Carlos Alcaraz will launch his bid for tennis historical past whereas ladies’s world primary Aryna Sabalenka can also be in motion on the primary day of the Australian Open on Sunday.
Final yr’s overwhelmed finalist Alexander Zverev and 45-year-old Venus Williams, set to turn into the oldest girl ever on the match, additionally function.
Spain’s Alcaraz has gained the US Open, Wimbledon and French Open however the Melbourne Park crown is the one Grand Slam lacking from his spectacular resume.
The furthest the world primary has gone on the opening main of the yr is the quarter-finals and he has made it clear that dethroning rival Jannik Sinner as champion is his major goal for 2026.
If he does so, the 22-year-old would surpass compatriot Rafael Nadal to turn into the youngest man to finish a profession Grand Slam, which is profitable all 4 majors.
“I’m simply hungry for the title, hungry to do a extremely good consequence right here,” stated the six-time main winner.
“I’m simply preparing as a lot as I can. I’m actually excited concerning the match starting.”
Alcaraz launches his title cost in opposition to 79th-ranked residence participant Adam Walton within the remaining match of the day on Rod Laver Enviornment.
Italy’s world quantity seven Jasmine Paolini begins the centre court docket motion in opposition to Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus.
Germany’s third-ranked Zverev, overwhelmed by Sinner within the remaining a yr in the past, will get began in opposition to Gabriel Diallo of Canada.
Subsequent up on Rod Laver Enviornment is Sabalenka, who’s aiming to win a 3rd Melbourne crown in 4 years.
The Belarusian suffered a shock defeat within the remaining to American Madison Keys in an exhilarating decider in 2025.
Sabalenka, who performs French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah, triumphed on the Brisbane Worldwide final week in an ominous assertion of intent.
“I can’t complain about my begin of the season. I feel I performed some nice matches there, confirmed nice tennis,” stated the 27-year-old.
Veteran Williams is again in Melbourne for the primary time since 2021 after being handed a wildcard and faces a troublesome activity in opposition to 68th-ranked Olga Danilovic of Serbia.
Now ranked 576, the previous world primary misplaced within the opening spherical of each of her warm-up occasions and has performed solely sporadically in recent times.
“That is the best place on Earth to play,” stated Williams.
“I’ve had wonderful reminiscences right here. I like challenges, so I’m up for the problem.”
Different gamers in motion embody males’s tenth seed Alexander Bublik and ladies’s twelfth seed Elina Svitolina, who each gained warm-up tournaments main into the Australian Open.
The put up Top-ranked Alcaraz, Sabalenka headline Australian Open day one appeared first on Vanguard News.
