AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2026, Melbourne, WTA GRAND SLAM

[britbox]

I am sitting in RLA watching Coco vs Elina 1st set 61
Elina came out all guns firing just like she did in her match against Andreeva, really the best 1st set of tennis I have seen from Elina,also she has lost weight though looks very fit, Coco and her DFs is a concern I have counted 6 so far
Though in their 2 previous meetings Coco has lost the first set against Elina and has come back to beat her so there is hope

A long way back for Coco now.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

A long way back for Coco now.

Elina is keeping Coco off balance from the baseline which has been impressive all match
Elina just a game away from making her 1st SF at the AO
I didnt see this coming at all.

 

[britbox]

Elina is keeping Coco off balance from the baseline which has been impressive all match
Elina just a game away from making her 1st SF at the AO
I didnt see this coming at all.

I didn't see the whole match but Gauff looked way off par for the part I saw - her timing seemed all over the place.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Well done Elina a great performance to defeat Gauff 61 62 and to make your first AO SF
Bad luck Coco sad to say your were no where near your best

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I didn't see the whole match but Gauff looked way off par for the part I saw - her timing seemed all over the place.

Yep, she was being rushed by Elina, keeping her off balance at the baseline, Coco's serve went AWOL when needed
Back to the drawing board for Coco sad to say, it was a great performance from Elina
Elina will play Sabalenka in the SFs
I am off to get some dinner before Alcaraz v de Minaur

 

[britbox]

Order of Play - Day 11 - 28 Jan 2026

 

[britbox]

Womens Highlights Day 10 - 27 Jan 2026

 

[britbox]

Press Conferences:

Coco Gauff L 1-6 2-6 v Elina Svitolina



Key Points (GPT Video Summary):

• Gauff credited Elina’s level, saying she was forced out of her comfort zone and couldn’t raise her game in response as she usually does.
• She felt the match slipping away mid–second set, when none of her usual strengths were firing - backhand, forehand, return, or serve.
• Rather than calling it a “bad day,” she stressed that bad days are often caused by the opponent, not randomness.
• Mentally, she stayed optimistic after the first set but grew frustrated as nothing clicked and her strengths weren’t showing up.
• The string tension / racket changes were not a miscalculation, just an in-match attempt to adjust to slower, roof-closed conditions.
• She said the advice from her box was to aim bigger targets and hit through the middle, but she felt that approach wasn’t effective against how her opponent was striking the ball.
• On breaking a racket off court, Gauff said she needed a private release of emotion, preferring that over snapping at her team and tried (unsuccessfully) to avoid cameras.
• She believes letting out frustration helps her reset emotionally, rather than carrying it into interactions with people around her.
• Stat-wise, she immediately noted 70% first serves but only 40% points won on them, something she said “can’t happen” going forward.
• Looking ahead, she wants to develop clear mental fallback patterns a small set of things to rely on when she’s not playing well, citing how champions like Serena could win even on off days.

Elina Svitolina W 6-1 6-2 v Coco Gauff



Key Points (GPT Video Summary):

• Svitolina said she was very pleased with her performance, feeling she executed her game plan well and earned another quarterfinal run at this tournament.
• Looking ahead, her focus immediately shifted to recovery and preparation, rather than the significance of the result itself.
• On extreme heat, she stressed that preparation starts the day before with hydration, rest, and conserving energy, noting both players will face the same conditions.
• She acknowledged that facing Coco Gauff means not just playing the opponent, but also battling the conditions.
• Svitolina highlighted her history with Gauff, referencing multiple three-set battles, and said both players know each other’s games well.
• She said she would work with her coach to finalise a clear tactical plan, rather than overthinking the occasion or the potential milestone of a semifinal.
• While she’d prefer playing later in the day, she accepted scheduling is out of her control and said she’s comfortable adapting to either daytime heat or evening conditions.
• Asked what’s different this season, she pointed to a strong preseason, improved tactical clarity, and deeper analysis of stats — particularly on serve and return.
• In her match, she deliberately attacked her opponent’s second serve, saying early pressure was essential against a tricky player who mixes pace and ball length.
• When asked about off-court political comments involving other players, Svitolina declined to engage, saying she wasn’t aware of the remarks and had nothing to add.

 

[britbox]

Press Conferences

Arynya Sabalenka W 6-3 6-0 Iva Jovic



Key Points (GPT Video Summary):

• Sabalenka said she was very happy with her level, pleased to win in straight sets and acknowledging her opponent as a young, dangerous player.
• On her repeated deep Slam runs, she said consistency still feels “unbelievable” at times, crediting her ability to focus on the right things rather than outcomes.
• She described the conditions as extremely hot, but said the partial roof closure helped by providing shade and protecting players’ health.
• Asked about wearing a Whoop tracking device, Sabalenka said she believed it had ITF approval and was surprised Grand Slams don’t allow it, hoping the rule is reconsidered so players can monitor their health.
• On communication with her box, she said her needs change constantly, sometimes tactical advice, sometimes calming words, sometimes silence — joking that her team has learned to read her signals.
• She said her second-week routine doesn’t change much: stay focused on match day, then relax in whatever way feels right - dinners, Netflix, shopping and trusting her instincts.
• Sabalenka highlighted the second set as one of her cleanest performances, saying she consciously stepped in to apply pressure once she sensed her opponent wouldn’t stop fighting.
• Looking ahead to the semifinals, she said it doesn’t matter who she plays — the approach stays the same: focus on her game and fight for every point.
• Reiterating her “trophy or nothing” mindset, she said winning is always the goal, but she’s now more focused on taking things step by step rather than fixating on the end result.
• On potential matchups with Coco Gauff or Elina Svitolina, Sabalenka said familiarity doesn’t change her mentality and that she’ll compete the same way regardless of the opponent.

Iva Jovic L 3-6 0-6 Arynya Sabalenka



Key Points (GPT Video Summary):

• Jovic said losses are always hard, but she felt positive overall about her tournament, despite the quarterfinal defeat.
• She credited Aryna Sabalenka’s level, saying Sabalenka pushed her out of her comfort zone and exposed areas where she couldn’t adapt quickly enough.
• Going into the match, she noted it was her first in-person meeting with Sabalenka, making it harder to anticipate how the match would feel tactically.
• On coaching, Jovic said she generally prefers to problem-solve on her own, leaning more on encouragement than frequent tactical input unless something is clearly wrong.
• She said the heat was challenging but not decisive, pointing out how Melbourne conditions can swing dramatically from cold to extreme heat.
• Jovic confirmed she has been in direct contact with Novak Djokovic, who texted her advice and encouragement throughout the tournament, something she described as “amazing.”
• She highlighted Djokovic’s ability to suffocate opponents mentally, switching seamlessly between defense and offense, as a model she hopes to emulate.
• Mentally, the quarterfinal didn’t feel overwhelming; she viewed it as one step in a long journey, not a make-or-break career moment.
• She praised Sabalenka’s resilience and ability to turn adversity into motivation, calling her career and mindset inspiring.
• Tactically, Jovic said she learned that against ultra-powerful players you can’t drift in the middle — you must accept the pace early, adjust quickly, and fully commit to matching the tempo.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

With Coco's lose to Svitolina, it means the USA have a new number 1 player, Anisimova will move up to the world no 3 ahead of Gauff. It has been an amazing last 12-18 months for Anisimova and she is still in contention at the AO 2026.

With Svitolina's win over Gauff and making her first AO SF, Elina will enter the Top Ten

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I honestly think players need to have their privacy when they win or lose, I found it "Over the Top" when a camera was following Coco Gauff after her loss to Svitolina in last nights QF match, Coco smashed her racquet, quite frankly there was no need to film it, the same thing happened to Sabalenka last year, when they filmed her smashing her racquet in the locker room. Players need their space and privacy especially following a hard loss! smashing a racquet is a way of letting off steam and also furstration, at least they didnt smashed their racquets on the tennis court.

 

[britbox]

A good battle on RLA between Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina. These two know each other well with 11 previous meetings (Swiatek leads the H2H 6-5).
Rybakina takes the first set 7-5.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I am having the day off just Sb the match while I am doing some serious shopping in Melbourne

 

[britbox]

I am having the day off just Sb the match while I am doing some serious shopping in Melbourne

You'll be pleased to hear the Rybakina is 2-0 up in the second having just broken Swiatek.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

You'll be pleased to hear the Rybakina is 2-0 up in the second having just broken Swiatek.

I picked Rybakina to win going on their last match on hard courts at the WTA finals

 

[britbox]

Rybakina's coach is so annoying. He never shuts up - you can hear him rabbiting on constantly.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Rybakina's coach is so annoying. He never shuts up - you can hear him rabbiting on constantly.

I know someone should put a muzzle on him

 

[Moxie]

I picked Rybakina to win going on their last match on hard courts at the WTA finals

A lot have said Rybakina could go all the way. I've only watched snatches, but I'm not sorry that she's telling Swiatek off today.

 

[britbox]

Double break for Rybakina. Other than a total mental collapse, I can't see any way back for Iga.

 

[britbox]

and it's over 7/5 6/1 - no career GS for Iga this year.

Elena's serving stats weren't great - I think they said first serve was 47% but she was digging out aces when she needed them. Solid performance.