The Australian Open
Australian Open 2026 Women’s Day 2
Six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek was stretched in her Australian Open first round by a Chinese qualifier on Monday, with the second seed squeezing through for a 7-6 (5), 6-3 result over Yuan Yue at the Australian Open.
The No. 130 challegner who once stood 100 spots higher, forced the Polish seed to work on tactics before coming through her second-longest Grand Slam first round match ever.
The win in two hours was just two minutes short of her longest, played here in 2019.
Swiatek trailed 3-5 in the opening set, which was only decided by a tiebreaker. Yuan took a medical time out for a massage and threatened in the second set.
The Chinese player recovered from a double break down in the second set and held serve in the nine-minute seventh game comprising five deuces.
Swiatek missed on a first match point two games laer but escaped with the win on her second chance.
“I was resty at the beginning and did not start well,” she said. “She used her opportunities.
“I knew that if I put in the hard work (footwork) that I could play better. I tried to do that from the middle of the first set.
“I’m happy it worked, there were so many ups and downs> I have a lot of stuff to work on so I;ll just focus on that.”
Coco Gauff, the third seed, needed two chances to serve out her 6-2, 6-3 opening-match win over Kamila Rakhimova, with the Uzbek breaking the American serve for the win leading a set and 5-2.
It took some extra effort before Gauff earned her trip to the second round with a break back of her 91st-ranked opponent.
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself – but I want to win the tournament,” the semi-finalist here in 2024 said
“Winning is really the only satisfying result. I’m satisfied when I win but proud of myself regardless of how I do in the tournament.”
Gauff could not fault her winning effort against Rakhimova. “I did well, I didn’t rush the points.
“At the end I wanted to hold serve but as a good returner you have high chances of breaking back,” she added after clocking her 75th main draw Grand Slam career win.
Compatriots Jessica Pegula, Payton Stearns and Ann Li joined two-time Grand Slam finalist Gauff in the second round.
Sixth seed Pegula made quick work of Anastasa Zakharova, with the loss of just three games in 66 minutes.
Stearns put out Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Melbourne champion who has since lost five straight times in the first round, 6-3, 6-2. Li defeated Camila Osorio 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-5 after two and a half hours.
Weekend Adelaide tournament champion Mirra Andreeva began her Open with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 win over Croat Donna Vekic while Adelaide semi-finalist Diana Shnaider advanced over Barbora Krejcikova 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.
The Australian Open
Fashion-forward Osaka will tone it down at RG
Tennis style icon Naomi Osaka has no plans to try for one-upmanship in the informal fashion stakes at Roland Garros.
The former world No. 1 from Japan has sometimes made more news with her style choices than her racquet, especially after taking time off several seasons ago to have a child.
But Osaka has run against the traditional tennis grain with some of her outfits, which included an exo-skeleton ensemble at January’s Australian Open, where she walked onto court for her opening match wearing a large hat, veil, and carrying a parasol combination and wearing a pair of pleated pants..
The clothing was discarded before the start revealing a tennis dress, with the quirky player explaining the get-up was inspired by “the jellyfish, then butterflies, which ties back to the butterfly moment I had here a long time ago, in 2021,”
The world No. 16 also put on a fashion show at the spring Met Gala in New York, sporting a wedding dress-style garment combined with another huge hat..
For Osaka, it’s just another day in the office, but she said nothing special is planned when Roland Garros kicks of on Sunday in Paris.
“I don’t talk a lot, so that way I can talk through my clothes,” she said on Saturday prior to the start of the year’s second major.
“That means I can be as loud with colors or patterns or
fabric as I want.
“I think that’s the fun part.. I feel we lost that a little in tennis. I grew up with, you know, Serena’s and Venus’s (Williams) grand reveals (included beaded hair and catsuits on court).
“I know there are some kids or some people who are similar to me that hopefully feel that same way about my outfits.
“But, yeah, I am a little dramatic when it comes to my fashion sense.”
ATP
Kyrgios due to resurface on German grass
Nick Kyrgios is being touted for a return to tennis after playing just one singles match all season, with the controversial Australian due in the lineups for Stuttgart and Halle in June.
The 2022 Wimbledon finalist who turns 31 in a week, has been added to the entry lists for the pair of run-up events prior to the grass-court major which starts on June 29.
Kyrgios, who has missed months on end due to injury and motivational worries, has played just one Grand Slam match since 2022, losing in the Australian Open first round in 2025.
His lone outing this season was an ATP defeat in Brisbane on January 6.
Nevertheless, the acquired taste is feted as a crowd-puller and will have German organisers on alert as to his eventual availability.
“Nick Kyrgios has been one of the most dazzling personalities in world tennis for years,” Halle tournament organisers said in a statement.
“The Australian is known for his exceptional playing style, characterised by one of the best serves on the tour, spectacular winners, and great creativity.
“At the same time, his emotional personality and charisma attract considerable attention far beyond the sport.”
Stuttgart start the day after the Roland Garros final while Halle follows a week later in northern Germany from June 13-21.
ATP
Djoko dropping hints that career has short shelf life
Novak Djokovic has been making it plain that the end of his career is approaching, with the 38-year-old dropping his strongest hint ever about his future on court.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion who has been keeping his ATP scheduling options open and has competed this season only at the Australian Open (finals loss to Carlos Alcaraz) and winning two rounds last month at Indian Wells.
“Tennis is still very important to me, but it’s no longer everything,” the Serb told Esquire Australia, adding that family matters and two children are starting to take precedence in his life.
“It’s one of the biggest challenges – finding the right balance between tennis and family life, especially as my children are growing and have school commitments, so they can’t travel with me as much as before.
“When I’m on the court, I’m motivated not just to win, but to set an example – to show them values like dedication, resilience, and love for what you do. That motivation is very powerful and very personal.”
Main photo:- Novak Djokovic was runner up to Carlos Alcaraz in AO26 – by ISF Ltd
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