Melbourne, January 18, 2026 – World number one Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus began her Australian Open 2026 campaign with a strong statement, defeating French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah in straight sets on Sunday. The match, part of the night session at Rod Laver Arena, saw Sabalenka hit 23 winners to secure a 6-4, 6-1 victory in 1 hour and 16 minutes.
Despite facing some early challenges from the 20-year-old left-handed debutant, Sabalenka stayed composed. “It’s always tricky playing someone young, someone that you don’t really know yet, and who is also a lefty,” she said. “It was a tricky start for me, but I’m super happy to close this match in straight sets.”
Sabalenka, who is aiming for her fifth Grand Slam title, is determined to overcome the disappointment of last year’s Australian Open final, where Madison Keys ended her bid for a tournament three-peat in a major upset.
Rakotomanga Rajaonah, making only her second main-draw appearance at a Grand Slam, made the top seed work hard in a competitive first set. Sabalenka broke serve in the 10th game to take the set in 45 minutes before dominating the second set to finish the match with authority.
Looking ahead, Sabalenka will face either Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan, 23, or seasoned Russian player Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the next round. The Belarusian star will hope to maintain her momentum as she chases another major title and continues her quest to strengthen her position as world number one.