Victories for Medvedev and Rublev. Sabalenka and Gauff advance. Emma Raducanu is already out
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz advances to the third round of the Australian Open, but the Spaniard failed to dazzle at Rod Laver Arena. The six-time Grand Slam champion defeated Germany’s Yannik Hanfmann, ranked 102nd in the world, in three sets (7-6 (4) 6-3 6-2 in 2 hours and 44 minutes) but struggled more than expected, especially in the first set, which lasted a full 78 minutes; he risked losing it several times and had an erratic serve, despite the new “Djokovic-style” adjustments. In the third round, Alcaraz will face France’s Corentin Moutet, who defeated Zheng (who retired in the fourth set, trailing 3-6, 6-1, 6-3, 2-0). After the match, Alcaraz wrote a message on the camera dedicated to Spain, which has been devastated by the terrible train accident in Andalusia.
In the first set, Hanfmann played at a fast pace, capitalizing on all of Alcaraz’s uncertainties on serve. The German earned his first break point as early as the second game, with the Spaniard managing to save it, but he could do nothing in the third game when the world No. 102 raced to a 3-1 lead. Alcaraz responded with an immediate break back, but the match resembled more of a brawl. It was erratic, tense, and swung back and forth between the two players—all in all, an entertaining affair. The world No. 1 couldn’t find his rhythm on serve (despite a solid 69% first-serve percentage with two aces), but it was he who squandered two more break points at 5-5. In the tiebreak, the German took a 4-3 lead and served, but at that point Alcaraz woke up and, after 78 minutes and four consecutive points, took the first set. Hanfmann’s match effectively ended there, partly due to physical issues (abdominal pain, with a medical timeout at the start of the third set), and partly because it was impossible for him to keep up with his opponent’s pace and maintain the level he had shown up to that point. In the second set, a break in the third game was all Alcaraz needed—without conceding any break points—to close out the set 6-3. There was a final scare in the third set when, leading 5-2 and serving, he had to come back from 0-40 to close out the match 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-2.
Sabalenka in fine form— No trouble for world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who disposed of Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan 6-3, 6-1 in just over an hour and will face fellow Russian Potapova (now a naturalized Austrian) in the third round. Also advancing are Svitolina (7-5, 6-1 over Klimovicova) and Canada’s Mboko, while Raducanu has already been eliminated, losing to Potapova 7-6 (3), 6-2. Later today, all eyes will be on the only Italian remaining in the women’s draw, Jasmine Paolini, who will face Poland’s French.
Medvedev advances— In the men’s draw, Daniil Medvedev scored a fine victory—perhaps his best performance on hard courts since the 2024 final right here in Australia (which he lost to Jannik Sinner): the Russian came from behind to defeat France’s Quentin Halys in four sets (6-7 (11) 6-3 6-4 6-2). Also advancing are Andrey Rublev (who defeated Faria 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5), Etcheverry—7-6(4), 6-1, 6-3 over Fery—and Tommy Paul (6-3, 6-4, 6-2 over Tirante). This morning (Italian time), also in the men’s draw, world No. 3 Alexander Zverev (against Muller) takes the court, along with De Minaur and Tiafoe.
