Australian Open 2026: Qualifying Day 4 Highlights and Results

Melbourne Park, Australia – The final hurdle is often the hardest, and Day 4 of the Australian Open 2026 Qualifying tournament proved exactly that. With the main draw tantalizingly close, Melbourne Park became a cauldron of raw emotion, witnessing scenes of jubilation, relief, and heartbreak as 16 men and 16 women punched their tickets to the first Grand Slam of the year.

The conditions tested the physical and mental resolve of every competitor, but for the victors, the reward was a guaranteed spot in the main draw and a minimum paycheck of $150,000 AUD, providing a massive boost to their 2026 campaigns.

Stephens Secures Main Draw Return

Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens capped off an impressive qualifying campaign with a straight-sets victory over Italy’s second seed, Lucia Bronzetti. Stephens, who entered qualifying ranked No. 1098 after an injury-plagued 2025 season that saw her sidelined for months, displayed the poise of a major winner to triumph 6-1, 7-5.

Dominating the opening set with her signature defensive prowess and heavy forehand, Stephens looked to be cruising. However, Bronzetti mounted a spirited comeback in the second, forcing Stephens to dig deep. The American saved multiple break points before closing out the match in straight sets. “I think I was the only Grand Slam champion to be in qualies… but I was just like it’s an opportunity to go and play,” Stephens remarked, clearly relieved to be back on the major stage. Her return makes her a dangerous floater in the main draw that no seed will want to encounter in the first round.

Aussie Joy: Kubler, Sweeny, Hunter, and Inglis Advance

It was a banner day for Australian tennis, with four locals securing their places in the main draw, delighting the home crowds.

Jason Kubler advanced after a grueling battle with Belgium’s Alexander Blockx ended prematurely. Blockx, the seventh seed who had been in formidable form, was forced to retire due to a back injury in the deciding set. The score stood at 6-3, 3-6, 0-1 when the young Belgian could no longer continue, handing Kubler a bittersweet but well-earned passage to the main draw. For Kubler, this result marks a significant step in his return to top-level tennis after missing much of the previous season.

Joining him was Dane Sweeny, who played arguably the match of the day against Italian veteran Stefano Travaglia. In a contest that stretched over two hours, Sweeny held his nerve in two tense tiebreaks to win 7-6(5), 7-6(3). The victory sparked wild celebrations at ANZ Arena, with Sweeny crediting the raucous home support—including friends and family—for carrying him over the line in the pressure-filled moments.

In the women’s draw, Storm Hunter completed a fairytale comeback from an Achilles rupture by defeating former doubles partner and 11th seed Taylor Townsend 7-6(6), 6-2. Hunter showed incredible resilience, saving crucial set points in the first set tiebreak before dominating the second set to earn her first Grand Slam singles main draw appearance since her injury. She was joined by Maddison Inglis, who overcame Austria’s Tamara Korpatsch 6-4, 6-4, ensuring a memorable day for the home nation.

Next Gen Stars Make History

Day 4 also highlighted the bright future of men’s tennis, with several “Next Gen” stars booking their maiden Grand Slam appearances.

Norway’s Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, a finalist at the Next Gen ATP Finals, defeated French veteran and former doubles champion Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-2, 6-3. He was joined by Spain’s Rafael Jodar, another Next Gen standout, who produced a rollercoaster victory over France’s Luca Van Assche. Jodar triumphed 6-3, 0-6, 6-1, recovering from a second-set bagel to dominate the decider.

Japan’s Rei Sakamoto, the 2024 Australian Open boys’ champion, also graduated to the senior main draw in spectacular fashion. The 19-year-old showed poise beyond his years to defeat Italy’s Giulio Zeppieri 6-2, 6-2. Sakamoto’s serve and aggressive baseline game proved too much for the Italian, cementing his transition from junior success to the professional tour.

Meanwhile, American Nishesh Basavareddy secured his spot by overcoming Britain’s George Loffhagen. In a gritty three-set battle, Basavareddy rallied from a set down to win 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, ensuring that four players who competed at the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals successfully navigated the qualifying draw.

Heartbreak for Wong

While many celebrated, there was heartbreak for Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong. The rising star, who had looked imperious in earlier rounds, fell just short of the main draw. In a tightly contested match against Sweden’s Elias Ymer, Wong succumbed in three sets, 6-7(4), 6-4, 3-6. Despite firing numerous aces and showing flashes of brilliance, Wong could not overcome the experienced Swede, who utilized his consistency to edge out the 21-year-old in the final set.

Other Notable Results

• Zeynep Sonmez (TUR): The Turkish star cruised past Russia’s Anastasia Gasanova 6-3, 6-2 to qualify for her second consecutive Australian Open. She was dominant throughout qualifying, not dropping a single set.
• Anhelina Kalinina (UKR): In a grueling physical battle, the Ukrainian defeated Maja Chwalinska 5-7, 6-2, 6-1. Kalinina, returning from health issues, needed nearly two and a half hours to subdue her opponent but finished the match with a convincing third set.
• Lilli Tagger (AUT): The 17-year-old junior champion staged a remarkable performance to beat Elena Pridankina. Tagger won a tight three-setter 6-7(5), 7-6(7), 6-1, showing incredible mental fortitude to win the second-set tiebreak before running away with the decider.

With the qualifying rounds now complete, the stage is set for the main draw. The 16 qualifiers will now be placed into the bracket, where they could face the world’s best as early as Sunday. For players like Stephens and Kubler, the journey has just begun, but for today, they can rest easy knowing they have conquered the toughest week in tennis. The Australian Open 2026 is officially ready to begin.