Top seeds Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka reach the 3rd round at the Australian Open in Melbourne. These are the facts of the fourth day of the tournament.
21.01.2026, 07:49
21.01.2026, 07:51
SDA
Long first set
Carlos Alcaraz was put under pressure for one set by German Yannick Hanfmann, a former finalist in Gstaad. The 34-year-old Hanfmann from Karlsruhe led by a break in the first set; at 5:4, he was just two points short of winning the set. After 78 minutes, however, Alcaraz took the first set in a tie-break, and after two hours and 44 minutes his 7:6 (7:4), 6:3, 6:2 victory was secured.
Sabalenka's class
Aryna Sabalenka, the women's No. 1, remained unchallenged in her 6:3, 6:1 win over Bai Zhuoxuan (CHN), although the qualifier won three games in a row in the first set (from 0:5 to 3:5). Sabalenka won 45 of her last 50 sets at the Australian Open. Only Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, Monica Seles and Serena Williams were as dominant at the "Happy Slam" in Australia. "Somehow it sounds surreal to be mentioned together with these greats," says Sabalenka. "I would never have expected to be in their league. And I realize that Graf, Hingis, Seles and Serena have all won a lot more than me."
