Imagine the weight of expectation! Aryna Sabalenka, the world's top-ranked player, kicked off her 2026 Australian Open journey with a victory, all while under the watchful eyes of tennis legends Roger Federer and Rod Laver. Talk about pressure!
Sabalenka faced French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah, ultimately securing a win with a score of 6-4, 6-1 on the iconic Rod Laver Arena. Federer, a six-time Australian Open men's champion, and Laver, a three-time winner, enjoyed front-row seats. Sabalenka later humorously admitted she tried her best not to steal glances at them during the match.
Sabalenka, a two-time Melbourne champion, later captured a selfie with the tennis icons. She expressed her desire to put on a great show for the audience, saying, "I wanted to show great tennis so you guys enjoy watching me play. What a privilege - I really hope you guys enjoyed it just a little bit." She also candidly shared the internal struggle of playing under such scrutiny, mentioning how she kept telling herself, "don't look there, don't look there."
And this is the part most people miss... Sabalenka's track record in Australia is impressive. She has only dropped one set on her way to consecutive titles in 2023 and 2024. She's only lost one of her past 22 matches at the tournament – a surprising three-set defeat by American Madison Keys in last year's final. Her success isn't limited to Melbourne's blue courts, either; five of her 22 career singles titles have been won on Australian soil, including a victory at the Brisbane International leading up to this major.
However, the match wasn't entirely smooth sailing for Sabalenka against Rakotomanga Rajaonah, ranked 118 in the world. In a somewhat shaky first set, Sabalenka had her serve broken in the opening game. While she immediately broke back, she had 16 winners offset by 13 unforced errors. After saving a break point at 4-4, the match shifted in Sabalenka's favor, with her winning five games in a row to seize control.
"I didn't start my best. She showed up on fire and she was playing great," Sabalenka acknowledged, as she sets her sights on reaching a fourth consecutive Australian Open final.
In the second round, Sabalenka is set to face either Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or Bai Zhuoxuan, with Britain's Emma Raducanu potentially awaiting her in the third round.
What do you think? Do you believe the presence of tennis legends like Federer and Laver adds to the pressure, or does it inspire players like Sabalenka? Share your thoughts in the comments!
