In a thrilling start to the 2026 Australian Open, world number one Aryna Sabalenka triumphed over Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah, a French wildcard, in front of tennis legends Roger Federer and Rod Laver. The match took place on the iconic Rod Laver Arena, and for Sabalenka, the presence of these two giants added an extra layer of excitement—and pressure.
Sabalenka, who has previously claimed the Australian Open title twice, showcased her skills with a convincing score of 6-4, 6-1. However, she admitted that she felt a bit intimidated by the legendary figures watching her from the front row. "I tried not to look at them," she joked, highlighting the unique experience of competing in front of such esteemed spectators. After her victory, she even captured a selfie with Federer and Laver, cherishing the moment.
"I aimed to deliver an entertaining performance, hoping you all enjoyed it a little," said the Belarusian star. She candidly expressed the pressure she felt, reflecting on how she walked around the court reminding herself, "don’t look there, don’t look there."
Sabalenka's strong track record in Australia is noteworthy; she has only lost one set during her last two title runs in 2023 and 2024 and boasts an impressive overall record of just one loss in her last 22 matches at this tournament. That single defeat was particularly surprising, as it came at the hands of American Madison Keys in last year's final, which went to three sets.
Her success isn’t limited to the Australian Open, as five of her 22 career singles titles have been earned on Australian soil, including a recent win at the Brisbane International that prepared her well for this major event.
Yet, her match against the world-ranked 118 Rakotomanga Rajaonah wasn’t without its challenges. In what was an uncharacteristically shaky first set for Sabalenka, she found herself losing her serve right at the start. Although she quickly broke back, it was a tumultuous set, marked by 16 winners overshadowed by 13 unforced errors. After narrowly saving a break point at 4-4, Sabalenka found her rhythm and dominated the latter part of the match, winning five consecutive games to assert her control.
"I didn’t start off as well as I’d hoped. She came out strong and played really well," Sabalenka acknowledged, as she aims for her fourth consecutive final at the Australian Open.
Looking ahead, Sabalenka will next face either Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or Bai Zhuoxuan in the second round, with the possibility of facing Britain’s Emma Raducanu in the third round. As the tournament progresses, fans are left wondering: will Sabalenka continue her remarkable run, or will an unexpected challenger rise to the occasion?
