The Australian Open 2026 is well underway, with top contenders Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka making swift progress to the third round. Both players demonstrated dominant performances on the Melbourne Park courts, showcasing their readiness to compete for the coveted Grand Slam title.
Aryna Sabalenka, maintaining her undefeated streak in 2026, is set to face Anastasia Potapova in her next match. Potapova, a Russian-born Austrian, secured her spot by defeating Britain’s Emma Raducanu. The draw promises exciting matchups as the tournament heats up.
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Similar to Gauff, the top-seeded Sabalenka quickly established control against her opponent, who was ranked significantly lower. In the opening 15 minutes, Sabalenka won five consecutive games, signaling her intent to dominate the match and advance with minimal effort.
However, the four-time Grand Slam champion encountered initial resistance as she aimed to close out the first set. Her serve was broken, and she was denied on her first six set points, highlighting the brief resilience of her opponent.
Once Bai’s resistance was broken, Sabalenka moved through the remainder of the match with apparent ease, securing a decisive victory.
Sabalenka’s impressive record at the Australian Open continues to grow. She has now won 45 out of her last 50 sets played at the tournament, a remarkable feat.
This statistic places her in elite company, with only Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, Monica Seles, and Serena Williams achieving a better record in the Open era.
Reflecting on her performance and the comparisons being made, Sabalenka expressed a sense of disbelief and motivation.
“That sounds crazy and surreal, to be honest,” Sabalenka commented, acknowledging the weight of being mentioned alongside such legendary figures.
She added, “I just never thought that people will compare me to these names, even though I’m really far away from their achievements.”
Sabalenka, who has previously claimed the Melbourne title in both 2023 and 2024, sees these comparisons as a driving force.
“It motivates me to keep doing my thing. It just means for me that I’m on the right way,” she stated, underscoring her commitment to continued success.
The Australian Open 2026 continues to deliver thrilling tennis, with established stars like Gauff and Sabalenka showing no signs of slowing down as they pursue further glory on the Grand Slam stage. Fans are eagerly anticipating the upcoming matches and the potential for further record-breaking performances.
