Friday, January 30, 2026

AO26 - The Day Before the Day












=AO NOTES=
...the first champions of AO26 were crowned at the start of the day, and they gave the home fans something to cheer for.



Facing off against the French pair of Kristina Mladenovic & Manuel Guinard, Aussies Olivia Gadecki & John Peers successfully defended the crown they won a year ago with a 4-6/6-3 (10-8) victory that made them the first repeat AO MX champions since Jana Novotna & Jim Pugh won back-to-back in 1988-89. They're the first all-Aussie team to do it Down Under in 62 years (Margaret Court/Ken Fletcher 1962-63).



While both of Gadecki's two career slam wins have come in the AO MX, Peers now has a total of four, having also won the 2017 AO men's doubles and '22 U.S. MX with another Aussie, Storm Hunter.

...since her return to action last spring after hip surgery, Diede de Groot has seen most of her slam winning streaks come to an end (just like her dominant run over Yui Kamiji) as she's had to work her way back into form on the court. 2025 was the first season since her 2017 debut that she didn't win a major title in either singles or doubles. The one streak that *didn't* end, since she hadn't recovered enough to play in Melbourne a year ago, was her stretch as the reigning AO wheelchair singles champion. And after playing in the semifinals today, that streak is *still* intact.

De Groot advanced to her 27th career slam singles final with a 6-4/3-6/7-6(11-9) win over #4 Wang Ziying, who'd beaten her earlier this month in another tournament. Now with 17 consecutive match wins in Melbourne, de Groot will play for her fifth AO crown in her last five appearances. She already owns the women's WC record for most slam singles titles with 23, and a win for career slam title #43 (w/ her 19 wins in doubles) would break her tie with Hall of Famer Esther Vergeer for the most combined major titles by a woman in wheelchair tennis history.

She won't be facing off with #1 Yui Kamiji in the final, though, and it will instead be #3 Li Xiaohui, the same woman who ended de Groot's 145-match singles winning streak in 2024, and 52 consecutive slam match streak at last year's Roland Garros.

Li rallied to reach her second straight slam singles final (after a U.S. Open loss to Kamiji last summer) with a 3-6/6-2/7-6(10-8) win over the world #1, avenging what were *four* slam defeats in singles at the hands of Kamiji last year. With an additional victory over de Groot, Li would join Wang Ziying (the '25 Wimbledon winner) as the only Chinese women to claim slam singles trophies.

Last year, Li & Wang's AO doubles title run made them the first Chinese players to win a wheelchair major, and they went on to claim three of the season's four slam crowns. Today in Melbourne, the pair defended their AO title with a 6-4/6-3 win over Kamiji & Zhu Zhenzhen.



Li & Wang need only the RG title to have won all majors, while Li now has a chance to become the second Chinese woman to sweep the WC s/d titles at a major event (w/ Wang at last year's Wimbledon).

In the junior wheelchair doubles final, #2 seeded Lucy Foyster & Seira Matsuoka defeated top seeds Luna Gryp & Lucy Heald by a 6-3/7-5 score to take the title.

#1 seed Gryp and #2 Matsuoka will meet in the singles final tomorrow.

...the junior singles semis are set, and it'll be a pair of Hordettes playing in the two matches, versus a seeded Bannerette and a Pastry.

Unseeded Ekaterina Tupitsyna upset the player who was likely the favorite to claim the AO crown, #6-seeded Xinran Sun, by a 3-6/7-5/7-5 score, and will next face #8-seeded U.S. teen Thea Frodin (def. another Russian, #13 Mariia Makarova). On the other side of the draw, Hordette Rada Zolotareva knocked off #11 Shao Yushan, and will next face #3-seeded French girl Ksenia Efremova (def. #10 Kanon Sawashiro) for a spot in the final.



The girls' doubles final will be an All-Crusher affair, as both Czech duos playing in today's semis advanced to the title match, #1-seeded sisters Alena & Jana Kovackova, and Tereza Hermanova & Denisa Zoldakova. The winners will be the first Czech team to take home the AO crown since Marketa Vondrousova & Miriam Kolodziejova (now Skoch) in 2015.

The Kovackovas won last year's U.S. Open junior title, and in 2023 Alena also won the Wimbledon doubles (though not w/ her sister). A win in the AO final would bring her within the RG title from a Junior Career Doubles Slam.





...LIKE THE TIDES on Day 13:




...SEMIFINAL NIGHT CALLBACK (w/ eyeroll implied) on Day 13:




...STOSUR SIGHTING on Day 13:




...IMAGE OF THE TOURNAMENT? on Day 13:

And another piece of evidence entered into the offical record that likely proves that unless Djokovic can slip in #25 somewhere, the men's slam champions winner's circle will likely still involve just two players going well into the near future.





...DID YOU KNOW? on Day 13:

The Iga Swiatek QF loss to Elena Rybakina drops her to 0-2 vs. Top 10 opponents in 2026? How about that going back to last season's WTA Finals, she's dropped four straight matches vs. Top 10 pleyars *and* is 1-6 in such matches since her Cincinnati title run (w/ wins vs. Paolini and Rybakina) last summer?

Meanwhile, with Katerina Siniakova's loss (w/ Taylor Townsend, the defending champs) in the doubles semis, and Elise Mertens' advancement into the final (w/ Zhang Shuai), the Belgian is assured of replacing the Czech as the doubles #1 next Monday. Mertens first reached the top spot back in 2021.








=WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL=
#1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR vs. #5 Elena Rybakina/KAZ

=WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL=
#7 Danilina/Krunic (KAZ/SRB) vs. #4 Mertens/Zhang (BEL/CHN)

=MIXED DOUBLES FINAL=
(WC) Gadecki/Peers (AUS/AUS) def. (PR) Mladenovic/Guinard (FRA/FRA) 4-6/6-3 [10-8]

=WHEELCHAIR SINGLES FINAL=
#3 Li Xiaohui/CHN vs. Diede de Groot/NED

=WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL=
#1 Li/Wang (CHN/CHN) def. #2 Kamiji/Zhu (JPN/CHN) 6-4/6-3

=GIRLS' SINGLES SF=
#8 Thea Frodin/USA vs. Ekaterina Tupitsyna/RUS
#3 Ksenia Efremova/FRA vs. Rada Zolotareva/RUS

=GIRLS' DOUBLES FINAL=
#1 A.Kovackova/J.Kovackova (CZE/CZE) vs. Hermanova/Zoldakova (CZE/CZE)

=GIRLS' WHEELCHAIR SINGLES FINAL=
#1 Luna Gryp/BEL vs. #2 Seira Matsuoka/JPN

=GIRLS' WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL=
#2 Foyster/Matsuoka (GBR/JPN) def. #1 Gryp/Heald (BEL/USA) 6-3/7-5






















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*SLAM MX TITLES - active*
4...Desirae Krawczyk, USA
4...Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA
3...Sara Errani, ITA
3...Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
3...Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
2...Victoria Azarenka, BLR
2...Gaby Dabrowski, CAN
2...OLIVIA GADECKI, AUS
2...Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
2...Laura Siegemund, GER
2...Venus Williams, USA
2...Vera Zvonareva, RUS
1...Anna Danilina, KAZ
1...Storm Hunter, AUS
1...Miyu Kato, JPN
1...Lyudmyla Kichenok, UKR
1...Nicole Melichar Martinez, USA
1...Ena Shibahara, JPN
1...Katerina Siniakova, CZE
1...Luisa Stefani, BRA
1...Heather Watson, GBR

*MX SLAM/OLYMPIC FINALS - 2020-26*
4-2 - Desirae Krawczyk
3-0 - Sara Errani
2-0 - OLIVIA GADECKI
2-0 - Hsieh Su-wei
2-0 - Barbora Krejcikova
2-0 - Katerina Siniakova
1-1 - KRISTINA MLADENOVIC
1-1 - Luisa Stefani
0-2 - Giuliana Olmos
0-2 - Samantha Stosur (ret).
0-2 - Elena Vesnina (ret.)

*AO MIXED DOUBLES CHAMPIONS - since 2014*
2014 Kristina Mladenovic & Daniel Nestor, FRA/CAN
2015 Martina Hingis & Leander Paes, SUI/IND
2016 Elena Vesnina & Bruno Soares, RUS/BRA
2017 Abigail Spears & Juan Sebastian Cabal, USA/COL
2018 Gaby Dabrowski & Mate Pavic, CAN/CRO
2019 Barbora Krejcikova & Rajeev Ram, CZE/USA
2020 Barbora Krejcikova & Nikola Mektic, CZE/CRO
2021 Barbora Krejcikova & Rajeev Ram, CZE/USA
2022 Kristina Mladenovic & Ivan Dodig, FRA/CRO
2023 Luisa Stefani & Rafael Matos, BRA/BRA
2024 Hsieh Su-wei & Jan Zielinski, TPE/POL
2025 Olivia Gadecki & John Peers, AUS/AUS
2026 Olivia Gadecki & John Peers, AUS/AUS

*RECENT MX SLAM CHAMPIONS*
2020 AO: Barbora Krejcikova/Nikola Mektic (CZE/CRO)
2021 AO: Barbora Krejcikova/Rajeev Ram (CZE/USA)
2021 RG: Desirae Krawczyk/Joe Salisbury (USA/GBR)
2021 WI: Desirae Krawczyk/Neal Skupski (USA/GBR)
2021 US: Desirae Krawczyk/Joe Salisbury (USA/GBR)
2022 AO: Kristina Mladenovic/Ivan Dodig (FRA/CRO)
2022 RG: Ena Shibahara/Wesley Koolhof (JPN/NED)
2022 WI: Desirae Krawczyk/Neal Skupski (USA/GBR)
2022 US: Storm Sanders/John Peers (AUS/AUS)
2023 AO: Luisa Stefani/Rafael Matos (BRA/BRA)
2023 RG: Miyu Kato/Tim Puetz (JPN/GER)
2023 WI: Lyudmyla Kichenok/Mate Pavic (UKR/CRO)
2023 US: Anna Danilina/Harri Heliovaara (KAZ/FIN)
2024 AO: Hsieh Su-wei/Jan Zielinski (TPE/POL)
2024 RG: Laura Siegemund/Edouard Roger-Vasselin (GER/FRA)
2024 WI: Hsieh Su-wei/Jan Zielinski (TPE/POL)
2024 US: Sara Errani/Andrea Vavassori (ITA/ITA)
2025 AO: Olivia Gadecki/John Peers (AUS/AUS)
2025 RG: Sara Errani/Andrea Vavassori (ITA/ITA)
2025 WI: Katerina Siniakova/Sem Verbeek (CZE/NED)
2025 US: Sara Errani/Andrea Vavassori (ITA/ITA)
2026 AO: Olivia Gadecki/John Peers (AUS/AUS)

*WHEELCHAIR SLAM DOUBLES TITLES*
[AO-RG-WI-US; *-active]
24 - Aniek van Koot, NED [7-9-3-5]*
22 - Yui Kamiji, JPN [5-5-8-4]*
21 - Esther Vergeer, NED [7-5-3-6]
19 - Diede de Groot, NED [5-6-3-5]*
16 - Jiske Griffioen, NED [6-3-3-4]*
12 - Jordanne Whiley, GBR [3-2-5-2]
7 - Sharon Walraven, NED [2-1-2-2]
5 - Korie Homan, NED [1-1-1-2]
5 - Marjolein Buis, NED [2-2-0-1]
4 - LI XIAOHUI, CHN [2-0-1-1]*
4 - Kgothatso Montjane, RSA [0-2-1-1]*
4 - WANG ZIYING, CHN [2-0-1-1]*

*JUNIOR WHEELCHAIR CHAMPIONS*
[doubles]
2022 US: Jade Moreira Lanai/Maylie Phelps, BRA/USA
2023 US: Ksenia Chasteau/Maylie Phelps, FRA/USA
2024 RG: Ksenia Chasteau/Maylie Phelps, FRA/USA
2024 US: Rio Okano/Yuma Takamuro, JPN/JPN
2025 AO: Luna Gryp/Vitoria Miranda, BEL/BRA
2025 RG: Luna Gryp/Vitoria Miranda, BEL/BRA
2025 US: Sabina Czauz/Seira Matsuoka, USA/JPN
2026 AO: Lucy Foyster/Seira Matsuoka, GBR/JPN

*MOST 2020-26 WTA FINAL MATCHUPS *
5...Sabalenka/Swiatek - 2022,23,24 = Swiatek 4-1
5...RYBAKINA/SABALENKA - 2023,24,26 = Rybakina 3-1
3...Gauff/Sabalenka - 2023,25 = Gauff 2-1
3...Pegula/Sabalenka - 2024,25 = Sabalenka 3-0
3...Pegula/Swiatek - 2023,25 = Swiatek 2-1

*RECENT AO "COMEBACK PLAYER" WINNERS*
2017 Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, CRO
2018 Angelique Kerber, GER
2019 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2020 CiCi Bellis, USA
2021 Rebecca Marino, CAN
2022 Madison Keys, USA
2023 Donna Vekic, CRO and Luisa Stefani, BRA
2024 Amanda Anisimova, USA
2025 Belinda Bencic, SUI
2026 Diede de Groot, NED (WC)






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To those willfully ignorant Americans who think Trump is just getting the illegal immigrants out. "We're a retired couple" "To think that these individuals represent our government"

[image or embed]

— Ann Telnaes (@anntelnaes.bsky.social) January 29, 2026 at 10:59 AM


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TOP QUALIFIER: Guiomar Maristany/ESP
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #6 Jessie Pegula/USA (lost 5 games in 1r/2r)
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #6 Jessie Pegula/USA (def. DC Keys and #4 Anisimova to reach first AO semi)
TOP LATE ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2 - Guiomar Maristany/ESP def. Tatiana Prozorova/RUS 6-2/2-6/7-6(10-7) - saved four MP (at 6-5 in the 3rd), reached maiden slam MD
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - Elsa Jacquemot/FRA def. #20 Marta Kostyuk/UKR 6-7(4)/7-6(4)/7-6(10-7) - 3:31; first three-TB women's match at AO; Jacquemot saves MP in 2nd set, wins 10-7 MTB in 3rd for first Top 20 win
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 3rd Rd. - #1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR def. Anastasia Potapova/AUT 7-6(4)/7-6(7) - Sabalenka sweeps TB, wins in two after led 2nd 4-0 and failed to serve out match at 5-4, then fell behind 6-3 in TB and saved 4 SP
TOP LATE RD. MATCH (SF-F/WC/Doub.): x
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: (WC) Talia Gibson/AUS (def. Anna Blinkova/RUS)
FIRST SEED OUT: #26 Dayana Yastremska, UKR (1r- lost to Gabriela Ruse/ROU)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Nikola Bartunkova/CZE (1st slam MD), Linda Klimovicova/POL (1st), Petra Marcinko/CRO (1st), Taylah Preston/AUS (3rd), Oksana Selekhmeteva/RUS (5th)
PROTECTED RANKING BEST: Karolina Pliskova/CZE (3rd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSER BEST: 0-1 in 1r
UPSET QUEENS: The Crush of Czechs
REVELATION LADIES: Australia (6 in 2r most since 1992)
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Russia (4-5 1st Rd.; only 9 in MD after AO-best 9 to 2r in '25; has lost 7 notable players to other nations since '23; lost 2 Top 20 seeds)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Maddison Inglis/AUS (4r)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Talia Gibson/AUS, Priscilla Hon/AUS and Taylah Preston/AUS (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST AUSSIE STANDING: Maddison Inglis (4th Rd.)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: Nominee: Jovic, Rybakina, Li (WC), Mertens (WD)
IT (Beloved Turk): Zeynep Sonmez/TUR
COMEBACK PLAYER: Diede de Groot/NED (WC)
CRASH & BURN: #26 Dayana Yastremska/UKR and #20 Marta Kostyuk/UKR (first two seeds out lose in back-to-back ANZ Arena matches on Day 1
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF MELBOURNE: Maddison Inglis/AUS (saved 2 MP vs. Leyre Gormaz Romero in 3-hr. Q1 match, then won back-to-back 3-hr. matches in 1r/2r en route to maiden slam Round of 16)
KIMIKO VETERAN CUP: Venus Williams/USA (at 45 years and 7 months, breaks 2015 record of Kimiko Date as the oldest woman in an AO singles MD match)
LADY OF THE EVENING: Elina Svitolina/UKR
AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGE ARTS AWARD: ["Show Pony Fashion Sense"] Naomi Osaka's jellyfish-inspired, "My Fair Lady" nighttime intro outfit
DOUBLES STAR: Nominees: Gadecki, The Bracelet
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Nominees: Kovackovas, Frodin, Efremova






All for now. More soon.

Read more...

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 5:00 AM  1 comments

Thursday, January 29, 2026

AO26 - The Immovable Object and the Unstoppable Force Make a Date in Melbourne










=AO NOTES=
...while the women's final four didn't include the top four seeds in the draw (ala the men's), it did feature a group of players who'd yet to drop a set at this AO. It's the first time that's happened at a major since the 1995 Roland Garros (Graf, Sanchez, Martinez & Date), and just the second time since the 1980 U.S. Open (Evert, Mandlikova, Austin & Jaeger). It's the fifth time it's happened since the Open era began in 1968.

The opening semifinal of the night took things a step further, as it featured players -- #1 Aryna Sabalenka and #12 Elina Svitolina -- who not only hadn't lost a set in Melbourne, but hadn't yet lost a match in 2026. Sporting identical 10-0 match records, they'd won 40 of the 41 combined sets they'd played in the new season (w/ Svitolina's one set lost to Sonay Kartal in Auckland providing the only blemish).

While for Sabalenka this scene is by now "old hat," having won both two of the last three Australian Opens *and* two of the last three U.S. Opens, Svitolina's fourth appearance in a major SF saw her still seeking her maiden slam final. And despite her back-to-back Top 10 wins to get to this stage, facing the tour's best hard court player (Sabalenka) on her most effective surface was another order of business entirely.

Sabalenka held from love/40 in the opening game of the match, then three games later overcame the chair umpire needlessly inserting herself into the mix with a "hindrance" call on a post-swing Sabalenka grunt that wasn't significantly different from any other point, breaking Svitolina to go up 3-1.

Svitolina had a brief moment on which she could put some scoreboard pressure on Sabalenka, up 15/30 in game 5, but her hesitatation on a mid-court ball led to her forehand drop shot attempt being dumped into the net, precipitating another Sabalenka hold (for 4-1) soon afterward. From there forward, Sabalenka's game maintained a remarkably clean state as she barely missed and anticipated nearly everything save for a rare sneak-in forehand return winner from Svitolina on a second serve.

Svitolina saved a BP for a 4-2 hold, but then couldn't reach BP in a close game 7. Sabalenka held for 5-2 and then went up love/40 on return in game 8. On her third SP, the Belarusian fired off a crosscourt backhand, her 19th winner of the 1st set, to take it 6-2.



Despite a quick start by Svitolina in the 2nd, with a break and love hold (via a net cord) for a 2-0 lead, the set turned out to be more of the same from the 1st. Staring up at her opponent on the scoreboard for the first time, Sabalenka proceded to win 12 of the next 13 points, including a pair of love holds, to go up 3-2. Suddenly just trying to hold on, Svitolina reached GP in game 6, but unwisely got into a baseline rally with the big-hitting Sabalenka, a battle she was almost destined to lose, which she did as Sabalenka broke to assume the lead in the set at 4-2.

Down the final stretch, Svitolina's game was one that was both not enough (power) and too much (going for more because she had to, her error total went up). Saving a BP, Sabalenka held for 5-2, and then two games later confidently (without any of her usual wavering) served out the 6-2/6-3 win to reach her seventh straight hard court major final, and fourth in a row in Melbourne.



Afterward, in the post-match on-court interview, Jelena Dokic fulfilled what has almost become her recent AO role as Sabalenka's best publicity agent, providing the world #1 with yet another moment to show her humanity and fan-friendly side, both of which often get lost in the headlines amidst questionable (or hazy, at the very least) decisions in her career that have often left her with a "perception problem" when it comes to a large portion of the tennis-watching public.



In two nights time, Sabalenka will try to become a three-time AO champion for the second time in her career, after failing to get the job done last year.

...in the night session closer on Laver, #5 Elena Rybakina and #6 Jessie Pegula faced off for the right to try and deny Sabalenka her fifth major title, with the Kazakh seeking her third slam final appearance (including the '23 AO, a loss to Sabalenka) and Pegula her second (w/ the '24 U.S. Open, also a loss to Sabalenka).

Even with Rybakina's sterling form since late last season, Pegula had been the most consistent and unbothered player in the draw through the QF, stringing together perhaps her best run of performances ever on the major stage. Additionally, she'd taken Rybakina to three sets during the Kazakh's run to the WTA Finals title in Riyadh. So she felt fairly good about her chances of derailing the Rybakina train in what was Pegula's third major SF since her thirtieth birthday, a unique feat when it comes to the first three such runs by a woman in the Open era.

Once the first ball was struck in the match though, no matter how untouchable Pegula had been through nearly two weeks in Melbourne, it was all about Rybakina.

Rybakina claimed the first six points of the match, setting the tone for a dominant opening stanza as Pegula rallied to just appear to be playing on the same court with the Kazakh. Down 3-0, the Bannerette finally got on the board with a hold of serve, and held from 15/40 down for 4-2 to keep within whistling distance on the scoreboard. But Rybakina's early advantage couldn't be overcome, as she served out a 6-3 1st set characterized by her crisp groundstrokes and big serve, finishing off what was her thirteenth straight hold in the tournament without facing a BP. She won 21 of 27 points on serve in the set (including 11/14 on her second serve).

Coming into the night, Rybakina had won 23 straight matches after claiming the opening set.



Pegula opened the 2nd by going up 40/love, and held at 15. But Rybakina was always lurking. At 30/30 in game 2, the Kazakh pulled out her serve (effective even without an ace to that point in the match) to get the hold, then a game later -- again at 30/30 -- a Pegula crosscourt volley was placed directly into the Rybakina backhand hitting zone and she rocketed a backhand down the line off Pegula's racket to reach BP. A return winner sealed the break for a 2-1 lead.

With another 30/30 score in game 4, after Rybakina had led 30/love, Pegula finally gained an edge with back-to-back Rybakina errors to get the break and get back on serve, but her feel-good moment didn't last long. Rybakina quickly took love/30 and 15/40 leads in the next game, and when Pegula sprayed a deep-landing ball at the baseline (nearly hitting the ball kid crouched beside the far net post), Rybakina re-assumed her break edge at 3-2.

The rest of the set saw Pegula hoping to find a way back in. She held in another 30/30 game for 4-3, but saw Rybakina stay ahead in the race, firing a GP ace (#4 on the day) for 5-3. With Rybakina edging close to victory, Pegula saved three MP in game 9 -- courtesy of multiple forehand errors from Rybakina -- to force the Kazakh to serve things out, hoping one final time for something to go her way. Remarkably, it did.

With an aggressive stance, Pegula quickly went up love/30 in game 10 with a return winner. Rybakina pulled back even with an ace, but consecutive forehand errors from the Kazakh broke her own serve, pulling Pegula back into the set at 5-all.

Again, though, Pegula's comeback vibes were short-lived, as a Rybakina net cord winner, then forehand blast, gave her double-break point in game 11. When a Pegula forehand sailed long, Rybakina had her break lead back at 6-5 and another chance to serve her way into the final. But, also again, Rybakina's forehand let her down in the pinch, as a series of errors on the stroke kept Pegula afloat, with the final one providing the break that sent things to a tie-break.

The TB didn't turn out to be a particularly well-played one, save for a strong finish, as its shifting momentum mostly came about due to which player would throw in an unforced error (or two) to turn an advantage into a disadvantage. Rybakina cracked the 20-UE barrier in the set with a backhand miss that gave Pegula an initial mini-break edge at 2-1, followed by consecutive Pegula errors that gave the lead back. Soon afterward, consecutive Rybakina errors knotted the score at 4-4.

Pegula reached SP at 6-5, but it would be the Kazakh who would find a way to a strong close. Rybakina clipped the baseline on the first of consecutive deep forehands to save the SP, then two points later saved a second. An ace gave Rybakina her fourth MP at 8-7, and a backhand winner down the line finally got the 6-3/7-6(7) victory in a match that suddenly became far more complicated than it needed to be in its final stretch.



The result prevents this AO from being the sixth consecutive major featuring a U.S. woman in the final, while it improves Rybakina's mark to 19-1 since October. Already with a win over #2 Iga Swiatek in this event, Rybakina is positioned to not only contend for a second career slam crown, but to also defeat both the top two ranked players in the world in the same event for the second time during this current stretch. She did it at the WTA Finals -- where she also defeated Pegula -- and is already the only player to pull off the feat twice (w/ '23 Indian Wells) this decade.

A year ago in this event, Madison Keys pulled off the same two-fer en route to the title.

So it'll be a second Sabalenka vs. Rybakina AO final in four years, one in which the world's two best hard courters face off in a parodoxical case of "an immovable object vs. an unstoppable force" in which both supposedly cannot exist simultaneously in the same place.

And for one night in Melbourne, by the end of the evening, that will ultimately be the case.



...elsewhere, the women's doubles final was set on Thursday, as #4 Elise Mertens/Zhang Shuai ended the comeback run of 41-year old Vera Zvonarva and partner Ena Shibahara, with the #7 seeded team of Anna Danilina/Aleksandra Krunic up next after a semifinal victory over #5 Gaby Dabrowski/Luisa Stefani.

The Bracelet -- yay! -- put away MP for herself and Danilina.



It'll be Danilina's third slam doubles final, and second at the AO (2022). She also won the '23 U.S. Open MX title. She and Krunic played in last year's Roland Garros final together.

Meanwhile, Mertens is already a two-time AO champ (2021 and '24) and a five-time major winner. This will be the second slam final as a pair for Mertens/Zhang (w/ a '22 Wimbledon loss), while the Chinese vet has previously claimed two major titles with Sam Stosur ('19 AO, '21 US).

...three Hordettes -- #13 Mariia Makarova, Ekaterina Tupitsyna and Rada Zolotareva -- lead the field in the girls' junior QF. The top seed remaining is #3 Ksenia Efremova from France, while China's #6-seeded Xinran Sun arrives sporting a combined 28-1 mark since October in junior and pro singles matches. The 15-year old ended '25 with a 10-match pro winning streak (while still 14), while she's 18-1 in junior play over the same stretch, most recently winning the Traralgon title just before the AO.

Joining them with be #8 Thea Frodin, as the Bannerette reaches her first career junior slam QF. She might be a familiar face to some, but maybe not from where one might expect... as she played the young Serena Williams in the 2021 film "King Richard."



...in wheelchair action, three of the top four women's seeds advanced to the semis, with the lone exception being an unseeded Diede de Groot, who's won the AO title the last four times she's been in the draw. De Groot knocked off #2 Aniek Van Koot.

De Groot will face #4 Wang Ziying, who defeated the former #1 in a 3rd set TB in the Victorian Open final earlier this month. #1 Yui Kamiji will face #3 Li Xiaohui.

The doubles final will feature top-seeded Li & Wang, the defending champions a year after becoming the first CHN wheelchair slam winners, vs. #2 Kamiji & Zhu Zhenzhen, with the latter winners advancing love & 3 over de Groot/Van Koot.

In junior rollers round robin play, #1 Luna Gryp defeated #2 Seira Matsuoka. Gryp defeated Matsuoka in the Junior Masters final in December, but since then had lost to her twice in both the Victorian Open and the Melbourne Open coming into this AO.






...THE RARE ONE OF THESE THAT DOESN'T MENTION SERENA on Day 12:



So...



...THE WRITING IS PROBABLY ON THE WALL (see you sometime this summer?), BUT HERE'S JANUARY'S PROGRESS REPORT on Day 12:




...LOOK WHO'S BACK *RIGHT NOW*... on Day 12:




...BOTH CAN BE RIGHT, YOU KNOW on Day 12:



The questioner wasn't incorrect in noting that Djokovic was "chasing" Federer and Nadal early in his career, and now near the end he's "chasing" Alcaraz and Sinner, as far as major titles are concerned. It's the natural arc of a long career, which Djokovic essentially noted in his later response.

That said, he has reason to respond a bit defensively, considering that what he's done *has* often been overlooked in favor of noting that Federer and Nadal "won hearts and minds" before he eventually surpassed them both on the court, and as a result his popularity will never be at either of their levels, as he's so often reminded no matter what the numbers say. By the end of his response, he'd given some context to his career and situation, the scope of which doesn't really line up with any other player in the history of the sport, save for maybe Martina Navratilova, who went from facing off with the likes of King, Court, Evert and Goolagong early on to eventually holding her own into her late 30s vs. Graf, Seles and Sabatini.



I *guess* the question could have included something about the long stretch "in the prime" of his career, so that his antennae wouldn't have so immediately gone up, but that wasn't really the point of a question about comparing the two similar, yet different, periods of his career.









=WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL=
#1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR vs. #5 Elena Rybakina/KAZ

=WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL=
#7 Danilina/Krunic (KAZ/SRB) vs. #4 Mertens/Zhang (BEL/CHN)

=MIXED DOUBLES FINAL=
(WC) Gadecki/Peers (AUS/AUS) vs. (PR) Mladenovic/Guinard (FRA/FRA)

=WHEELCHAIR SINGLES SF=
#1 Yui Kamiji/JPN vs. #3 Li Xiaohui/CHN
#4 Wang Ziying/CHN vs. Diede de Groot/NED

=WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL=
#1 Li/Wang (CHN/CHN) vs. #2 Kamiji/Zhu (JPN/CHN)

=GIRLS' SINGLES QF=
#13 Mariia Makarova/RUS vs. #8 Thea Frodin/USA
Ekaterina Tupitsyna/RUS vs. #6 Xinran Sun/CHN
#10 Kanon Sawashiro/JPN vs. #3 Ksenia Efremova/FRA
#11 Shao Yushan/CHN vs. Rada Zolotareva/RUS

=GIRLS' DOUBLES SF=
#1 A.Kovackova/J.Kovackova (CZE/CZE) vs. Makarova/Zolotareva (RUS/RUS)
Hermanova/Zoldakova (CZE/CZE) vs. Malova/Terentyeva (RUS/RUS)



















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*AUSTRALIAN OPEN FINALS - ACTIVE*
4...ARYNA SABALENKA (2-1)
2...Naomi Osaka (2-0)
2...Victoria Azarenka (2-0)
2...ELENA RYBAKINA (0-1)
2...Venus Williams (0-2)
1...Sofia Kenin (1-0)
1...Madison Keys (1-0)
1...Danielle Collins (0-1)
1...Jennifer Brady (0-1)
1...Zheng Qinwen (0-1)
--
ALSO: Wozniacki (1-0)

*SLAM FINALS IN 2020s*
8 - ARYNA SABALENKA, BLR (4-3)
6 - Iga Swiatek, POL (6-0)
3 - Coco Gauff, USA (2-1)
3 - ELENA RYBAKINA, KAZ (1-1)
3 - Ons Jabeur, TUN (0-3)
2 - Ash Barty, AUS (2-0)
2 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2-0)
2 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (2-0)
2 - Sofia Kenin, USA (1-1)
2 - Amanda Anisimova, USA (0-2)
2 - Jasmine Paolini, ITA (0-2)
1 - Madison Keys, USA (1-0)
1 - Emma Raducanu, GBR (1-0)
1 - Marketa Vondrouosva, CZE (1-0)
1 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (0-1)
1 - Jennifer Brady, USA (0-1)
1 - Danielle Collins, USA (0-1)
1 - Leylah Fernandez, CAN (0-1)
1 - Karolina Muchova, CZE (0-1)
1 - Garbine Muguruza, ESP (0-1)
1 - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS (0-1)
1 - Jessie Pegula, USA (0-1)
1 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (0-1)
1 - Zheng Qinwen, CHN (0-1)

*BACK-to-BACK US/AO TITLES OVER TWO SEASONS - Open era*
1969-70 Margaret Court, AUS
1970-71 Margaret Court, AUS
1988-89 Steffi Graf, FRG
1989-90 Steffi Graf, FRG
1991-92 Monica Seles, YUG
1992-93 Monica Seles, YUG
1993-94 Steffi Graf, GER
1997-98 Martina Hingis, SUI
2002-03 Serena Williams, USA
2003-04 Justine Henin-Hardenne, BEL
2008-09 Serena Williams, USA
2010-11 Kim Clijsters, BEL
2014-15 Serena Williams, USA
2018-19 Naomi Osaka, JPN
--
1982 - Chris Evert, US Sept./AO Dec.
1983 - Martina Navratilova - US Sept/AO Dec.
2020-21 - Naomi Osaka - RG Oct.'20 held between '20 US/'21 AO
--
NOTE: Sabalenka won '25 U.S. Open

*SLAM FINALS BY NATION - 2020s*
11 - USA (4-7)
9 - BLR (4-4)*
6 - POL (6-0)
5 - CZE (3-2)
3 - KAZ (1-1)*
3 - TUN (0-3)
2 - AUS (2-0)
2 - JPN (2-0)
2 - ITA (0-2)
1 - GBR (1-0)
1 - CAN (0-1)
1 - CHN (0-1)
1 - ESP (0-1)
1 - RUS (0-1)
[AO 2020-26]
4 - BLR (2-1)*
4 - USA (2-2)
2 - KAZ (0-1)*
1 - AUS (1-0)
1 - JPN (1-0)
1 - CHN (0-1)
1 - ESP (0-1)

*DEFEATED #1 and #2-RANKED PLAYERS IN A SLAM*
1979 U.S. Open - Tracy Austin
1985 U.S. Open - Hana Mandlikova
1999 Roland Garros - Steffi Graf
1999 U.S. Open - Serena Williams
2000 Wimbledon - Venus Williams
2000 U.S. Open - Venus Williams
2001 Australian Open - Jennifer Capriati
2002 Roland Garros - Serena Williams
2003 Roland Garros - Justine Henin-Hardenne
2005 Australian Open - Serena Williams
2005 Wimbledon - Venus Williams
2006 U.S. Open - Maria Sharapova
2009 Roland Garros - Svetlana Kuznetsova
2025 Australian Open - Madison Keys
[in tour-level events, 2020-26]
2022 WTA: #7 Sabalenka (L) = #2 Jabeur, #1 Swiatek
2023 DUB: #30 Krejcikova = #2 Sabalenka, #1 Swiatek
2023 IW: #10 Rybakina = #1 Swiatek, #2 Sabalenka
2024 WTA: #3 Gauff = #2 Swiatek, #1 Sabalenka
2025 AO: #14 Keys = #2 Swiatek, #1 Sabalenka
2025 IW: #11 M.Andreeva = #2 Swiatek, #1 Sabalenka
2025 STUTT: #24 Ostapenko = #2 Swiatek, #1 Sabalenka
2025 WTAF: #6 Rybakina = #2 Swiatek, #1 Sabalenka

**AO "KIMIKO CUP FOR VETERAN ACHIEVEMENT" WINNERS**
2015 Venus Williams/USA & Martina Hingis/SUI
2016 Angelique Kerber, GER
2017 Venus Williams/USA & Serena Williams/USA
2018 Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
2019 Samantha Stosur/Zhang Shuai, AUS/CHN
2020 Jordanne Whiley, GBR (WC)
2021 Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
2022 Alize Cornet/FRA & Kaia Kanepi/EST
2023 Sania Mirza, IND
2024 Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
2025 Madison Keys, USA
2026 Venus Williams, USA

*CAREER SLAM SF - active*
23 - Venus Williams, USA (16-7)
14 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (8-6)*
9 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (6-3)
9 - Iga Swiatek, POL (6-3)
7 - Madison Keys, USA (2-5)
5 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (4-1)
5 - Coco Gauff, USA (3-2)
4 - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (3-1)*
4 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (2-2)
4 - Vera Zvonareva, RUS (2-2)
4 - Karolina Muchova, CZE (1-3)
4 - Elina Svitolina, UKR (0-4)*
3 - Amanda Anisimova, USA (2-1)
3 - Sara Errani, ITA (1-2)
3 - Ons Jabeur, TUN (3-0)
3 - Jessie Pegula, USA (1-2)*
3 - Sloane Stephens, USA (2-1)
-
ALSO: Wozniacki (3-4)
[SLAM SF 2020-26]
14 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (8-6)*
9 - Iga Swiatek, POL (6-3)
5 - Coco Gauff, USA (3-2)
4 - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (3-1)*
4 - Karolina Muchova, CZE (1-3)
3 - Ash Barty, AUS (2-1)
3 - Ons Jabeur, TUN (3-0)
3 - Madison Keys, USA (1-2)
3 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (2-1)
3 - Jessie Pegula, USA (1-2)*





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The people who think you need to be paid to protest government cruelty are really telling on themselves.

— Max Weiss (@maxthegirl.bsky.social) January 28, 2026 at 1:21 PM











TOP QUALIFIER: Guiomar Maristany/ESP
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #6 Jessie Pegula/USA (lost 5 games in 1r/2r)
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #6 Jessie Pegula/USA (def. DC Keys and #4 Anisimova to reach first AO semi)
TOP LATE ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2 - Guiomar Maristany/ESP def. Tatiana Prozorova/RUS 6-2/2-6/7-6(10-7) - saved four MP (at 6-5 in the 3rd), reached maiden slam MD
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - Elsa Jacquemot/FRA def. #20 Marta Kostyuk/UKR 6-7(4)/7-6(4)/7-6(10-7) - 3:31; first three-TB women's match at AO; Jacquemot saves MP in 2nd set, wins 10-7 MTB in 3rd for first Top 20 win
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 3rd Rd. - #1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR def. Anastasia Potapova/AUT 7-6(4)/7-6(7) - Sabalenka sweeps TB, wins in two after led 2nd 4-0 and failed to serve out match at 5-4, then fell behind 6-3 in TB and saved 4 SP
TOP LATE RD. MATCH (SF-F/WC/Doub.): x
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: (WC) Talia Gibson/AUS (def. Anna Blinkova/RUS)
FIRST SEED OUT: #26 Dayana Yastremska, UKR (1r- lost to Gabriela Ruse/ROU)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Nikola Bartunkova/CZE (1st slam MD), Linda Klimovicova/POL (1st), Petra Marcinko/CRO (1st), Taylah Preston/AUS (3rd), Oksana Selekhmeteva/RUS (5th)
PROTECTED RANKING BEST: Karolina Pliskova/CZE (3rd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSER BEST: 0-1 in 1r
UPSET QUEENS: The Crush of Czechs
REVELATION LADIES: Australia (6 in 2r most since 1992)
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Russia (4-5 1st Rd.; only 9 in MD after AO-best 9 to 2r in '25; has lost 7 notable players to other nations since '23; lost 2 Top 20 seeds)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Maddison Inglis/AUS (4r)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Talia Gibson/AUS, Priscilla Hon/AUS and Taylah Preston/AUS (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST AUSSIE STANDING: Maddison Inglis (4th Rd.)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: Nominee: Jovic, Rybakina, (WC)
IT (Beloved Turk): Zeynep Sonmez/TUR
COMEBACK PLAYER: Nominees: Mladenovic, de Groot?
CRASH & BURN: #26 Dayana Yastremska/UKR and #20 Marta Kostyuk/UKR (first two seeds out lose in back-to-back ANZ Arena matches on Day 1
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF MELBOURNE: Maddison Inglis/AUS (saved 2 MP vs. Leyre Gormaz Romero in 3-hr. Q1 match, then won back-to-back 3-hr. matches in 1r/2r en route to maiden slam Round of 16)
KIMIKO VETERAN CUP: Venus Williams/USA (at 45 years and 7 months, breaks 2015 record of Kimiko Date as the oldest woman in an AO singles MD match)
LADY OF THE EVENING: Elina Svitolina/UKR
AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGE ARTS AWARD: ["Show Pony Fashion Sense"] Naomi Osaka's jellyfish-inspired, "My Fair Lady" nighttime intro outfit
DOUBLES STAR: Nominees: Gadecki, Mladenovic; Danilina/Krunic
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x






All for now. More soon.

Read more...

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 8:20 AM  3 comments

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

AO26 - Calm, Cool and Elena

Since last October, Elena Rybakina, with her health and coaching situation finally in order, has once again been the ball-clocking, will-breaking, buttoned-down dominant force that it's been clear for quite some time that she's capable of being on a match in, match out basis.

Now it's just a matter of carrying that form out through the end of a major. If she can, career slam #2 could finally be hers.



#2 Iga Swiatek came into her QF match vs. #5 Rybakina with a 6-5 edge in their career head-to-head, but she had to know, right? If Rybakina's game slotted into its intended groove, Swiatek would probably have little chance of advancing. A few years ago, before lingering health issues, controversy surrounding her coach, and a series of snubs and/or disrespectful decisions lobbed in her direction (i.e. "Clowns") served to sidetrack her for a bit, the Kazakh had assumed a dominant position over the then-#1 Swiatek. Over the 2023-24 season, Rybakina won four of six matches against Swiatek, including two on clay vs. the reigning Roland Garros champ, before Rybakina's troubles saw her lose four straight in the series last year.

But when the two met up in the WTA Finals last fall, near the end of her stunning season-closing stretch, after dropping the 1st set, Rybakina pummeled the Pole by dropping just one game in the final two sets. Today, with the return of the smooth power of Rybakina's game, along with Iga's familiar looking early season issues against players who aren't intimidated by her mere presence and resume on the other side of the net, made this one feel like a potential hard exit for and end of Swiatek's quest to complete her Career Slam with an elusive Melbourne title. For 2026, at least.

Meeting for the first time since Riyadh, neither women started off particuarly well in the match, as they struggled to find any sort of groove on serve, leading to breaks in the opening two games, first with Swiatek going up 1-0, then Rybakina immediately returning the favor. The trend nearly continued into the third game, but Rybakina dug her way out of a love/40 hole to take a 2-1 lead.



Over the first three games, the two combined to have seven BP opportunities, but then immediately righted their ships for the remainder of the set. The next eight games went by without either player facing a BP, but with Swiatek serving down 5-6 to force a tie-break, Rybakina finally carved out another BP/SP. Swiatek saved it, but two points later Rybakina got another chance, breaking to claim the set at 7-5.



So, even with potentially Rybakina's most lethal weapon giving her trouble (she had just a 41% first serve percentage), the Kazakh still managed to pull ahead at the final turn and claim the set. Once she got settled, Rybakina fairly well schooled Swiatek. It wasn't a good sign for the Pole's chances in the match.

And as it turned out, Rybakina's real work (i.e. wrestling away the opening stanza) on the day was over, as Swiatek quickly fell behind in the 2nd and could not find a way to her feet.



Rybakina took the break lead at 2-0 in the 2nd, consolidated her lead a game later, and then broke to take an unassailable lead at 5-1. A quick hold closed out the 7-5/6-1 victory, with Rybakina doubling up Swiatek in points (26-13) in the 2nd.



Rybakina, into her first AO SF since reaching the final in 2023, is now two wins from her first major title since the '22 Wimbledon. 18-1 since mid-October, she's won eight straight matches vs. Top 10 opponents and has posted a total of nine such victories since last year's U.S. Open.

If you're looking for another potential pattern, the Kazakh ended her '25 campaign with, in order, wins over Swiatek, Jessie Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka (w/ a win over Alexandrova between Iga and Jess) en route the WTAF title. After her win over Swiatek at this AO... Pegula is up next, with the potential for Sabalenka to be around for another final match-up this weekend.

I'm just sayin'.








=AO NOTES=
...in the all-Bannerette match-up in Day 11's final QF, the story was (mostly) an even more open-and-shut case than with Rybakina/Swiatek.

While #4 Amanda Anisimova had yet to lose a set in Melbourne and was still alive in her attempt to reach a third straight slam final, #6 Jessie Pegula had been the most consistently in top form player so far at this AO. Her momentum carried over into today's match, as the 31-year old's play never really dipped, while Anisimova's high UE total prevented her (save for a blink near the end of the match) from ever putting sustained pressure on Pegula.

Pegula broke to open the match, went up a double-break at 4-1, and served out the 6-2 opening set. But later just a few mistakes very nearly forced her to play an extra set.

In game 8 of the 2nd, with Pegula up 4-3, Anisimova took a 15/40 lead. Pegula's error on the second BP handed Anisimova a chance to serve out the set at 5-3, but she played one of her worst games of the day, double-faulting on BP. Anisimova survived her seventh double-fault of the day, which had given Pegula a BP, but an error on a second BP gave the break lead back to Pegula.

After breaking Anisimova again (from 40/15 back), Pegula served for the win at 6-5. But up 30/15, a Pegula DF (just her second of the day) suddenly put her triumph in jeopardy, as an Anisimova backhand winner gave her a stay-alive BP chance, which she then converted to send things to a tie-break just moments after she'd thought she had squandered her last chance to get back in the match.

But Pegula played the breaker to near perfection, going up 3-1, then seeing back-to-back Anisimova errors (the last on return) stretch Pegula's lead to 5-1. She closed out the 7-1 TB to win 6-2/7-6(1), winning in her third straight slam QF after having previously been 0-6 in such matches in her career. She's now 4-0 in her series vs. Anisimova.

All three of her career slam SF appearances (w/ 2024-25 U.S.) have come since she turned 30, making Pegula the first woman in the Open era to have her first three major semis happen so late in a career.



...in doubles, both the #1 seeded pair of Katerina Siniakova/Taylor Townsend, the defending AO champs, and #3 Hsieh Su-wei/Alona Ostapenko exited in the QF on Day 11. Siniakova & Townsend fell to #7 Anna Danilina/Aleksandra Krunic, while Hsieh/Ostapenko were knocked out by #5 Gaby Dabrowski/Luisa Stefani.



In mixed, defending champs Olivia Gadecki & John Peers advanced to the final (def. #4 Townsend/Mektic), where they'll try to become the first repeat AO MX duo since Jana Novotna/Jim Pugh (1988-89), though Barbora Krejickova more recently individually won three straight from 2019-21 (the first and last w/ Rajeev Ram).



The Aussies will meet the French duo of Kristina Mladenovic & Manuel Guinard (def. #2 Stefani/Arevalo). Mladenovic, after opening '26 with a tour title in Auckland, will try to add to her (so far) nine major title career haul. The Pastry has won three slam MX crowns, two of them at the AO in 2014 and '22.



...in juniors, top seeded Czech Alena Kovackova fell to #13 Mariia Makarova, though the Czech and her sister Jana are still alive in the girls' doubles QF.

And on the opening day of wheelchair MD action, Diede de Groot won a 15th straight AO singles match (def. Jinte Bos love & 3) in her first appearance since 2024 after winning the title in her last four trips to Melbourne prior to hip surgery. In a minor upset, Lizzy de Greef knocked off Zhu Zhenzhen.

After opening round wins, the doubles SF will see Yui Kamiji & Zhu face de Groot & Aniek Van Koot.





...BUTTON-DOWN DOMINANCE on Day 11:










=WOMEN'S SINGLES SF=
#1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR vs. #12 Elina Svitolina/UKR
#6 Jessie Pegula/USA vs. #5 Elena Rybakina/KAZ

=WOMEN'S DOUBLES QF=
#7 Danilina/Krunic (KAZ/SRB) def. #1 Siniakova/Townsend (CZE/USA)
#5 Dabrowski/Stefani (CAN/BRA) def. #3 Hsieh/Ostapenko (TPE/LAT)
#4 Mertens/Zhang (BEL/CHN) def. Hozumi/Wu (JPN/TPE)
(PR) Shibahara/Zvonareva (JPN/RUS) vs. (WC) Birrell/Gibson (AUS/AUS)

=MIXED DOUBLES FINAL=
(WC) Gadecki/Peers (AUS/AUS) vs. (PR) Mladenovic/Guinard (FRA/FRA)

=WHEELCHAIR SINGLES QF=
#1 Yui Kamiji/JPN vs. Lizzy de Greef/NED
#3 Li Xiaohui/CHN vs. (Q) Momoko Ohtani/JPN
Kgothatso Montjane/RSA vs. #4 Wang Ziying/CHN
Diede de Groot/NED vs. #2 Aniek Van Koot/NED

=WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES SF=
#1 Li/Wang (CHN/CHN) vs. Montjane/Tanaka (RSA/JPN)
de Groot/Van Koot (NED/NED) vs. #2 Kamiji/Zhu (JPN/CHN)

=GIRLS' SINGLES ROUND OF 16=
#13 Mariia Makarova/RUS def. #1 Alena Kovackova/CZE
Antonina Sushkova/UKR vs. #8 Thea Frodin/USA
Ekaterina Tupitsyna/RUS def. Sofiia Bielinska/UKR
Denisa Zoldakova/CZE vs. #6 Xinran Sun/CHN
#10 Kanon Sawashiro/JPN def. #5 Zhang Ruien/CHN
#14 Nadia Lagaev/CAN vs. #3 Ksenia Efremova/FRA
Anna Pushkareva/RUS vs. #11 Shao Yushan/CHN
Rada Zolotareva/RUS def. Qu Yihan/CNHN

=GIRLS' DOUBLES QF=
#1 A.Kovackova/J.Kovackova (CZE/CZE) vs. Jauffret/Kokkinis (USA/AUS)
#3 Cvetkovic/Frodin (SRB/USA) vs. Makarova/Zolotareva (RUS/RUS)
Clark/Lee (USA/USA) vs. Hermanova/Zoldakova (CZE/CZE)
James/Pawelska (JAM/POL) vs. Malova/Terentyeva (RUS/RUS)



















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*WTA SLAM QF - W/L IN 2020s*
15 - Sabalenka (13-1+W)*
14 - Swiatek (9-5)*
10 - Gauff (5-5)*
9 - Pegula (3-6)*
8 - Svitolina (2-6)*
7 - Rybakina (4-3)*
7 - Jabeur (3-4)
6 - Muchova (4-2)
6 - Krejcikova (2-4)
5 - Keys (3-2)
5 - Pavlyuchenkova (1-4)
4 - Anisimova (2-2)*
4 - Barty (3-1)
4 - Ka.Pliskova (1-3)
4 - Vondrousova (1-2+L)
4 - Zheng Q. (1-3)
[WTA slam QF W/L by nation in 2020s]
42 - USA (21-21)****
24 - CZE (9-14+L)
17 - BLR (15-1+W)*
15 - POL (10-5)*
12 - RUS (3-9)
10 - UKR (3-7)*
8 - KAZ (4-4)*
7 - AUS (3-4)
7 - TUN (3-4)

*CAREER SLAM SF - active*
23 - Venus Williams, USA (16-7)
14 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (7-6)*
9 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (6-3)
9 - Iga Swiatek, POL (6-3)
7 - Madison Keys, USA (2-5)
7 - Caroline Wozniacki, DEN (3-4)
5 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (4-1)
5 - Coco Gauff, USA (3-2)
4 - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (2-1)*
4 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (2-2)
4 - Vera Zvonareva, RUS (2-2)
4 - Karolina Muchova, CZE (1-3)
4 - Elina Svitolina, UKR (0-3)*
3 - Amanda Anisimova, USA (2-1)
3 - Sara Errani, ITA (1-2)
3 - Ons Jabeur, TUN (3-0)
3 - Jessie Pegula, USA (1-1)*
3 - Sloane Stephens, USA (2-1)

[SLAM SF 2020-26]
14 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (7-6)*
9 - Iga Swiatek, POL (6-3)
5 - Coco Gauff, USA (3-2)
4 - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (2-1)*
4 - Karolina Muchova, CZE (1-3)
3 - Ash Barty, AUS (2-1)
3 - Ons Jabeur, TUN (3-0)
3 - Madison Keys, USA (1-2)
3 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (2-1)
3 - Jessie Pegula, USA (1-1)*
2 - Amanda Anisimova, USA (2-0)
2 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (1-1)
2 - Jennifer Brady, USA (1-1)
2 - Simona Halep, ROU (0-2)
2 - Sofia Kenin, USA (2-0)
2 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2-0)
2 - Jasmine Paolini, ITA (2-0)
2 - Maria Sakkari, GRE (0-2)
2 - Elina Svitolina, UKR (0-1)*
2 - Serena Williams, USA (0-2)
1 - Mirra Andreeva, RUS (0-1)
1 - Paula Badosa, ESP (0-1)
1 - Danielle Collins, USA (1-0)
1 - Leylah Fernandez, CAN (1-0)
1 - Caroline Garcia, FRA (0-1)
1 - Beatriz Haddad Maia, BRA (0-1)
1 - Dasha Kasatkina, RUS (0-1)
1 - Angelique Kerber, GER (0-1)
1 - Petra Kvitova, CZE (0-1)
1 - Magda Linette, POL (0-1)
1 - Tatjana Maria, GER (0-1)
1 - Garbina Muguruza, ESP (1-0)
1 - Emma Navarro, USA (0-1)
1 - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS (1-0)
1 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (1-0)
1 - Nadia Podoroska, ARG (0-1)
1 - Emma Raducanu, GBR (1-0)
1 - Belinda Bencic, SUI (0-1)
1 - Lois Boisson, FRA (0-1)
1 - Martina Trevisan, ITA (0-1)
1 - Donna Vekic, CRO (0-1)
1 - Marketa Vondrousova, CZE (1-0)
1 - Dayana Yastremska, UKR (0-1)
1 - Zheng Qinwen, CHN (1-0)
1 - Tamara Zidansek, SLO (0-1)
--
*-to play SF

[2026 SLAM SF BY NATION]
1 - BLR (0-0) - Sabalenka*
1 - KAZ (0-0) - Rybakina*
1 - UKR (0-0) - Svitolina*
1 - USA (0-0) - Pegula*

[SLAM SF BY NATION 2020-26 / 24 events]
21 - USA (11-9)*
16 - BLR (8-7)*
10 - POL (6-4)
9 - CZE (5-4)
4 - KAZ (2-1)*
3 - AUS (2-1)
3 - JPN (2-1)
3 - RUS (1-2)
3 - TUN (3-0)
3 - UKR (0-2)*
2 - ESP (1-1)
2 - FRA (0-2)
2 - GER (0-2)
2 - GRE (0-2)
2 - ITA (2-0)
2 - ROU (0-2)
1 (W) - CAN,CHN,GBR
1 (L) - ARG,BRA,CRO,SLO,SUI,ITA

[2026 AO SEMIFINALISTS - career AO SF]
4 - Sabalenka
2 - Rybakina
1 - Pegula
1 - Svitolina

[2026 AO SEMIFINALISTS - consecutive AO SF]
4 - Sabalenka

[2026 AO SEMIFINALISTS - consecutive Slam SF]
6 - Aryna Sabalenka (8 con HC slams)
2 - Jessie Pegula

[2026 AO SEMIFINALISTS - career AO W/L]
34-12...Svitolina
33-6...Sabalenka
20-6...Pegula
19-6...Rybakina

[2026 AO SEMIFINALISTS - career Slam W/L]
113-47...Svitolina
105-26...Sabalenka
64-22...Rybakina
62-27...Pegula

[2026 AO SEMIFINALISTS - 2026 season W/L]
10-0...Sabalenka
10-0...Svitolina
8-1...Pegula
7-1...Rybakina






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Amazon’s MGM studios spent tens of millions, but the documentary is projected to make just $1M in its first week. This comes as a new report from Rolling Stone details serious labor issues and two-thirds of the film’s staff requesting not to be credited at the end of the film. trib.al/Clr03cD

[image or embed]

— The New Republic (@newrepublic.com) January 27, 2026 at 1:13 PM

Does anyone honestly think this was anything other than a way to bribe Trump with plausible deniability?

— Prior_Industry (@prior-industry.bsky.social) January 27, 2026 at 1:14 PM

Melania cost $75 mill to produce and distribute ($30 mill went straight into Melania's pocket), while Amazon made $50 bill from the Dump regime. It's not a movie, it's a bribe.

— Crabby Coach (@crabbycoach.bsky.social) January 27, 2026 at 6:22 PM


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TOP QUALIFIER: Guiomar Maristany/ESP
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #6 Jessie Pegula/USA (lost 5 games in 1r/2r)
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #6 Jessie Pegula/USA (def. DC Keys and #4 Anisimova to reach first AO semi)
TOP LATE ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2 - Guiomar Maristany/ESP def. Tatiana Prozorova/RUS 6-2/2-6/7-6(10-7) - saved four MP (at 6-5 in the 3rd), reached maiden slam MD
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - Elsa Jacquemot/FRA def. #20 Marta Kostyuk/UKR 6-7(4)/7-6(4)/7-6(10-7) - 3:31; first three-TB women's match at AO; Jacquemot saves MP in 2nd set, wins 10-7 MTB in 3rd for first Top 20 win
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 3rd Rd. - #1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR def. Anastasia Potapova/AUT 7-6(4)/7-6(7) - Sabalenka sweeps TB, wins in two after led 2nd 4-0 and failed to serve out match at 5-4, then fell behind 6-3 in TB and saved 4 SP
TOP LATE RD. MATCH (SF-F/WC/Doub.): x
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: (WC) Talia Gibson/AUS (def. Anna Blinkova/RUS)
FIRST SEED OUT: #26 Dayana Yastremska, UKR (1r- lost to Gabriela Ruse/ROU)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Nikola Bartunkova/CZE (1st slam MD), Linda Klimovicova/POL (1st), Petra Marcinko/CRO (1st), Taylah Preston/AUS (3rd), Oksana Selekhmeteva/RUS (5th)
PROTECTED RANKING BEST: Karolina Pliskova/CZE (3rd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSER BEST: 0-1 in 1r
UPSET QUEENS: The Crush of Czechs
REVELATION LADIES: Australia (6 in 2r most since 1992)
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Russia (4-5 1st Rd.; only 9 in MD after AO-best 9 to 2r in '25; has lost 7 notable players to other nations since '23; lost 2 Top 20 seeds)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Maddison Inglis/AUS (4r)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Talia Gibson/AUS, Priscilla Hon/AUS and Taylah Preston/AUS (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST AUSSIE STANDING: Maddison Inglis (4th Rd.)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: Nominee: Jovic, Pegula, Rybakina
IT (Beloved Turk): Zeynep Sonmez/TUR
COMEBACK PLAYER: Nominees: S.Hunter, Zvonareva, Mladenovic, Pliskova, de Groot?
CRASH & BURN: #26 Dayana Yastremska/UKR and #20 Marta Kostyuk/UKR (first two seeds out lose in back-to-back ANZ Arena matches on Day 1
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF MELBOURNE: Maddison Inglis/AUS (saved 2 MP vs. Leyre Gormaz Romero in 3-hr. Q1 match, then won back-to-back 3-hr. matches in 1r/2r en route to maiden slam Round of 16)
KIMIKO VETERAN CUP: Nominees: Venus Williams/USA (at 45 years and 7 months, breaks 2015 record of Kimiko Date as the oldest woman in an AO singles MD match); Zvonareva
LADY OF THE EVENING: Elina Svitolina/UKR
AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGE ARTS AWARD: ["Show Pony Fashion Sense"] Naomi Osaka's jellyfish-inspired, "My Fair Lady" nighttime intro outfit
DOUBLES STAR: Nominees: Gadecki, Mladenovic
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x






All for now. More soon.

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posted by Todd.Spiker @ 6:33 AM  2 comments