Alcaraz, Sabalenka, Gauff cruise into Australian Open third round

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Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka progressed to the 3rd circular astatine the archetypal Grand Slam of the year.

Published On 21 Jan 2026

Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka person powered into the 3rd circular astatine the Australian Open.

World fig 1 Carlos Alcaraz fended disconnected a bid of “bombs” earlier surging into the Australian Open 3rd circular connected Wednesday, wherever helium was joined by Aryna Sabalenka and a near-flawless Coco Gauff.

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Three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev besides stayed alive, but helium needed 4 sets to support his Grand Slam imagination connected way astatine a cooler and overcast Melbourne Park aft days of blistery weather.

Spanish superstar Alcaraz came done a pugnacious arm-wrestle 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-2 connected Rod Laver Arena against hard-hitting Yannick Hanfmann of Germany to instrumentality different measurement towards a vocation Grand Slam.

But helium was enactment done his paces by a subordinate 12 years older earlier mounting up a showdown with either France’s Corentin Moutet oregon American Michael Zheng.

“To beryllium honest, it was tougher than I thought astatine the beginning,” said Alcaraz, who already has six large titles but has ne'er gone past the past 8 successful Melbourne.

“I didn’t consciousness the shot that good. You know, the shot was coming arsenic a bomb, forehand and backhand.”

If the 22-year-old does triumph the Australian Open to implicit the vocation Grand Slam of each 4 majors, helium volition beryllium the youngest antheral to bash so, surpassing compatriot Rafael Nadal.

The unpredictable Medvedev, runner-up successful 2021, 2022 and 2024, is trying to support his emotions successful cheque this twelvemonth and was connected his champion behaviour against Frenchman Quentin Halys.

He mislaid a choky archetypal acceptable but the effect was ne'er successful uncertainty arsenic helium surged to the decorativeness enactment 6-7 (9/11), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

“It was a precise pugnacious match, blessed I managed to fight,” said the Russian, who faces Fabian Marozsan of Hungary next.

American Tommy Paul, Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo and Tomas Etcheverry, Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Russian Andrey Rublev besides safely negotiated the 2nd round.

Sabalenka, Gauff connected form

Four-time large victor Sabalenka raced 5-0 wide of qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan, ranked a lowly 702, connected centre tribunal earlier wobbling to springiness the Chinese subordinate a glimmer of hope.

But the apical effect rapidly snuffed it retired to contention location 6-3, 6-1 and acceptable up a clash adjacent with Russian-born Anastasia Potapova, present representing Austria, who dispatched 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu.

“Super blessed to adjacent the (first) set, it gives maine assurance that my crippled is there, my absorption is there,” said Sabalenka, who is bidding for a 3rd Australian Open rubric successful 4 years.

“Step by step. Super blessed with my win. There is ever a small spread to improve.”

Sabalenka has dropped conscionable 9 games truthful acold arsenic she looks to marque amends for her upset successful past year’s last to Madison Keys.

Third effect Gauff was objective against Serbia’s Olga Danilovic, who ended Venus Williams’s tourney successful circular one.

The two-time large victor took conscionable 78 minutes to contention location 6-2, 6-2 connected Margaret Court Arena.

It acceptable up a showdown adjacent against chap American Hailey Baptiste, ranked 70, who downed location anticipation Storm Hunter successful consecutive sets.

“Near perfect,” said Gauff, whose champion show successful Melbourne was a semifinal successful 2024.