Melbourne: Aryna Sabalenka and a near-flawless Coco Gauff surged into the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday, while Carlos Alcaraz continued his quest for tennis history at Melbourne Park. Naomi Osaka also turned heads earlier in the tournament, combining a striking fashion statement with a hard-fought first-round win.
Three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev also kept his Grand Slam hopes alive after a four-set battle.
Sabalenka, a four-time major winner, looked dominant from the outset, racing to a 5-0 lead against Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan (ranked 702) on Rod Laver Arena. She briefly wavered but quickly regained control to close out a 6-3, 6-1 victory in just over an hour, setting up a third-round clash with Russian-born Anastasia Potapova, now representing Austria, who ousted 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu.
“Super-happy to close the first set, it gives me confidence that my game is there, my focus is there,” said Sabalenka, who is bidding for a third Australian Open title in four years. The top seed has dropped just nine games so far and looks to atone for her upset loss in last year’s final to Madison Keys.
Third-seed Coco Gauff was equally clinical, defeating Serbia’s Olga Danilovic 6-2, 6-2 in 78 minutes on Margaret Court Arena. She will face fellow American Hailey Baptiste (No. 70) in the third round.
Naomi Osaka, meanwhile, made a statement both on and off the court in her first-round match. The 2021 champion stepped onto Rod Laver Arena in a white top hat, veil, umbrella, and butterfly-themed gown before switching to a turquoise tennis kit for competition. Osaka backed up the spectacle with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 win over Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic, surviving a tense third set to advance to round two, where she will face Sorana Cirstea.
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz defeated Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, 6-2, moving a step closer to becoming the youngest man in the Open Era to complete a Career Grand Slam
. Alcaraz fired 11 aces and 41 winners in just under three hours and will meet French veteran Corentin Moutet in the third round.
Three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev also advanced after a four-set encounter, staying alive in his bid for another Grand Slam title.
As the tournament moves into the third round, the women’s draw promises marquee clashes featuring Sabalenka, Gauff, Potapova, and Osaka, while the men’s side sees Alcaraz continuing his historic pursuit alongside Medvedev.
Source: AO, WTA
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