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.