergs powers past Felix Auger-Aliassime for first Top 5 winHe also delivered one of the tournament's most viral moments. Amid the good vibes on Belgium's two-player squad, Bergs' twerking during post-match celebrations quickly caught the internet's attention. He also delivered one of the tournament's most viral moments. Ahead of the Australian Open, Tennis Channel caught up with Bergs in Melbourne to ask the hard-hitting questions:Q. Then I saw some ridiculous stuff, and I just imitated it without really trying it.I had people tell me, ‘Hey you had a fun week at the United Cup, right, because you were all over my Instagram!' Then I'm like, OK let's not look at the screen! Let's just keep focusing right now.But yeah, I guess it's a part of me too. Then I saw some ridiculous stuff, and I just imitated it without really trying it.I had people tell me, ‘Hey you had a fun week at the United Cup, right, because you were all over my Instagram!' Then I'm like, OK let's not look at the screen! Let's just keep focusing right now.But yeah, I guess it's a part of me too. ZIZOU BERGS: (laughing) I don't know who taught me! Then I saw some ridiculous stuff, and I just imitated it without really trying it.I had people tell me, ‘Hey you had a fun week at the United Cup, right, because you were all over my Instagram!' Then I'm like, OK let's not look at the screen! Let's just keep focusing right now.But yeah, I guess it's a part of me too. I had people tell me, ‘Hey you had a fun week at the United Cup, right, because you were all over my Instagram!' Then I'm like, OK let's not look at the screen! Let's just keep focusing right now.But yeah, I guess it's a part of me too. Sometimes it's quite annoying, too, because I can be very ridiculous but I can also be bloody serious. Then I'm like, OK let's not look at the screen! Let's just keep focusing right now.But yeah, I guess it's a part of me too. But yeah, I guess it's a part of me too. 43, Bergs took the first set but Hurkacz, who had been sidelined with injury since June 2025, announced his return with a statement win over world No. 3 Alexander Zverev at the United Cup and ultimately edged through in four sets.Bergs is set to return to action in doubles on Wednesday, partnering with fellow Belgian Raphael Collignon against the all-Australian duo of Li Tu and James McCabe. 43, Bergs took the first set but Hurkacz, who had been sidelined with injury since June 2025, announced his return with a statement win over world No. 3 Alexander Zverev at the United Cup and ultimately edged through in four sets.Bergs is set to return to action in doubles on Wednesday, partnering with fellow Belgian Raphael Collignon against the all-Australian duo of Li Tu and James McCabe. Bergs is set to return to action in doubles on Wednesday, partnering with fellow Belgian Raphael Collignon against the all-Australian duo of Li Tu and James McCabe.

"Somehow it is the finish line, but, whew, thank you so much for this amazing ride," the Frenchman told his fans in Melbourne.ByTENNIS.comPublished Jan 20, 2026 copy_link Dane Sweeny downplayed self-expectations heading into his first-round match at the Australian Open, after earning himself a place in the 128-player field the hard way.“My mind was, in a way, saying It's okay to lose. Feeding off the energy inside Kia Arena, Sweeny battled his way to a 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-4, 7-5 victory. “My mind was, in a way, saying It's okay to lose. Feeding off the energy inside Kia Arena, Sweeny battled his way to a 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-4, 7-5 victory. Feeding off the energy inside Kia Arena, Sweeny battled his way to a 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-4, 7-5 victory. “A lot of just I don't know what's going on. Still sinking in.“To not only win the first round of a Grand Slam, but to do it at the Australian Open, to do it in front of such an amazing atmosphere, to beat a legend of the game, Gael Monfils, it was a bit of a pinch-myself moment.” “A lot of just I don't know what's going on. Still sinking in.“To not only win the first round of a Grand Slam, but to do it at the Australian Open, to do it in front of such an amazing atmosphere, to beat a legend of the game, Gael Monfils, it was a bit of a pinch-myself moment.” “To not only win the first round of a Grand Slam, but to do it at the Australian Open, to do it in front of such an amazing atmosphere, to beat a legend of the game, Gael Monfils, it was a bit of a pinch-myself moment.” My mind was, in a way, saying It's okay to lose. The near four-hour effort, in turn, saw Monfils say goodbye to fans Down Under in his final appearance at Melbourne Park.Playing his farewell season in 2026, the 39-year-old made his first splash at the Happy Slam in 2004 when he began a run of capturing three consecutive junior major titles. Monfils then competed in 20 main draws, finishing with 37 wins, a pair of quarterfinals and a lot of gratitude.“Somehow it is the finish line, but, whew, thank you so much for this amazing ride. You guys have been unbelievable,” the Frenchman said in a brief on-court speech. Playing his farewell season in 2026, the 39-year-old made his first splash at the Happy Slam in 2004 when he began a run of capturing three consecutive junior major titles. Monfils then competed in 20 main draws, finishing with 37 wins, a pair of quarterfinals and a lot of gratitude.“Somehow it is the finish line, but, whew, thank you so much for this amazing ride. You guys have been unbelievable,” the Frenchman said in a brief on-court speech. “Somehow it is the finish line, but, whew, thank you so much for this amazing ride. You guys have been unbelievable,” the Frenchman said in a brief on-court speech. 182, who dipped to 680 in the rankings last February. faces seventh-ranked Ben Shelton.“Again, I'm very excited at the opportunity to play a big dog like him. “Again, I'm very excited at the opportunity to play a big dog like him.

1 missed nearly all of the 2025 season after undergoing two surgeries on her left ankle.ByDavid KanePublished Jan 20, 2026 copy_link MELBOURNE, Australia—Karolina Pliskova can handle a little pain.“Everyone's used to it,” she told me at the Australian Open on Tuesday.A little pain was all the former No. But minutes into her second round against Jasmine Paolini, a bad landing on her left foot put her into a world of hurt.“It was very shocking,” recalled Pliskova, who is in Melbourne by the grace of a protected ranking, “and even more shocking when I got the results that I'd broken all the ligaments and tendons.”Once one of the healthiest players on tour—the 33-year-old previously missed just one major main draw since 2013—an initial six-month break ballooned by nearly double when Pliskova picked up an infection following a surgery on her left ankle. But minutes into her second round against Jasmine Paolini, a bad landing on her left foot put her into a world of hurt.“It was very shocking,” recalled Pliskova, who is in Melbourne by the grace of a protected ranking, “and even more shocking when I got the results that I'd broken all the ligaments and tendons.”Once one of the healthiest players on tour—the 33-year-old previously missed just one major main draw since 2013—an initial six-month break ballooned by nearly double when Pliskova picked up an infection following a surgery on her left ankle. A little pain was all the former No. But minutes into her second round against Jasmine Paolini, a bad landing on her left foot put her into a world of hurt.“It was very shocking,” recalled Pliskova, who is in Melbourne by the grace of a protected ranking, “and even more shocking when I got the results that I'd broken all the ligaments and tendons.”Once one of the healthiest players on tour—the 33-year-old previously missed just one major main draw since 2013—an initial six-month break ballooned by nearly double when Pliskova picked up an infection following a surgery on her left ankle. “It was very shocking,” recalled Pliskova, who is in Melbourne by the grace of a protected ranking, “and even more shocking when I got the results that I'd broken all the ligaments and tendons.”Once one of the healthiest players on tour—the 33-year-old previously missed just one major main draw since 2013—an initial six-month break ballooned by nearly double when Pliskova picked up an infection following a surgery on her left ankle. Once one of the healthiest players on tour—the 33-year-old previously missed just one major main draw since 2013—an initial six-month break ballooned by nearly double when Pliskova picked up an infection following a surgery on her left ankle. “The infection made things look really bad,” she said, adding color to her often-monotone staccato for emphasis. Still, I wasn't even walking after three-four months, so the original timeline became impossible.”A second surgery was required, one that cured the infection but left the already upright Pliskova, who longed joked of a reluctance to bend her knees on the court, with a limited range of motion. Another little pain.“The ankle is still very stiff,” she said. To be honest, it doesn't really limit me on the court. I may not move as well, but at least it forces me to play fast!”As Pliskova recovered she settled into life at home, traveling through Europe but largely splitting her time between Prague and Marbella, Spain. She went fishing with her parents, started a Czech-language tennis podcast with twin sister Kristyna—who is based in Madrid—and she continued to foster her eponymous tennis academy. A second surgery was required, one that cured the infection but left the already upright Pliskova, who longed joked of a reluctance to bend her knees on the court, with a limited range of motion. Another little pain.“The ankle is still very stiff,” she said. To be honest, it doesn't really limit me on the court. I may not move as well, but at least it forces me to play fast!”As Pliskova recovered she settled into life at home, traveling through Europe but largely splitting her time between Prague and Marbella, Spain. She went fishing with her parents, started a Czech-language tennis podcast with twin sister Kristyna—who is based in Madrid—and she continued to foster her eponymous tennis academy. “The ankle is still very stiff,” she said. To be honest, it doesn't really limit me on the court. I may not move as well, but at least it forces me to play fast!”As Pliskova recovered she settled into life at home, traveling through Europe but largely splitting her time between Prague and Marbella, Spain. She went fishing with her parents, started a Czech-language tennis podcast with twin sister Kristyna—who is based in Madrid—and she continued to foster her eponymous tennis academy. As Pliskova recovered she settled into life at home, traveling through Europe but largely splitting her time between Prague and Marbella, Spain. She went fishing with her parents, started a Czech-language tennis podcast with twin sister Kristyna—who is based in Madrid—and she continued to foster her eponymous tennis academy. They're following my matches even though it's night now in Czech. “It started back in COVID,” she explained of the latter. “I was at home with my sister and first started thinking of creating a camp for kids. So many hundreds of kids expressed interest, and because we were there teaching them, they absolutely loved it. So, we decided to do it again the following year. I actually like to play padel a lot. There's a hotel and restaurant part of it, so it's been a big project, and something I also want to enjoy after my career.”Unsure of when (or if) that career would continue, Pliskova followed the sport from afar.“At the beginning, it was difficult because when it happened and I couldn't walk, it was just tough to see people running when I couldn't even walk!” she said with a laugh.The woman who once called tennis matches “better than movies” is now a critic on the *Rakety* podcast, a role that has earned mixed reviews from her fellow players. I actually like to play padel a lot. There's a hotel and restaurant part of it, so it's been a big project, and something I also want to enjoy after my career.”Unsure of when (or if) that career would continue, Pliskova followed the sport from afar.“At the beginning, it was difficult because when it happened and I couldn't walk, it was just tough to see people running when I couldn't even walk!” she said with a laugh.The woman who once called tennis matches “better than movies” is now a critic on the *Rakety* podcast, a role that has earned mixed reviews from her fellow players. Unsure of when (or if) that career would continue, Pliskova followed the sport from afar.“At the beginning, it was difficult because when it happened and I couldn't walk, it was just tough to see people running when I couldn't even walk!” she said with a laugh.The woman who once called tennis matches “better than movies” is now a critic on the *Rakety* podcast, a role that has earned mixed reviews from her fellow players. “At the beginning, it was difficult because when it happened and I couldn't walk, it was just tough to see people running when I couldn't even walk!” she said with a laugh.The woman who once called tennis matches “better than movies” is now a critic on the *Rakety* podcast, a role that has earned mixed reviews from her fellow players. The woman who once called tennis matches “better than movies” is now a critic on the *Rakety* podcast, a role that has earned mixed reviews from her fellow players. “Marketa [Vondrousova] was upset because I said something about how I don't like when someone retires,” she told me. There are many people who, to me, retire from matches because they don't want to lose and finish the match. For me, it's a loss regardless, no matter the score. Pliskova enjoys unwavering support from her academy's coaching staff, who all tuned in to watch her first match of the season.“The team isn't huge, but we're like a family. Even though it's night now in Czech, everyone is waking up to follow the score.“It's been a good environment, and I even train there myself. “The team isn't huge, but we're like a family. Even though it's night now in Czech, everyone is waking up to follow the score.“It's been a good environment, and I even train there myself. “It's been a good environment, and I even train there myself. Time here is different than when you're at home! Karolina Pliskova on her first Australian Open in two years For as much as tennis can change with each passing week, to see Pliskova back on Kia Arena against Sloane Stephens—reheating a rivalry that dates back to juniors—was to think she had never left.“It felt like just yesterday I was playing here the way I was five years, six years ago. Time here is different than when you're at home!” she joked.The once and future “Ace Queen” struggled at times on serve but converted six of seven break points to dispatch Stephens, 7-6 (7), 6-2, and win her first Grand Slam match since that disastrous US Open. Still, Pliskova is taking her comeback day by day and, between rust and compensation injuries is reluctant to outline a schedule past the Australian summer. Time here is different than when you're at home!” she joked.The once and future “Ace Queen” struggled at times on serve but converted six of seven break points to dispatch Stephens, 7-6 (7), 6-2, and win her first Grand Slam match since that disastrous US Open. Still, Pliskova is taking her comeback day by day and, between rust and compensation injuries is reluctant to outline a schedule past the Australian summer. The once and future “Ace Queen” struggled at times on serve but converted six of seven break points to dispatch Stephens, 7-6 (7), 6-2, and win her first Grand Slam match since that disastrous US Open. Still, Pliskova is taking her comeback day by day and, between rust and compensation injuries is reluctant to outline a schedule past the Australian summer. “I don't want to struggle too much,” she said with her inimitable candor. “I struggled a lot this year because of my legs. There's no sense if I can't play matches back-to-back. From there, maybe I can do a bigger plan. But look, here, I had a bigger plan to play Brisbane and Adelaide and I couldn't because of the leg—the right leg because I'm leaning more on it since getting surgery on the left!“Maybe it'll be different decisions, maybe less tournaments. Sorry!”Pliskova laughs again and wishes me a good day as she heads to the elevator, having ended almost 45 minutes of media. There is still plenty of interest in the two-time Grand Slam finalist, her career, and what she has left to say. If there was a little pain in talking through her past, present, and uncertain future—in two languages, no less—she handled it. Sorry!”Pliskova laughs again and wishes me a good day as she heads to the elevator, having ended almost 45 minutes of media. There is still plenty of interest in the two-time Grand Slam finalist, her career, and what she has left to say. If there was a little pain in talking through her past, present, and uncertain future—in two languages, no less—she handled it. Pliskova laughs again and wishes me a good day as she heads to the elevator, having ended almost 45 minutes of media. There is still plenty of interest in the two-time Grand Slam finalist, her career, and what she has left to say. If there was a little pain in talking through her past, present, and uncertain future—in two languages, no less—she handled it.

In her tour-level debut, Oleksandra Oliynykova gave defending champion Madison Keys a scare on Rod Laver Arena in the Australian Open first round. MELBOURNE, Australia -- Oleksandra Oliynykova's first words on entering the Melbourne Park interview room after her Rod Laver Arena showdown with defending champion Madison Keys were: "I'm so happy to be here." Oliynykova hadn't pulled off the win, though she had held a 4-0 first-set lead and two set points over Keys before falling 7-6(6), 6-1. 92, who was not just making her Grand Slam debut but playing her first-career match on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz. "It's the best experience in my career," Oliynykova told press. To get this experience, it's something that I'll remember for the end of my life." Oliynykova won the crowd over -- and, for a set, flummoxed Keys -- with her game, all dogged defense and creative variety. When she went up a double break with one of the best points of the match, retrieving the American's hardest strikes before slotting an angled pass past her, an unlikely upset seemed to be brewing. Red hot start 🔥Oliynykova jumps to a two-break lead against the defending champ! She frequently clapped Keys' clutch winners and aces, and approached the net after the match with a broad smile on her face. No wonder that Keys also applauded Oliynykova after their hug, and opened her on-court interview by praising her as a "great competitor" -- a moment that only broadened the smile of Oliynykova, who was still signing autographs by the side of the court. "I think it's not always about winning or losing," Oliynykova said. "It's not good in the sport that we are putting too much pressure on the athlete depending only the results, because when you are playing great tennis, you are playing against great opponents, you see high sportsmanship from both sides, you see very kind fans who are cheering for both. Behind Oliynykova's smile and sunny demeanor, complete with temporary flower tattoos on her face, her motivation is a more serious one. In 2011, when she was 10 years old, her family fled Ukraine for Croatia as political refugees after protesting against Viktor Yanukovych's pro-Russian government. Oliynykova lives and trains in Kyiv, while her father and coach, Denis, serves on the frontline in the Ukrainian army. Oliynykova now travels solo -- in contrast to Keys' entourage, her player box was empty on Tuesday -- and sees it as her mission to represent Ukraine on the world stage and to remind the world that war is still taking its toll on the country. "There was a couple of massive attacks [on the] last night I spent in Ukraine before the trip here," Oliynykova said. My apartment was literally shaking because of the explosion. Because it's sad, because this war is very long, and I think people are losing the attention after so many years. But now in Ukraine we don't have electricity. Every opportunity to say about this, I believe it's very important." 𝑹𝑶𝑨𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑮 into the second round is Madison Keys 🤩PS: How good was it of Keys to let Oliynykova have her moment post match too! 274; since then, she's broken into the Top 100 after winning three WTA 125 titles in Tolentino, Tucuman and Colina. She describes him as her "biggest support since my childhood in everything," and that he dreamed of one day seeing Oliynykova play on courts like Rod Laver Arena. Denis Oliynykov wasn't able to be there in person this time, but he was watching from Ukraine -- and the message he sent his daughter might have been the most special moment of a special day. "He told me that it was amazing match," Oliynykova said. "And yeah, I made his dream come true in such a situation. In her tour-level debut, Oleksandra Oliynykova gave defending champion Madison Keys a scare on Rod Laver Arena in the Australian Open first round.

Janice Tjen and Tereza Valentova opened Day 3 of the Australian Open with a pair of upsets over seeded players to reach the second round. Valentova first took out Maya Joint in straight sets, a feat matched by Tjen when she defeated Leylah Fernandez moments later. 22 seed Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 7-6 (1) in 1 hour and 43 minutes on a hot, sunny Tuesday afternoon in Melbourne to reach the second round -- just months after knocking off No. Her win was one of several surprises from players on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz to kick off Day 3 of the Australian Open. 1 Maya Joint 6-4, 6-4 in 1 hour and 32 minutes at John Cain Arena for the third Grand Slam main-draw victory of her career. She's the first Indonesian player to win an Australian Open main-draw match since Yayuk Basuki in 1998. Basuki went on to reach the fourth round that year. “I'm very happy to be a part of history and be able to get a win here for Indonesia,” Tjen said in her post-match press conference. “They're here, and I think there were a lot of Indonesians, and a lot of my close friends are also here.” That steadiness kept her level through four games before she broke for 3-2 and closed the set by winning the last four games. Things went from good to better in the second set, when she broke first for a 2-1 lead, but the finish was anything but straightforward. From there, she sprinted away, winning the first three points and six of the first seven to earn a handful of match points. She needed only one, completing the upset with an exclamation point. Your moment, Janice ✨Tjen defeats the No.22 seed Fernandez in straight sets 🙌@wwos • @espn • @tntsports • @wowowtennis • #AO26 pic.twitter.com/cCjKd5dmzT The win sets up a second-round meeting with former World No. It's safe to say Valentova won't be on many Aussie fans' Christmas card lists after defeating Joint. It's another in a rapid string of firsts for Valentova. “It feels amazing,” she said in her on-court interview. She broke in the opening game of the match, and after Joint broke back not once but twice, she refused to waver. She then fell behind 2-0 in the second set before rattling off four straight games to regain control of the match, which she would never relinquish. Meanwhile, Joint couldn't overcome her serving woes, finishing with eight double faults, many at critical moments. For Valentova, the win sets up a second-round match against qualifier and compatriot Linda Fruhvirtova, who defeated Lulu Sun in the opening round. Janice Tjen and Tereza Valentova opened Day 3 of the Australian Open with a pair of upsets over seeded players to reach the second round. Valentova first took out Maya Joint in straight sets, a feat matched by Tjen when she defeated Leylah Fernandez moments later.

The former Pepperdine University player became the first from her country to win a main-draw match in Melbourne since Yayuk Basuki in 1998.ByDavid KanePublished Jan 20, 2026 copy_link MELBOURNE, Australia—With each milestone Janice Tjen earns, the rising Indonesian star makes a little bit of history.The 23-year-old became the first from her country to win an Australian Open main-draw match in 28 years on Tuesday, dismissing former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez, 6-2, 7-6 (1).“I'm very happy to be a part of history and to be able to get a win here for Indonesia,” she told me during her post-match press conference. Armed with an athletic game and lethal backhand slice, the former Pepperdine University standout went even further back in time to beat Fernandez, becoming the first to win a round Down Under since Yayuk Basuki in 1998. The 23-year-old became the first from her country to win an Australian Open main-draw match in 28 years on Tuesday, dismissing former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez, 6-2, 7-6 (1).“I'm very happy to be a part of history and to be able to get a win here for Indonesia,” she told me during her post-match press conference. Armed with an athletic game and lethal backhand slice, the former Pepperdine University standout went even further back in time to beat Fernandez, becoming the first to win a round Down Under since Yayuk Basuki in 1998. Armed with an athletic game and lethal backhand slice, the former Pepperdine University standout went even further back in time to beat Fernandez, becoming the first to win a round Down Under since Yayuk Basuki in 1998. Armed with an athletic game and lethal backhand slice, the former Pepperdine University standout went even further back in time to beat Fernandez, becoming the first to win a round Down Under since Yayuk Basuki in 1998. “It was crazy, I would say, having that feeling” she said of the enthusiastic fan energy on ANZ Arena, which was reminiscent of what the Philippines' Alexandra Eala experienced on Court 6 yesterday. “I thought getting the chants of “Indonesia!” was something special for me. It feels a lot quite like home, and just knowing that a lot of Indonesians came out today to support me means a lot.”Ranked outside the Top 400 this time last year, Tjen is closing in on a Top 50 debut, reaching two WTA finals last fall and winning her maiden title in Chennai, India.“I get recognized a little bit here and there,” she shyly admitted. Ranked outside the Top 400 this time last year, Tjen is closing in on a Top 50 debut, reaching two WTA finals last fall and winning her maiden title in Chennai, India.“I get recognized a little bit here and there,” she shyly admitted. “I get recognized a little bit here and there,” she shyly admitted. Studying sociology because it helped her lean more about herself, Tjen has become an expert at channeling a partisan crowd to victory, navigating Fernandez's tricky game to edge through a second-set tiebreaker and score her first win of the season.“I think when I start feeling my energy drop a little bit, I know that they're behind me and supporting me no matter what. I think that helps a lot.”Wearing a lime green Asics jacket, Tjen appears keen on letting her tennis—and not her growing national celebrity—do the talking.“I try to have a tunnel vision and just focus on being the best version of myself.”Looking to make a debut appearance in a Grand Slam third round, Tjen will next face former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova, who edged past former US Open champion Sloane Stephens for her first wins since September. I think that helps a lot.”Wearing a lime green Asics jacket, Tjen appears keen on letting her tennis—and not her growing national celebrity—do the talking.“I try to have a tunnel vision and just focus on being the best version of myself.”Looking to make a debut appearance in a Grand Slam third round, Tjen will next face former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova, who edged past former US Open champion Sloane Stephens for her first wins since September. Wearing a lime green Asics jacket, Tjen appears keen on letting her tennis—and not her growing national celebrity—do the talking.“I try to have a tunnel vision and just focus on being the best version of myself.”Looking to make a debut appearance in a Grand Slam third round, Tjen will next face former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova, who edged past former US Open champion Sloane Stephens for her first wins since September. “I try to have a tunnel vision and just focus on being the best version of myself.”Looking to make a debut appearance in a Grand Slam third round, Tjen will next face former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova, who edged past former US Open champion Sloane Stephens for her first wins since September. 1 Karolina Pliskova, who edged past former US Open champion Sloane Stephens for her first wins since September.

Marin Cilic made a resounding start to his 2026 Australian Open Monday when he ousted Daniel Altmaier 6-0, 6-0, 7-6(3). When conducting his post-match media, Cilic shook hands with Denis Shapovalov, who even joked that 2019 or 2016 Marin Cilic was back. ATPTour.com caught up with Cilic about his game, traveling with family, the evolution of the sport and more. Today you won the first two sets without losing a game. When you're playing well, it's very clear that your tennis is still right up there, so when you feel yourself playing like that, what goes through your mind? For me, that level comes from the sensation in training. I'm also obviously looking at what the other guys are doing, what their routines are, how I compare to them physically. Obviously, my body is not the same as when I was 26 or 27. Marin Cilic made a resounding start to his 2026 Australian Open Monday when he ousted Daniel Altmaier 6-0, 6-0, 7-6(3). 70 in the PIF ATP Rankings, the Croatian showed he is still plenty capable of producing lights-out tennis at an event where he reached the final in 2018. When conducting his post-match media, Cilic shook hands with Denis Shapovalov, who even joked that 2019 or 2016 Marin Cilic was back. ATPTour.com caught up with Cilic about his game, traveling with family, the evolution of the sport and more. Today you won the first two sets without losing a game. When you're playing well, it's very clear that your tennis is still right up there, so when you feel yourself playing like that, what goes through your mind? For me, that level comes from the sensation in training. I'm also obviously looking at what the other guys are doing, what their routines are, how I compare to them physically. Obviously, my body is not the same as when I was 26 or 27. Your family is here in Melbourne, including your two sons, so now they've been to all four Grand Slam tournaments. To what extent are you still pushing so they get to experience all of this with you? On the other side, they're able to travel, so that balance makes it easier. If they were at home, not traveling, and I am on the road, it doesn't work because it would break apart really, really quickly. I would miss home, they would miss me; it just doesn't work because the boys are already now six and four, it would be too much. On the other side, they enjoy traveling, and I also feel that I have a really good position with my body, with my game. I added another team member to my team, Mate Delic, who was working with Borna Coric for a few years and also with Borna Gojo, so he's very knowledgeable. He was also a great player, we are really good friends. I'm also seeing that as another motivation to do better and to do well in this season. Guys like Roger Federer, who you competed against, have been around Melbourne Park and you're still out there competing at such a high level. And then, obviously it's a reward because when I started young — when I was 15, 16 — I started with a really great work ethic, discipline, being professional, always having a full team with me, taking care of my body. And when you add all these things for five, 10, 15 years, the body has rewarded me for another couple great seasons. I'm enjoying the fruits of that, so it's just fantastic. How interesting is it for you to see how the game has changed from when you started with Roger and Rafa and how guys like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are playing? It's interesting how the game changed and I think it came out of nowhere, without sort of any influence from anybody. I think it came as well because of the Covid time…. If you would go and speak to Top 100 or Top 200 players on the Tour, the average racquet weight is, let's say, 305, 310 grams. Everyone can hit the ball big, but it shifted a little bit of the game into this direction of ‘Who's going to hit bigger and harder? And then it took away a little bit of the intricacies of the game, playing cat and mouse, just different styles of the game, which we had in these past 15 to 20 years. You try to adapt, because obviously, the times have changed, and if you are waiting for the change to go back, you are in the wrong position. It definitely has changed and so you have to really follow what is going on and try to do the best you can. Some people might say they would love to play Roger or someone else in a match. There are a few incredible champions that shaped tennis when you look at back [at] the start of tennis [like] Rod Laver, how much he has achieved and how many Grand Slams he won at that time. Then Borg, McEnroe, Connors, guys that played after to the '90s [with] Sampras, Agassi, and all these guys. It would be just incredible to go back in time and play some with Borg or even Mats Wilander or Rod Laver. Your data will be used in accordance with the ATP Privacy Policy and WTA Privacy Policy. Get official marketing communications from the ATP and WTA! Your data will be used in accordance with the ATP Privacy Policy and WTA Privacy Policy. No part of this site may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any way or by any means (including photocopying, recording or storing it in any medium by electronic means), without the written permission of ATP Tour, Inc..

Madison Keys may have made a winning start to her Australian Open title defense on Tuesday in Melbourne, but her beaten opponent, tattooed Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova, made a lasting impression in more ways then one.Listless to start her title defense, Keys hit 15 unforced errors in the first four games to trail 4-0 against a player who was making not just her Grand Slam main-draw debut but her WTA tour-level debut. While Keys reined it in from there, to the tune of five straight games, she later found her range again just in time to stave off becoming the second defending champion to lose her first match the next year in the Open Era. "I had been thinking of that moment for basically a year," Keys confessed in her on-court interview. "Obviously, [I was] very nervous at the start. "I was talking to Lindsay Davenport yesterday and she reminded me that not many people get to be a defending champion at a Grand Slam, so just try to embrace it and enjoy it. "But Keys' nerves weren't all she needed to overcome inside Rod Laver Arena. 92 Oliynykova showed no signs of being over-awed by the occasion, and turned the early games into a chess match. Listless to start her title defense, Keys hit 15 unforced errors in the first four games to trail 4-0 against a player who was making not just her Grand Slam main-draw debut but her WTA tour-level debut. While Keys reined it in from there, to the tune of five straight games, she later found her range again just in time to stave off becoming the second defending champion to lose her first match the next year in the Open Era. "I had been thinking of that moment for basically a year," Keys confessed in her on-court interview. "Obviously, [I was] very nervous at the start. "I was talking to Lindsay Davenport yesterday and she reminded me that not many people get to be a defending champion at a Grand Slam, so just try to embrace it and enjoy it. "But Keys' nerves weren't all she needed to overcome inside Rod Laver Arena. 92 Oliynykova showed no signs of being over-awed by the occasion, and turned the early games into a chess match. "I had been thinking of that moment for basically a year," Keys confessed in her on-court interview. "Obviously, [I was] very nervous at the start. "I was talking to Lindsay Davenport yesterday and she reminded me that not many people get to be a defending champion at a Grand Slam, so just try to embrace it and enjoy it. "But Keys' nerves weren't all she needed to overcome inside Rod Laver Arena. 92 Oliynykova showed no signs of being over-awed by the occasion, and turned the early games into a chess match. "I was talking to Lindsay Davenport yesterday and she reminded me that not many people get to be a defending champion at a Grand Slam, so just try to embrace it and enjoy it. "But Keys' nerves weren't all she needed to overcome inside Rod Laver Arena. 92 Oliynykova showed no signs of being over-awed by the occasion, and turned the early games into a chess match. But Keys' nerves weren't all she needed to overcome inside Rod Laver Arena. 92 Oliynykova showed no signs of being over-awed by the occasion, and turned the early games into a chess match. After the one hour and 40-minute match, Keys saluted Oliynykova's effort, as the Ukrainian milled about courtside for the duration of Keys' on-court interview, signing autographs and posing for selfies. "First of all, my opponent today was incredible," Keys said. Just being able to settle a little bit, find my way, trust myself and go after my shots. I think I was playing a little bit too timid at the beginning, so just being able to rely on knowing that I'm a good tennis player, and if I just let myself play, then good things will happen. "First of all, my opponent today was incredible," Keys said. Just being able to settle a little bit, find my way, trust myself and go after my shots. I think I was playing a little bit too timid at the beginning, so just being able to rely on knowing that I'm a good tennis player, and if I just let myself play, then good things will happen. Keys finished the math with 26 winners to the Ukrainian's seven, and will bid to run her unbeaten streak in Melbourne to nine when she faces her compatriot Ashlyn Krueger next.

When opponents dared to move forward in 2025, Grigor Dimitrov made them suffer. Armed with one of the game's most elegant one-handed backhands, he repeatedly carved out impossible angles, dipping the ball at an opponent's feet or threading it past outstretched volleys. Dimitrov believes that success is rooted in years of experience dealing with aggressive opponents from a young age, having learned early how to neutralise players who rushed the net. “When I was a junior, I was always playing against the older guys and [those] taller than me,” Dimitrov explained. “I was not that tall when I was younger, and a lot of them were coming to the net a lot, especially some of the American players when I played as they were always playing serve and volley or attacking me. I loved when some of it was coming through because I was fairly agile to move around the court and [could] predict some of the shots in advance, knowing where I'm going to position the ball in order to get [an easier] next ball coming back at me.” Dimitrov stayed composed in high-pressure moments, trusting his timing and feel to find passing lanes when the court seemed closed off. In a sport where net-rushers often expect reward, he turned their aggression into opportunity. But how does he decide whether to hit an attempted winner or a shot intended to set up an easier pass on the next ball coming back? Nowhere was that skill more evident than at Wimbledon, where Dimitrov's grass-court efficiency and shot-making gave even the very best trouble. In the fourth round, he surged to a two-sets-to-love lead against eventual champion Jannik Sinner, repeatedly neutralising the Italian's forward forays with clean passes and sharp angles. It was a performance brimming with control and creativity, cut short only by a heartbreaking pectoral injury that forced his retirement. That blend of flair and resilience defined Dimitrov's season. Visit our Infosys ATP Stats section for more insights. Get official marketing communications from the ATP and WTA! No part of this site may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any way or by any means (including photocopying, recording or storing it in any medium by electronic means), without the written permission of ATP Tour, Inc..