Camille Naredo

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz reacts after winning a point during his men's singles final match against Italy's Jannik Sinner on day 15 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on June 8, 2025. Julien de Rosa, AFP/File

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz reacts after winning a point during his men's singles final match against Italy's Jannik Sinner on day 15 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on June 8, 2025. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP)

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French Open

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768741000263AFP__20250608__49MD6XB__v1__Preview__TennisFraOpen2025.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Spain&#x27;s Carlos Alcaraz reacts after winning a point during his men&#x27;s singles final match against Italy&#x27;s Jannik Sinner on day 15 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on June 8, 2025. Julien de Rosa, AFP/File" width="960"/>Spain&#x27;s Carlos Alcaraz reacts after winning a point during his men&#x27;s singles final match against Italy&#x27;s Jannik Sinner on day 15 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on June 8, 2025. Julien de Rosa, AFP/File</div>MELBOURNE, Australia -- Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka launched their Australian Open title bids with straight-sets wins but there was no fairytale for 45-year-old Venus Williams on Sunday.On a hot Melbourne day in which a ball girl fainted, last year&#x27;s men&#x27;s beaten finalist Alexander Zverev dropped a set before easing into the second round.World number one Alcaraz joined him, the Spaniard beating 81st-ranked home player Adam Walton 6-3, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena.Alcaraz, who is desperate to win the Australian Open to complete the career Grand Slam of all four majors, plays Germany&#x27;s Yannick Hanfmann next.&quot;I think this kind of level and the difficulties in the first round is pretty good for me,&quot; said Alcaraz, who was pushed all the way in the second set.&quot;But overall I&#x27;m just happy. I&#x27;m pleased about the level that I played today,&quot; added Alcaraz, who was playing his first competitive match for nine weeks.Alcaraz has won the US Open, Wimbledon and French Open, but Melbourne is the one Grand Slam missing from his impressive resume.The furthest he has gone at the opening major of the year is the quarter-finals and he has made it clear that dethroning rival Jannik Sinner as champion is his main aim for 2026.If he does so, the 22-year-old would surpass compatriot Rafael Nadal to become the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam.Earlier, in steamy conditions approaching highs of 30C, Zverev threatened to implode in losing the first set to Canada&#x27;s Gabriel Diallo.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/1/18/zverev-wobbles-but-wins-at-australian-open-as-alcaraz-enters-fray-1426">READ: Zverev wobbles but wins at Australian Open as Alcaraz enters fray</a></div>But the 28-year-old German recovered from the shock to win 6-7 (1/7), 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 and next meets Australian Alexei Popyrin or Alexandre Muller of France.Asked how he reset from his first-set wobble, the third seed said: &quot;I was thinking it can&#x27;t get worse than that.British qualifier Arthur Fery scored the first big upset by taking down 20th seed Flavio Cobolli of Italy, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4, 6-1.Novak Djokovic, who is chasing a record 25th major title, begins his title assault on Monday, as does three-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev.Organisers said that more than 100,000 people came through the gates, although there were complaints about long queues in the heat.Underlining how fierce it was on court, a ball girl fainted during the match between Zeynep Sonmez and Ekaterina Alexandrova, with both players rushing to help her.<div> </div><div>- Venus makes history -</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768741019165AFP__20250723__2226570316__v1__MidRes__MubadalaCitiDcOpen2025Day2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Venus Williams serves to Peyton Stearns (not pictured) during a women&#x27;s single match on day 2 of the Mubadala Citi DC Open 2025 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on July 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. Scott Taetsch, Getty Images/AFP/File" width="960"/>Venus Williams serves to Peyton Stearns (not pictured) during a women&#x27;s single match on day 2 of the Mubadala Citi DC Open 2025 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on July 22, 2025 in Washington, DC.  Scott Taetsch, Getty Images/AFP/File</div>Sabalenka began her bid for a third Australian Open title in four years with a patchy start before coming good in the second set.The world number one, stunned by Madison Keys in the 2025 final, ultimately had too much power, guile and quality for French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah.But the Belarusian took time to find her touch, making a series of unforced errors before taming the spirited 20-year-old 6-4, 6-1 on Rod Laver Arena.&quot;It is always tricky playing someone young, someone you don&#x27;t know, and a lefty (left-hander),&quot; said the top seed and title favourite.Sabalenka said she had felt added pressure with tennis legends Roger Federer and Rod Laver court-side.&quot;I hope you guys enjoyed watching me play, I hope you enjoyed it even a little bit,&quot; she said in her on-court interview, addressing the duo.Sabalenka faces Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan next.Title rivals Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff play on Monday.Also safely through was seventh-seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini as she outclassed Belarusian qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-1, 6-2.Elina Svitolina, the Ukrainian 12th seed, eased past Cristina Bucsa of Spain 6-4, 6-1.But seeded fellow Ukrainians Dayana Yastremska and Marta Kostyuk were dumped out early, as was the American great Williams.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/1/4/venus-williams-still-feeling-the-fire-ahead-of-australian-open-record-1523">READ: Venus Williams still &#x27;feeling the fire&#x27; ahead of Australian Open record</a></div>The seven-time major champion was the oldest woman to play in the history of the Australian Open.She showed glimpses of what once made her world number one, but ultimately fell after an epic battle with an opponent more than 20 years her junior.Olga Danilovic of Serbia outlasted the veteran 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-4 over a gruelling 2hrs 17mins.

Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka launched their Australian Open title bids with straight-sets wins but there was no fairytale for 45-year-old Venus Williams on Sunday.

Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka launched their Australian Open title bids with straight-sets wins but there was no fairytale for 45-year-old Venus Williams on Sunday.

No Venus fairytale as Alcaraz, Sabalenka win Melbourne openers

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No Venus fairytale as Alcaraz, Sabalenka win Melbourne openers

Peter Stebbings,

Agence France-Presse

Published Jan 18, 2026 08:59 PM PHT

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