Australian Open 2026: Qualifying Day 1 Highlights and Results

Melbourne Park, Australia – The road to the first Grand Slam of the year officially began on Monday, January 12, 2026, as the qualifying rounds for the Australian Open kicked off in dramatic fashion. Under the Melbourne sun, a mix of seasoned veterans fighting for a return to glory and rising stars looking to make their mark took to the courts. Day 1 delivered a flurry of emotions, from the jubilation of home-crowd favorites to the shock exits of established names.

Veterans Stephens and Townsend Make Winning Starts

The headline acts on the women’s side featured two American stars with deep Grand Slam pedigrees. Sloane Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion and a former Australian Open semifinalist, looked sharp in her opening match. Stephens defeated Czech youngster Barbora Palicova in straight sets, 6-1, 7-5. It was a confidence-boosting win for Stephens, who is looking to rebuild her ranking after an injury-plagued 2025 season. She now sets up a blockbuster second-round clash with inform Australian Olivia Gadecki.

Meanwhile, doubles world No. 2 Taylor Townsend survived a massive scare on Kia Arena. The 11th seed was pushed to the limit by Japan’s Nao Hibino in a gripping three-set battle. After dropping the first set, Townsend rallied to bagel her opponent in the second, eventually closing out the match 6-7(3), 6-0, 7-5. Townsend needed six match points to finally put Hibino away, later admitting the match tested her mental resolve following tough losses in the previous season.

Aussie Success Stories: Tomic and Gadecki Shine

The local fans had plenty to cheer about as several Australians advanced. The story of the day belonged to the enigmatic Bernard Tomic. The 33-year-old, looking to resurrect his career, secured his first Australian Open match win (qualifying or main draw) since 2021. Tomic put on a controlled performance to defeat the 25th seed, Hugo Dellien of Bolivia, 6-3, 6-3. Using his signature mix of slice and pace changes, Tomic frustrated his opponent and will now face Britain’s Arthur Fery in the second round.

On the women’s side, Olivia Gadecki continued her blistering start to 2026. Fresh off a strong run at the Brisbane International, Gadecki upset the No. 22 seed Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands, 6-2, 6-4. Other Aussie winners included Dane Sweeny, who fought back from a set down to beat Andrea Pellegrino 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, and wildcard Tina Smith, who recorded her maiden Grand Slam qualifying victory over Cadence Brace.

Shocks and Exits: Evans and Jarry Crash Out

It wasn’t a good day for all the big names. Former British No. 1 Dan Evans saw his campaign end abruptly at the hands of Japan’s teenage sensation Rei Sakamoto. The 2024 Junior Australian Open champion outplayed the veteran Evans, winning decisively 6-1, 6-2. Evans struggled on serve, double-faulting four times and failing to generate a single break point chance against the young prospect.

Another major upset occurred in the men’s draw as former world No. 16 Nicolas Jarry was knocked out. The Chilean power-hitter fell to France’s Titouan Droguet in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3. Similarly, the No. 3 seed Nikoloz Basilashvili was sent packing by Peruvian Gonzalo Bueno, further opening up the men’s qualifying bracket.

Other Notable Results

• Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN): The 8th seed breezed past Nerman Fatic, dropping only three games in a dominant 6-1, 6-2 victory.
• Arthur Fery (GBR): Advanced to the second round after defeating Australian wildcard Edward Winter 6-2, 6-4.
• Portuguese Surge: Compatriots Henrique Rocha and Jaime Faria both secured wins, with Rocha defeating Joao Lucas Reis da Silva and Faria edging out Luka Mikrut.
• Benjamin Hassan (LEB): The German-born Lebanese player defeated Matej Dodig in three sets, continuing to inspire fans from his heritage.

With Day 1 in the books, the intensity is sure to ramp up as players move one step closer to the coveted main draw spots. All eyes will be on the enticing second-round matchup between Sloane Stephens and Olivia Gadecki, a contest that promises main-draw quality in the qualifying rounds.