Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena witnessed a tale of two champions on Tuesday as Madison Keys navigated a turbulent title defense while Jannik Sinner prepared to launch his campaign for a historic third consecutive Australian Open crown.
The American ninth seed, Madison Keys, confessed to overwhelming nerves during her opening match against Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova. After dropping the first four games, Keys staged a remarkable recovery to secure a 7-6(6), 6-1 victory. ‘I’ve been anticipating this moment for essentially a year,’ revealed the 2024 champion. ‘The initial nerves were palpable, but I’m thrilled to return to Melbourne.’
While Keys struggled with the pressure of defending her maiden Grand Slam title won against Aryna Sabalenka last year, other contenders demonstrated more commanding form. Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, seeded fifth, delivered a polished performance to defeat Slovenia’s Kaja Juvan 6-4, 6-3.
The day produced a historic breakthrough for Indonesian tennis as Janice Tjen achieved her nation’s first Australian Open match victory in 28 years. The unseeded 59th-ranked player stunned 22nd seed Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 7-6(1), continuing her rapid ascent from 413th in the rankings just twelve months prior.
In men’s competition, attention turned to Jannik Sinner’s impending quest for a Melbourne hat-trick. The Italian second seed, who dominated Alexander Zverev in last year’s final, could join Novak Djokovic as the only Open-era man to claim three successive Australian titles. Sinner’s opening challenge came against French world number 93 Hugo Gaston.
The tournament’s narrative also featured notable exits and advancements. Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, heralded by Roger Federer as a future star, suffered elimination against American Eliot Spizzirri. Meanwhile, eighth seed Ben Shelton advanced decisively against France’s Ugo Humbert 6-3, 7-6(2), 7-6(5).
All eyes remain on the developing rivalry between Sinner and world number one Carlos Alcaraz, who seeks his first Australian Open title to complete a career Grand Slam at just 22 years old. Sinner has refined his game since their US Open final encounter, focusing on net transitions and service variations that could prove decisive in Melbourne.