Paolini and Sakkari Advance to Second Round at Australian Open

Two popular players, Jasmine Paolini and Maria Sakkari, secured their places in the second round of the 2026 Australian Open with commanding victories on the tournament’s opening day. Both competitors won their matches in straight sets, conceding only nine games between them.

Paolini, the tournament’s No. 7 seed, dominated her match against qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich, winning 6-1, 6-2. The Italian player never trailed, showcasing her strength from the outset. Meanwhile, Sakkari, a former Top 10 player, exhibited resilience by overcoming a 4-1 deficit in the first set to defeat France’s Leolia Jeanjean.

Both athletes began their 2026 seasons representing their countries at the United Cup. Each player is now looking to surpass their best career performance in Melbourne, which has been reaching the fourth round.

“I think I played a solid match. I was focused all the time, so it was good,” Paolini stated following her victory. “It’s not easy to play the first match at a Grand Slam on a big court, but I’m happy with my performance.”

Statistics from their matches highlighted impressive performances. Notably, Sakkari faced just one break point throughout her match, which occurred during her first service game. After dropping serve to trail 0-2, she turned the tide, winning five consecutive games in both sets.

Similarly, Paolini also encountered only one break point, which she successfully saved in the opening game of her match. Sasnovich had a chance to gain an early lead but missed a backhand that would have secured her a break. Paolini quickly capitalized with a forehand winner, eliminating any momentum for her opponent.

In terms of match statistics, Paolini’s performance stood out with ten winners in just 13 games played. She has now improved her first-round Grand Slam record to 13 wins against 12 losses, marking her ninth consecutive victory in this round. This year’s Australian Open marks Paolini’s 25th appearance in a Grand Slam main draw.

Conversely, Sasnovich struggled with unforced errors, committing a staggering 39 mistakes while Paolini limited hers to just nine.

Sakkari’s victory marks the eighth successful first-round match in Melbourne across her 11 career appearances. She is now participating in her 40th Grand Slam main draw and has played in 38 consecutive tournaments since Wimbledon in 2016.

Other notable winners on Day 1 included Australian wild card Talia Gibson, who triumphed over Anna Blinkova with a score of 6-1, 6-3. Yulia Putintseva managed to rally from a set down to defeat Beatriz Haddad Maia 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, while Elena-Gabriela Ruse upset Dayana Yastremska, the No. 26 seed and former Australian Open semifinalist, with a score of 6-4, 7-5.

As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Paolini and Sakkari as they aim to make deeper runs in this prestigious event.