‘This is incredible’: Aussie takes it to world No.1; Williams suffers all-time collapse — Aus Open LIVE

A world number one has avoided an almighty upset bid, and now an Aussie is trying to stun the other No.1 on night 1 at the Australian Open.

Live updates from Night 1 below!

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Follow Night 1 at the Australian Open live below!

LEGEND BOWS OUT IN BRUTAL FASHION

Venus Williams has missed out on another epic slice of Australian Open history on Sunday night, squandering a huge lead to bow out in the opening round of the Women’s Singles draw.

The 45-year-old great incredibly led 4-0 in the third set, before conceding the next six — and final — games of the match to lose to Serbian Olga Danilovic 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 4-6 at John Cain Arena.

Incredibly, after Danilovic fought back to 4-4 in the final set, Venus again had her serve broken — this time in an eye-watering 14-minute, 28-second game that saw eight deuces played.

“Move your legs, move your hands — that was the only thing I was saying to myself … I kept myself calm, and it worked,” Danilovic said of the long game immediately after her win.

Impressively, Williams managed to serve nine aces, but on the contrary, also had five times the double faults her 24-year-old opponent did.

The American, who has only sparingly played singles matches in recent years, was granted a wildcard entry into the Grand Slam she has made the final for twice in 2003 and 2017.

Danilovic will play the winner of Coco Gauff and Kamilla Rakhomva in their first round clash on Monday.

WORLD NUMBER ONES CHALLENGED BY UNHERALDED RIVALS

Tonight on centre court both world No.1s launched their Australian Open campaigns with Aryna Sabalenka first getting the job done against French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah.

However it was nowhere near as easy as their respective rankings would suggest, with the 20-year-old world No.117 playing some impressive shots and proving why she’s a highly-rated prospect.

Five unforced errors in her opening service game saw Sabalenka stunningly broken, in a reminder of her serving troubles which ruined several grand slam runs pre-2023 – and struck her at times in the 2025 tournament as well.

While the Belarusian soon restored order, her Madagascar-born opponent kept the challenge going all through the set.

It took a late break opportunity at 5-4 for Sabalenka to pinch the set before the second set went much more to plan, on route to a 6-4 6-1 victory.

Sabalenka explained post-match she was nervous while playing in front of Roger Federer and Rod Laver, who sat front row.

“I was like the whole match, walking and thinking, don’t watch, don’t look there, don’t look there, don’t look there!” she joked.

To finish the night it’s Carlos Alcaraz, attempting to become the youngest man to complete the career slam by winning this tournament, facing Queenslander Adam Walton.

Alcaraz is Alex de Minaur’s projected quarter-final opponent.

Walton made an impressive 17 consecutive first serves to begin the match, with Jim Courier quipping “this is incredible” on commentary, immediately cursing him as the Aussie faulted on his next serve.

Alcaraz took the opening set 6-3 but then fell down 1-3 in the second as the crowd got behind the Aussie. He worked his way back into the set and claimed it in a tiebreak, 7-6(2).

De Minaur could’ve had an Aussie in his path in the third round, but No.29 seed Frances Tiafoe remains on track for that clash after taking care of business against Jason Kubler.

Kubler had multiple set points in the opening set but could not convert and eventually fell 7-6(4) 6-3 6-2 in two hours and 13 minutes.

De Minaur’s draw was already made slightly easier when the dangerous Matteo Berrettini was forced to withdraw from the tournament, replaced in Monday’s first-round match by lucky loser Mackie McDonald.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN NIGHT 1 ORDER OF PLAY

Show courts and Aussies – all times AEDT

Rod Laver Arena

Night session from 7pm