Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka celebrates her third round win over Potapova at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne on January 23, 2026
| Photo Credit: Reuters
World number one Aryna Sabalenka passed her first major test of the Australian Open on Friday (January 23, 2026), fending off a serious challenge from Anastasia Potapova to reach the fourth round with a tense 7-6(4) 7-6(7) win.
At a Grand Slam spiked with geopolitical tension, Potapova played for Austria after a recent nationality switch from Russia, and represented the central European nation with distinction in the early match at Rod Laver Arena.
Seemingly down and out at 4-0 in the second set, the world number 55 broke Sabalenka three times and nudged ahead to 6-5, forcing the Belarusian into a surprising scrap to the finish.
Potapova will rue failing to take her chances, though, seeing four set points slip through her fingers in the final tiebreak.
Sabalenka was more clinical, setting up a match point with a drive-volley down the line before sealing victory when Potapova thumped a backhand into the net.
“She played incredible tennis. I was always on the back foot and, to be honest, there are days where you just have to be there, just have to fight,” Sabalenka said on court.
“Emotionally I was all over the place … I was just trying to cool myself down, which wasn’t working well today. My brain was somewhere else, my arms were going in another direction.
“Somehow, magically, I was able to get this win.”
Four-times Grand Slam champion Sabalenka booked her sixth consecutive appearance in the fourth round at Melbourne Park, where she won the title back-to-back in 2023-24.
Her win set up an intriguing duel against Canadian 17th seed Victoria Mboko, who edged Clara Tauson to reach the last 16 in her Australian Open main draw debut.
Alcaraz faces test
Men’s top seed Alcaraz came through a tough three-set arm-wrestle in round two and faces another tricky task against French 32nd seed Corentin Moutet.
The 22-year-old Spaniard is bidding for a career Grand Slam of all four majors.
He said his testing 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-2 victory over Yannick Hanfmann in round two had served him well.
“I’m still getting used to the conditions, getting used to playing better,” said the six-time Grand Slam winner.
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz reacts during his third round match against France’s Corentin Moutet
| Photo Credit:
Reuters
“Just happy that I’m just improving every day after every match. So hopefully being better in the next round.”
Alcaraz has never gone past the quarter-finals in his four trips to Australia.
Should he beat Moutet, he will meet either American 19th seed Tommy Paul or Spanish 14th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to make the last eight once again.
Germany’s Zverev, well beaten by Jannik Sinner in last year’s final, dropped a set in both his opening two matches and will have an evening clash against British 26th seed Cameron Norrie.
Home hope and sixth seed Alex de Minaur has again been awarded the prime time night slot on Rod Laver Arena.
This time he will encounter the dangerous American Frances Tiafoe, who made the Melbourne quarter-finals in 2019 before losing to Rafael Nadal.
Russia’s Medvedev, a three-time losing finalist in Melbourne, faces a tricky encounter against Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan.
Published – January 23, 2026 09:05 am IST
