MELBOURNE: The first round of the Australian Open begins in Melbourne on Sunday.
World number one Carlos Alcaraz, who could complete a career Grand Slam if he wins the tournament, faces Adam Walton, while Aryna Sabalenka takes on Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah as she seeks a third title at Melbourne Park.
Top men’s match: Alcaraz v Walton
At 22, Alcaraz could replace Don Budge as the youngest man to achieve the career Grand Slam with victory at the Australian Open. The Spaniard has left no one in any doubt what his main goal is for the 2026 season, saying in November he would rather win a first Melbourne Park crown than retain his French and US Open titles.
His quest to make history will begin with a first-round tie against Australian Walton.
The pair have crossed paths once before, with Alcaraz beating the Australian 6-4 7-6(4) during his title-winning run at the Queen’s Club Championships last year.
Top women’s match: Sabalenka v Rakotomanga Rajaonah
Sabalenka will be bidding to continue her incredible record in hard court Grand Slam tournaments when she begins her campaign against Frenchwoman Rakotomanga Rajaonah.
The Belarusian world number one has reached the final of the last six majors she has played on the surface, winning four of those.
She enters the competition in fine form after retaining her Brisbane International title this month without losing a set, and should have little trouble when she takes on the 118th-ranked Rakotomanga Rajaonah.
Venus Williams is back
Venus Williams, a two-times Australian Open singles finalist, returns to the tournament for the first time since 2021 after receiving a wildcard.
The 45-year-old faces Olga Danilovic in the first round, where she is set to become the oldest woman to feature in the Australian Open main draw by surpassing Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she bowed out in the first round in 2015.
Williams has endured a poor start to the season, losing to Magda Linette in the first round in Auckland and to Tatjana Maria in her opening match at the Hobart International.
Despite her defeats, she said she was happy with her level.
“I can’t expect perfection right now, but I know I’m playing good tennis. Winning and losing doesn’t know any age. Once you walk on court, you’re there to compete,” Williams said before her defeat in Hobart.
Australian Open order of play on Sunday
Here is the order of play on the main showcourts on the first day of the Australian Open (prefix number denotes seeding):
Rod Laver Arena
- Day session
Aliaksandra Sasnovich (Belarus) v 7-Jasmine Paolini (Italy)
3-Alexander Zverev (Germany) v Gabriel Diallo (Canada)
- Night session
1-Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) v Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah (France)
1-Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) v Adam Walton (Australia)
Margaret Court Arena
- Day session
Maria Sakkari (Greece) v Leolia Jeanjean (France)
18-Francisco Cerundolo (Argentina) v Zhang Zhizhen (China)
- Night session
10-Alexander Bublik (Kazakhstan) v Jenson Brooksby (US)
Mananchaya Sawangkaew (Thailand) v 28-Emma Raducanu (Britain)
John Cain Arena
- Day session
Arthur Fery (Britain) v 20-Flavio Cobolli (Italy)
- Day session
12-Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) v Cristina Bucsa (Spain)
- Night session
29-Frances Tiafoe (US) v Jason Kubler (Australia)
Olga Danilovic (Serbia) v Venus Williams (US)
Tennis world number ones Sabalenka, Alcaraz begin Australian Open campaigns
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Tennis world number ones Sabalenka, Alcaraz begin Australian Open campaigns
- Carlos Alcaraz, who could complete a career Grand Slam if he wins the tournament, faces Adam Walton
- Aryna Sabalenka takes on Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah as she seeks a third title at Melbourne Park
Al-Fateh lose in seven-goal thriller to Al-Kholood as Toney rescues Al-Ahli with hat-trick
- Mourad Batna misses penalty to equalise minutes before Al-Fateh collapse against Al-Kholood
- Al-Ahli trailed against Al-Khaleej in the first half before an 18-minute hat-trick from Ivan Toney secured the three points
AL-HASA: Matchday 17 of the Saudi Pro League kicked off in thrilling fashion, with 12 goals scored across two matches. Al-Fateh fell to a 5-2 defeat against Al-Kholood in front of more than 7,000 fans, while Al-Ahli thrashed Al-Khaleej 4-1 in the Ivan Toney show. The third game of the day, by contrast, ended goalless as Al-Shabab and Al-Najma played out a stalemate.
The energy at the Al-Fateh Stadium was high from the outset. Fresh off a five-game winning streak, the hosts had climbed the table after flirting with the relegation places earlier in the season. Sitting in ninth and pushing for the top six, a meeting with an out-of-form Al-Kholood seemed like an ideal place to continue their rise.
Al-Kholood, however, started in a manner entirely unexpected by José Manuel Gomes’ side. Two goals in quick fashion saw the visitors race into a 2-0 lead within the opening 20 minutes. Through balls proved Al-Fateh’s kryptonite, as Ramiro Enrique struck past Fernando Pacheco in the 12th minute before Muhammad Sawan followed up in with a tight-angle finish seven minutes later.
Al-Fateh’s threat largely came from set-pieces, with a Mourad Batna free-kick palmed over the bar by Juan Cozzani their clearest opening. Zaydou Youssouf then took matters into his own hands, driving forward from deep and firing home from distance in first-half stoppage time to pull one back. He nearly levelled moments later from a similar position, only for Cozzani to deny him this time.
The second half started with Al-Fateh on the front foot, but Al-Kholood struck against the run of play in the 55th minute after Hattan Bahebri capitalised on a reboud that came back off the post.
The goal briefly reignited the hosts. Al-Fateh pulled one back immediately with a goal from a corner in the 57th minute and were handed a golden opportunity to equalise 10 minutes later when Batna was brought down inside the box.
Batna’s penalty, however, struck the post, sending the Al-Fateh Stadium into silence. Al-Kholood seized the moment, with substitute Abdulrahman Al-Dosari restoring their two-goal cushion in the 71st minute after a series of intricate passes, before Enrique completed his brace for their fifth in the 81st minute.
The victory lifts Al-Kholood temporarily to 12th place, six points clear of the relegation zone. Al-Fateh remain ninth on 21 points, with NEOM close behind and still to play.
In Jeddah, Al-Ahli endured a shaky opening against Al-Khaleej. A powering run from Paolo Fernandes ended with a floated cross to the far post, where Giorgos Masouras headed home to give the visitors the lead in the 19th minute.
The second half belonged entirely to Ivan Toney, who moved into second place in the league’s scoring charts with a devastating hat-trick. In the 59th minute, he met a cross from Ali Majrashi in behind the defence to equalise with a first-time finish.
Eight minutes later, he capitalised on Anthony Moris’ poor handling of Wenderson Galeno’s effort to put Al-Ahli ahead. Finally, he would cap off his wonderful night with another first-time finish, this time after a clever headed assist from Riyad Mahrez.
Rayan Hamed added the icing on the cake with a fourth in the 86th minute, sending the home fans into celebration as Al-Ahli moved to 37 points in second place, four behind leaders Al-Hilal, who have a game in hand.
Action returns on Wednesday, with Al-Okhdood welcoming Al-Riyadh in Najran at 6:30pm before Al-Ettifaq face NEOM and Damac welcome Al-Nassr at 8:30pm.
