Images from Day 1 of the 2026 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Sunday.
Sabalenka overcomes slow start to advance
Aryna Sabalenka came under early pressure as she launched her bid for a third Australian Open title but the Belarusian clicked into gear and overpowered French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah 6-4, 6-1 to reach the second round on Sunday.
The world number one arrived for the match at Rod Laver Arena as the firm favourite but found herself a break down after the opening game and looked troubled throughout the first set by the guile of left-hander Rakotomanga Rajaonah despite getting back on serve.
"I think I didn't start my best but she showed up, was fired up and she was playing great. It was a tricky start and I'm super happy I found my rhythm at the end of the first set and I felt a bit more confident," Sabalenka said.
"I didn't know much about her, I watched her previous games, but it's always tricky to play against someone you don't really know and also left-handed but I'm super happy to be able to close this match in straight sets."
Sabalenka eventually found her rhythm and reasserted control, turning her initial difficulties into little more than a footnote as the 27-year-old settled into her power game to go up 5-4 and wrapped up the set with a huge forehand that her opponent returned long.
An early break in the second set helped Sabalenka to go 3-0 up and there was no stopping the four-times major champion, who closed out the contest on her third matchpoint to book a second-round clash with either Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or Bai Zhuoxuan.
Sabalenka celebrated her win by taking a selfie with tennis greats Roger Federer and Rod Laver, who were in the stands.
"I'm a huge fan... I got a little bit tired and I wanted to show great tennis so you guys enjoy watching me play. What a privilege - thank you so much and I really hope you guys enjoyed just a little bit. It was a lot of pressure."
Zverev passes Diallo test
Alexander Zverev launched his bid for a maiden Australian Open title with a shaky first-round win over Canadian Gabriel Diallo as disgruntled fans fumed over long queues and a surprise ticket sales halt on day one.
Third seed Zverev, the runner-up to Jannik Sinner last year, dropped the first set against the feisty world number 41 at Rod Laver Arena but rallied to a 6-7(1), 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win on a steamy afternoon.
"Definitely when I saw the draw I wasn't too happy, to be honest," the German said of former US college player Diallo, one of the most dangerous unseeded players in the men's singles.
"I was thinking, 'can't get worse than that (first set)'.
"But .... it got a lot better after that for me."
With extra security deployed at the tournament following the mass shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach last month, the patience of fans was tested as they lined up in long, snaking queues to the Melbourne Park gates under a hot sun.
Organisers delivered an unwelcome surprise by halting sales of the popular "ground pass" tickets within an hour of the first shot being hit, citing intense demand.
The move disappointed hundreds of fans who had queued for long periods expecting to buy the cheaper walk-up tickets which allow access to the minor courts.
“We tried to buy a ground pass and they just told us it was only tickets that were A$229 ($153) per person,” Melbourne resident Susan Walsh told Reuters. “Didn’t want to spend that much money ... So, a bit disappointed.”
While it was slow going outside the gates, pocket dynamo Jasmine Paolini raced to a 6-1, 6-2 win over Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich in little more than an hour in the opening match at Rod Laver Arena.
The seventh seed, a Wimbledon and French Open runner-up, battled nerves before the match and was glad of the downtime on a sunny afternoon.
"I will enjoy my Sunday now," the Italian scribbled on a courtside camera lens before exiting.
Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, the women's 26th seed, fell 6-4, 7-5 to Romania's world number 79 Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
Melbourne Park's rowdy Court Six with its courtside bar proved a challenge for Kazak Yulia Putintseva as she saw off Beatriz Haddad Maia and her passionate contingent of Brazilian fans 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Putintseva celebrated with an on-court shimmy and a sarcastic flourish, bowing deeply to fans in the terraces with a broad grin on her face.
Fery stuns 20th seed Cobolli
Qualifier Arthur Fery delivered a stunning Australian Open win by beating 20th seed Flavio Cobolli on Sunday, a victory that ensured his mother’s long journey from Britain was rewarded with at least another chance to watch him play in Melbourne.
Competing in a Grand Slam other than Wimbledon for the first time, the Briton powered through the qualifying rounds without dropping a set, form that prompted his mother, former tennis professional Olivia, to make the trip Down Under.
With his mother watching from the stands at John Cain Arena, the world number 185 beat Cobolli 7-6(1), 6-4, 6-1 to deliver the first upset of the men's tournament and reach the second round, where he faces Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
"My mum flew over once I qualified. So she was here today," Fery told reporters.
"When I won that last round, she asked me if she could come. I was like, 'Of course, it would be nice to have you here'. It's obviously a long way but at least I made it worth it. She can see at least two matches - hopefully more."
Fery said the rest of his family were glued to the television despite his match starting at midnight in Britain.
"So far I've only played four Slam main draws, and this is the first one outside Wimbledon. So it's a big event for me and everyone around me," he added.
"Also a lot of Brits in the stadium today I thought. Yeah, it was great to have that support as well."
Fery, who is pursuing a course in science, technology and society at Stanford University, said his sporting background shaped his development - his mother was twice a title winner at ITF level and his father Loic owns French soccer club FC Lorient.
"He plays a bit of tennis and is into other sports as well. My mum played tennis at a high level. Having both of them in sport has really helped me," Fery said.
"It definitely helped when I was younger in my development to have two parents who know how professional sport works and the pressures of it and keeping a good balance between trying to develop tennis but also having a life and an education.
"I'm very lucky for that."
Key Points:
- World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who is eyeing a third Australian Open title, won her opening match in straight games.
- Qualifier Arthur Fery stunned 20th seed Flavio Cobolli to deliver the first upset of the men's tournament and reach the second round.
- Italian Jasmine Paolini raced to a straight sets win over Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich in little more than an hour.
- Alexander Zverev recovered after a slow start to beat Canadian Gabriel Diallo.
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