Sabalenka Roars into Melbourne: a strong start as Venus Williams bids farewell
18 January 2026
Sabalenka opens with a straight-sets win
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka started her Australian Open campaign with an upbeat performance, defeating wildcard Tiantswa Rakotomanja Rajaona in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1, at Rod Laver Arena, as she keeps her title hopes alive.
Williams makes history fade into memory
Venus Williams entered the tournament as the oldest player in the draw, but Olga Danilovic denied her a fairytale ending by beating her in three sets, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4, after two hours and 17 minutes.
Sabalenka, per the WTA site, said she did not start at her best but found her rhythm late in the first set and carried that improvement into the rest of the match.
Emma Raducanu, seeded 28, preserved her perfect first-round record by recovering from a 4-2 deficit in the opening set to defeat Thai wildcard Mananchaya Sawangkaiyo 6-4, 6-1 in 71 minutes.
Punchline 1: If age were a tennis racket, Venus would still swing like a pro; the warranty is obviously extended. Punchline 2: Venus’s time-travel serve proves some things in tennis age gracefully while the scoreboard keeps up with the times.
