At the Australian Open 2026, China's Wang Xinyu has advanced to the third round for the first time in her career, marking a significant milestone. Meanwhile, defending champion Madison Keys and Novak Djokovic have also secured victories, continuing their pursuit of the title.
Wang Xinyu's victory came after a courageous comeback against 24th seed Jelena Ostapenko. After dropping the first set and facing a break in the second, Wang rallied to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in two hours and 20 minutes. Ranked No. 46 in the world, Wang is now the highest-ranked Chinese player in the women's singles draw after Zheng Qinwen's withdrawal. This achievement has raised hopes that the 24-year-old will surpass her previous best performance at a Grand Slam tournament, which was a third-round appearance three years ago. Wang's strong start to the 2026 season includes a win over former world No. 1 Iga Swiatek at the WTCC exhibition event in Shenzhen and a runner-up finish at the WTA250 tournament in Auckland. In the next round, Wang will face Czech 13th seed Linda Noskova.
Madison Keys, the defending champion, overcame fellow American Ashlyn Krueger 6-1, 7-5 to reach the third round. Keys started strong, taking the first set in just 23 minutes, but faced a challenge in the second set, falling behind 5-2 before recovering to win. Keys admitted to feeling nervous in her opening round. In her first-round match, Keys defeated Ukrainian newcomer Oleksandra Oliynykova 7-6, 6-1, after Oliynykova disrupted Keys' rhythm with a mix of drop shots, slices, and moonballs.
Novak Djokovic, aiming for his 11th Australian Open title, cruised into the third round with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli. The 38-year-old's efficient and controlled performance showcased glimpses of his brilliance. Djokovic secured his 100th main draw victory at Melbourne Park with his first-round win against Pedro Martinez. In that match, Djokovic won 41 of 44 points on his first serve. Djokovic will face Botic van de Zandschulp next.
Other notable results include Jannik Sinner's advancement to the second round, where he will face James Duckworth. American players Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz have also progressed. Stan Wawrinka is participating in his final Australian Open. Jessica Pegula also won her second round match.
