The 2026 Australian Open is underway at Melbourne Park with an Aussie’s mammoth test against the world No.1 headlining Sunday’s play.
Follow live updates and get the latest from Day 1 at the Australian Open live below!
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Follow Day 1 at the Australian Open live below!
AUSSIE YOUNGSTER COMPLETES BIG UPSET
Australia’s Talia Gibson became the first player through to the second round with a commanding 6-1 6-3 victory against world No.62 Anna Blinkova on Kia Arena.
The 21-year-old wildcard is through to the Round of 64 at Melbourne Park for a second straight year after a breathtaking display of hitting to start the tournament in promising fashion for the local hopes.
Awaiting in the next round is either 23rd seed Diana Shnaider or two-time grand slam champion Barbora Krejcikova.
“(In the last year) Learnt a huge amount and the biggest thing is how much damage I can do with my game,” Gibson said in her post-match on court interview.
The world No.105 thumped 42 winners as well as five aces, compared to just five winners and one ace from the racquet of Blinkova.
The Russian broke Australian hearts twelve months ago when she lost the first set 6-1 to Daria Saville (nee Gavrilova) before storming back to win their first round clash.
She threatened to do so again in the second set by breaking Gibson’s serve to get the set back on serve at 4-3 to the Australian.
Gibson wrestled the momentum back her way, however, coming from 40-0 down to break Blinkova’s serve for the fifth time.
“She definitely picked up her level in that period of time, but I tried to tell myself to take it one point at a time,” Gibson said.
“I knew that I was in a really good position already and yeah, really trusting my game.
“And I felt like I was playing really well today.”
The West Australian had never beaten such a highly ranked opponent before, and the victory may serve as a major launching pad in her young professional career.
Gibson won the WTT W75 event in Sydney in November and pocketed $9,142 for her efforts, but her victory on Sunday has dwarfed that feat in terms of the impact it has on her bank balance.
Players are awarded $225,000 for reaching the second round, and that pay day will no doubt help Gibson significantly in her quest to climb into the world’s top 100 and then stay there.
She was also taken aback by the immense support she received from the home crowd – ground passes were sold out for the opening day of the tournament proper with massive queues to get into the grounds.
“Walking back out on this court today was the most amazing feeling,” Gibson said.
“I want to say thank you to everyone that came out. I couldn’t believe the number of people there were in here today. It means a lot.”
‘BORN AND RAISED IN IT’: SURPRISE DEMON SCHEDULE GIFT AFTER AUSSIE GREAT’S PLEA
As he tries to make a run deep into the second week at this year’s Australian Open, one of the nation’s most accomplished ever tennis players believes Alex de Minaur deserves more respect from the Australian public.
Sixteen-time men’s doubles grand slam champion Todd Woodbridge spoke passionately on Channel Nine on Sunday morning about the Australian public’s relationship with the country’s leading player.
Plenty of pessimism swirled around the world No.6 landed in the same section of the draw as world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz as well as dangerous world No.10 Alexander Bublik, but Woodbridge believes there should be more cause for optimism about de Minaur’s prospects at Melbourne Park.
As he chases a maiden grand slam semi-final appearance, de Minaur has stacked on extra muscle to add some more firepower to his game.
Woodbridge also stressed that the manner in which de Minaur conducts himself on and off the court should harness greater admiration.
“He’s due credit. Want your kid to grow up to be a sportsperson? He is the one that you want them to be,” Woodbridge said on Channel Nine.
“You want them to be the right things, and now he’s actually bigger. He’s getting more (respect), in all honesty, when you talk about being a sportsman, this is what you want to have.
“So, what we want him to do is just got that little bit extra. Can he? At some point in the next couple of years, he will be.”
De Minaur will be hoping home court advantage proves to be beneficial – and that includes taking advantage of the Aussie weather.
The world No.6 will somewhat surprisingly begin his Australian Open in Monday’s day session, not at night, facing lucky loser Mackenzie McDonald not before 1:30pm on Rod Laver Arena after former Open semi-finalist Matteo Berrettini withdrew on Saturday due to illness.
It’s a slight surprise de Minaur isn’t playing at night, given it means the local broadcaster won’t be able to showcase the home favourite in primetime, but it could be exactly what he needs to gain an advantage.
De Minaur quipped after a tricky third round match last year: “There’s no better feeling than playing in front of a packed crowd. Even playing in a day session and seeing everyone out there with me for four hours.
“They’re in the stands, and it’s hot in the stands as well. It’s obviously hot on the court. For most of that match, people in the stands are out there in the sun supporting me … that’s truly special.
“Aussie heat, born and raised in it, I’m ready to go.”
While it’s expected to be warm in Melbourne this week, with predicted tops of 30 degrees celsius on Monday, Tuesday and Friday, it won’t get uncomfortably hot until Saturday when a 36 degree day is predicted.
That would be the day de Minaur plays a potential fourth round match, and Aussie tennis champion Wally Masur argued this week the Sydneysider should be asking tournament officials for as many day matches as possible, to take advantage of his athleticism.
“If I was Alex, I’d have my manager in there or I’d be there in [tournament director] Craig Tiley’s office trying to play as often as I can in the day,” Masur said on Nine.
“He’s a player that doesn’t mind the heat, doesn’t mind the variables.
“When this court is cold, it’s heavy and it favours the clay-court style of players.”
Jelena Dokic agreed, adding: “I think with Alex’s game, it’s also the way that he plays – he needs faster conditions so that ball he hits flat skids through. He would prefer to play during the day.”
INCREDIBLE MOMENT WITH BELOVED LEGENDS
Few photos ever taken have swelled the hearts of Australian tennis fans more.
Roger Federer, Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt and Pat Rafter played a legends doubles match on Saturday night at Melbourne Park, with a special Ash Barty surprise thrown in.
Under lights at Rod Laver Arena, the male quartet took a picture with the stadium’s iconic namesake before the match. Laver also tossed the coin.
The picture boasted 43 grand slam singles titles – plus two actual grand slams (all four majors in one year), thanks to the mighty ‘Rocket’.
The Aussies teamed up against the international icons. Played in a first-to-four format, the match went 4-2 2-4 across the first two sets, Aussies then internationals prevailing, meaning it went to a deciding third set.
That’s when Barty stepped in, to replace Agassi, receiving a massive ovation from the adoring Aussie crowd.
“Hold up,” Agassi said.
“There’s only one chance we can win out here today; if we can find another Aussie in this joint to come out here.
“Is there, by chance, another Aussie Open winner here, like an Ash Barty by chance?”
Barty duly emerged from the tunnel, and the fans went nuts.
And she was still in fine form, with the 2022 Australian Open champion strolling to victory 4-2 in the decider. Novak Djokovic was watching from courtside.
“It was beautiful,” Federer said. “It was fantastic. I couldn’t be any happier.
“Just being back in Melbourne with my friends, legends, rivals, is always a thrill. I am a big historian of the game and looked back at who has paved the way for us and this is a beautiful moment for tennis and obviously I am looking forward to the Australian Open.”
DAY 1 PREVIEW
Four Aussies are in action on day one of the 2026 Australian Open with two local men looking to upset seeded rivals.
On the outside courts, wildcard Talia Gibson (vs Anna Blinkova) and Tristan Schoolkate (vs No.32 seed Corentin Moutet) will enjoy partisan support from fans using ground passes.
Then in the evening on the ‘people’s court’ John Cain Arena, qualifier Jason Kubler battles popular American Frances Tiafoe.
The final match of the Rod Laver Arena night session sees world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz beginning his quest to become the youngest man ever to complete a career slam, with the 22-year-old having never even made it past the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park.
He faces Queenslander Adam Walton in the biggest test of the 26-year-old’s career, though Walton does have experience upsetting a seed in the opening round of a hard court slam – he beat No.22 seed Ugo Humbert to open last year’s US Open.
Centre court opens with world No.7 Jasmine Paolini facing Belarus’ former world No.29 Aliaksandra Sasnovich, before 2025 finalist Alex Zverev returns for a dangerous first-round clash with 203cm Canadian Gabriel Diallo.
AUSTRALIAN OPEN DAY 1 ORDER OF PLAY
Show courts and Aussies – all times AEDT
Rod Laver Arena
Day session from 11:30am
Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR) vs [7] Jasmine Paolini (ITA)
[3] Alex Zverev (GER) vs Gabriel Diallo (CAN)
Night session from 7pm
[1] Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) vs [WC] Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah (FRA)
[1] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) vs Adam Walton (AUS)
Margaret Court Arena
Day session from 11:30am
Maria Sakkari (GRE) vs Leolia Jeanjean (FRA)
[18] Francisco Cerundolo (ARG) vs Zhizhen Zhang (CHN)
Night session from 7pm
[10] Alexander Bublik (KAZ) vs Jenson Brooksby (USA)
Mananchaya Sawangkaew (THA) vs [28] Emma Raducanu (GBR)
John Cain Arena
Day session from 11am
[Q] Arthur Fery (GBR) vs [20] Flavio Cobolli (ITA)
Not before 1:30pm
[12] Elina Svitolina (UKR) vs Cristina Bucsa (ESP)
Twilight session from 5pm
[29] Frances Tiafoe (USA) vs [Q] Jason Kubler (AUS)
Olga Danilovic (SRB) vs [WC] Venus Williams (USA)
Kia Arena
From 11am
[WC] Talia Gibson (AUS) vs Anna Blinkova (RUS)
Tristan Schoolkate (AUS) vs [32] Corentin Moutet (FRA)
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