Keys Kicks Off Her Australian Open Title Defense With a Nail-Biter in Melbourne
20 January 2026
Opening test for the defending champion
Madison Keys, the reigning champion, began her Melbourne campaign with a stern challenge from Oleksandra Olenykova, a rising Ukrainian who made her Grand Slam main-draw debut with nothing to lose.
On Rod Laver Arena, Olenykova, ranked 92, posed a puzzle for Keys, the ninth seed. After a tense start, Keys found her rhythm, saved break points, and closed out 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 in 1 hour and 40 minutes.
Top-10 pace continues and a night of upsets
Elena Rybakina kept the trend of higher-ranked players winning, advancing to the second round with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Slovenian Kaja Juvan. Rybakina will face fifth seed Varvara Gracheva after Gracheva beat Victoria Golubic 6-1, 2-6, 6-1.
Melbourne Park provided more drama as Janis Jagin eliminated Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 7-6, marking Fernandez’s first-round exit in a Grand Slam this season.
Teresa Valentova delivered a blow to local hopes by defeating the top seed in Australia and world No. 30 Maya Goynt, 6-4, 6-4, extending her impressive run in the main draw.
Punchline 1: If tennis were a stand-up routine, the crowd would still demand a stronger serve than my Wi‑Fi signal. Punchline 2: In this sport, even the scoreboard wears sunscreen; the surprises are shade-free.
