Australian Open Day 1: Sabalenka Settles After Slow Start, Upsets Rock Women’s Draw

World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka began her Australian Open campaign with a straight-sets win but admitted she felt early pressure with legends Rod Laver and Roger Federer watching from the stands. The two-time Australian Open champion (2023, 2024) had a nervy opening, losing her first service game before regaining control to defeat French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah 6-4, 6-1. Sabalenka praised her opponent’s aggressive start and said she was relieved to find her rhythm as the match progressed, describing the opening as tricky but manageable.

Sabalenka’s strong form continues after winning the Brisbane title , which helped sharpen her confidence heading into the season’s first major. Her victory also extends her dominance at the top, marking her 74th week as World No.1 . In a light-hearted moment, she revealed she tried not to look at Federer and Laver during the match because she felt additional pressure, saying she wanted to produce quality tennis for them to enjoy. The match reinforced a key early-tournament theme — even the biggest names can begin cautiously before settling into their best tennis.

Day 1 at Melbourne Park brought early surprises, particularly in the women’s draw where French player Elsa Jacquemot eliminated 20th seed Marta Kostyuk in a dramatic three-set contest. Turkish qualifier Zeynep Sönmez also produced a major upset by beating 11th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova , and her match drew attention when she paused play to help a ballkid struggling in the heat. Other seeded players including Jasmine Paolini , Elina Svitolina , and Maria Sakkari advanced comfortably in straight sets, while former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova withdrew due to injury, reshaping part of the draw.

In the men’s draw, last year’s finalist Alexander Zverev survived a tricky opener against Gabriel Diallo , recovering after losing the first set to win in four. The day’s biggest men’s shock came when British qualifier Arthur Fery stunned 20th seed Flavio Cobolli , with reports noting Cobolli appeared physically uncomfortable during the match. Another standout moment was delivered by qualifier Michael Zheng , a former Columbia University player, who defeated Sebastian Korda in a five-set battle — a rare Slam-level breakthrough highlighting the college-to-tour pathway. Overall, the first day set the tone for a tournament where qualifiers and wildcards are threatening top seeds earlier than expected.