The Australian Open
Australian Open 2026 Women’s Day 5
Defending champion Madison Keys overcame a lapse while fellow US seed Jessicia Pegula had a more straightforward match as the pair moved into the third round.
Keys, seeded ninth, defeated compatriot Ashlyn Kreuger 6-1, 7-5 while tournament No. 3 Pegula beat newly inuted doubles partner McCartney Kessler with the loss of just two games.
Keys, 30, is competing here for the 12th time, marking her 50th appearance at a Grand Slam.
The seed swept up the opening seet but had to come back from a double break down in the second before advancing.
“I started really well and she started slow,” the winner said. “I was expecting her to raise her level and she did.
“The second set got away from me quickly and I wanted to make sure Ii got back into it. I tried to sink my teeth into the match and do what I could.”
The holder added: “It’s amazing to be back as defending champion. I reached my first Grand Slam semi-final here (2022) so it’s fitting I won my first title here also.”
Pegula, a three-time Melbourne quarter-finalist, lost her only two games to Kessler in the second set after her opponent had taken a medical time out of court following the opening set.
The third seed broke twice in the second set as she finished off the rout in an hour.
The pair had been trying for weeks to hook up in doubles and managed to mesh schedules for this major.
Pegula could only laugh at the irony of playing her partner in singles, but was not deterred in advancing.
“I thought I played a very clean match, executed exactly what I wanted to from the start. Maybe I got a little help from her end but I was able to do what I
wanted to from start to finish.
“When those days come around, you take them because it doesn’t happen often. She’s a really tricky player and a good competitor.
Happy that I got through with not a lot of drama.
Second seed and two-time semi-finalist Iga Swiatek found herself in the wilderness of a minor showcourt but took little notice as the six-time grand Slam winner piled on for a 6-2, 6-3 defeat – her third straight win over 44th-ranked of Czech Marie Bouzkova.
Fourth-seeded Amanda Anisimova defeated Karolina Siniakova with an efficient 6-1, 6-4.
“I’ve always been a player who likes a challenge. When things get a bit rocky, it’s very competitive out there, I think I thrive on that,” she said.
“That’s what I love about the sport, is those really tense moments. I’ve been able to come through and get to the finish line at Grand Slams, so that definitely helps with my confidence.
“I’m just thinking about how to battle through what I can do better,” added the finalist at two of the majors last season.
Anna Kalinskaya ended the run of Julia Grabher 6-3, 6-3 while 2021 Wimbledon finalist Karolina Pliskova advanced past Indonesian Janice Tjen 6-4, 6-4.
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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