feather_ghyll (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
feather_ghyll) wrote2026-01-26 08:29 pm
feather_ghyll) wrote2026-01-26 08:29 pm
TENNIS: Australian Open 2026 R1-R4
The headlines of note from round 1 other than Osaka’s walking-on-court costume: the biggest upset was probably Felix Auger-Aliasseme, being unable to capitalise on the fabulous end of ’25, and falling as much to cramps as his opponent. Monfils did not make it through, but Wawrinka, who’d also announced it was his last year on the tour, did, as did the slightly younger and more likely contender Djokovic, who passed his century of wins at the Australian Open.
Round 2: Emma Raducanu lost earlier than she was seeded to, so did Shapavalov, but he lost to Cilic. The biggest upset was the much touted Bencic losing in three sets to a qualifier.
Round 3: By dispatching Paolini in two sets, Iva Jovic could be said to have arrived, and also allowed there to be much writing about how the teenagers were coming on the women’s side as the more established Mboko and Andreeva also won. The next day, Spizzerri !? and cramps were giving Sinner problems, but the heat rule came into force and gave him a break that allowed him to regroup. The American is one to keep an eye out for. Djokovic was very nearly defaulted after hitting a ball in a bit of a temper frustration and nearly hitting a ballkid as a result. (Which would have been the second time.) Instead, he won his match. Meanwhile, Fritz brought Wawrinka’s run to an end, not a surprise because of his quality and Wawrinka’s previous match had gone to five sets, but the veteran Grand Slam champion did play some wonderful tennis during his run. Osaka had to pull out, allowing the home qualifier Inglis a shot at the fourth round.
In the fourth round, Sabalenka dominated Mboko in the first set, but the young Canadian made up a deficit in the second to force a tiebreak, where Sabalenka did that thing she does in Grand Slam tiebreaks at the moment, where she won it and the match. Tien seems to have Medvedev’s number in their rematch/fourth round match, winning in three, even bagelling Medvedev in one set. And Mensik pulled out for an abdominal injury, same as Osaka, giving Djokovic a walkover, I understand, which meant that the oldest quarter-finalist had had the easiest draw so far.
The next day, Pegula won against an erratic defending champion Keys in two sets. Perhaps to some’s surprise, Musetti beat Fritz in three sets. It looked as though Fritz was having some treatment (I only saw the highlights), but not on his knee, but Musetti was the higher seed, and, even if Fritz was compromised, played fabulously. In fact, the top 6 male and female seeds made it through to the quarter finals, which is actually rare. And a credit to them.
Round 2: Emma Raducanu lost earlier than she was seeded to, so did Shapavalov, but he lost to Cilic. The biggest upset was the much touted Bencic losing in three sets to a qualifier.
Round 3: By dispatching Paolini in two sets, Iva Jovic could be said to have arrived, and also allowed there to be much writing about how the teenagers were coming on the women’s side as the more established Mboko and Andreeva also won. The next day, Spizzerri !? and cramps were giving Sinner problems, but the heat rule came into force and gave him a break that allowed him to regroup. The American is one to keep an eye out for. Djokovic was very nearly defaulted after hitting a ball in a bit of a temper frustration and nearly hitting a ballkid as a result. (Which would have been the second time.) Instead, he won his match. Meanwhile, Fritz brought Wawrinka’s run to an end, not a surprise because of his quality and Wawrinka’s previous match had gone to five sets, but the veteran Grand Slam champion did play some wonderful tennis during his run. Osaka had to pull out, allowing the home qualifier Inglis a shot at the fourth round.
In the fourth round, Sabalenka dominated Mboko in the first set, but the young Canadian made up a deficit in the second to force a tiebreak, where Sabalenka did that thing she does in Grand Slam tiebreaks at the moment, where she won it and the match. Tien seems to have Medvedev’s number in their rematch/fourth round match, winning in three, even bagelling Medvedev in one set. And Mensik pulled out for an abdominal injury, same as Osaka, giving Djokovic a walkover, I understand, which meant that the oldest quarter-finalist had had the easiest draw so far.
The next day, Pegula won against an erratic defending champion Keys in two sets. Perhaps to some’s surprise, Musetti beat Fritz in three sets. It looked as though Fritz was having some treatment (I only saw the highlights), but not on his knee, but Musetti was the higher seed, and, even if Fritz was compromised, played fabulously. In fact, the top 6 male and female seeds made it through to the quarter finals, which is actually rare. And a credit to them.