Australian Open: Alcaraz, Sabalenka, and Medvedev triumph over early challenges

SEVERAL of the Australian Open’s top contenders booked their places in the third round on Wednesday, though none had it entirely their own way as determined opponents dug deep and pushed them early at Melbourne Park.

Alcaraz works through early resistance

Carlos Alcaraz moved into the third round after overcoming a stiff challenge from Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann, winning 7-6(4),6-3, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena.

After a comfortable opening-round victory over Adam Walton, the 22-year-old Spaniard was forced to dig deeper in a physically demanding first set under sunny conditions. Alcaraz found himself trailing 1-3 before lifting his level, eventually edging a draining 78-minute opener in the tiebreak despite several missed break opportunities against Hanfmann’s powerful serve.

Once clear, the six-time major winner tightened his control of the match, using pace and precision to prevent the second set from becoming another arm-wrestle. Hanfmann appeared deflated after receiving medical treatment during the third-set changeover, and Alcaraz capitalised with a double break before closing out the contest on serve.

Alcaraz will next face either Michael Zheng or Corentin Moutet as he continues his bid for a career Grand Slam.

Sabalenka steadies after first-set wobble

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka also advanced, defeating China’s Bai Zhuoxuan 6-3, 6-1 despite a brief lapse in the opening set.

The world number one, champion at Melbourne Park in 2023 and 2024, surged to a 5-0 lead before Bai fought back, holding serve and breaking Sabalenka as frustration crept into the Belarusian’s game. Bai, ranked 702 in the world, won three games in a row before Sabalenka regrouped to close out the set.

The second set proved more straightforward as Sabalenka reasserted control, racing through the early games to underline the gap between the two players.

“Tricky opponent, she really stepped in on the first set and for a moment I felt: what shall I do? She's crashing it,” Sabalenka said. “Super happy I was able to close that set, I think it gave me a little more confidence that I'm there, that my game is there. Focus step by step.

“There's always a little gap to improve but I'm happy that in that game I didn't lose it and I was focused and I was trying to tell myself, one at a time, it's going to come back,” she added.

Medvedev recovers after losing opener

Daniil Medvedev was forced to battle after dropping the first set but recovered to defeat Quentin Halys 6-7(9),6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

The Russian, a three-time finalist in Melbourne, lost a tense opening tiebreak and was broken early in the second set before regaining his composure. From there, Medvedev began to control the baseline exchanges and exploited Halys’s weaker returns to pull clear.

“I feel I was playing much better in Brisbane,” said Medvedev. “I still can't get exactly used to the court here. I feel I am missing a bit of power in my shots.

“But while you continue winning in a tournament, you find it step-by-step.

“It's for the first time in a couple of years I am in a third round of a Grand Slam, so feeling good.”

Medvedev will meet Fabian Marozsan in the third round.