Preview Australian Open Day Four | Alcaraz, Zverev, Sabalenka, Gauff headline second round action

Three days of action-packed drama in the opening round of the Australian Open have come and gone, with both the ATP and WTA fields being halved from 128 to 64. Now, the remaining players will be looking to make more progress in this Grand Slam event.

Day four will he headlined by the world number one and three from both competitions, with the Aussie fans ready to watch their number one player along with a wildcard coming up against a teenage sensation to finish off the session. Along with that, a whole host of talent will be on show at Melbourne Park with the third round begging for many.

It was a good start to the Australian Open for Carlos Alcaraz, who managed to get a straight sets victory over Adam Walton with the career Grand Slam still firmly in sight. His form Down Under has never been the best, but many feels that this could be his year to take the title.

He will need to produce his best game through the rest of the tournament if he is to compete with his arch-rival Jannik Sinner, who did not break a sweat in his opening round triumph. The Spaniard did not look as comfortable as the two-time champion in his opening encounter, but would have hoped to have settled down ahead of his second round clash against Yannick Hanfmann.

The German was in a battle against qualifier Zachary Svajda but was able to get the better of his opponent in four tight sets. He will need to find his best game, and a little more if he is going to hold his own against the world number one.

From one German to another: Alexander Zverev will play on the John Cain Arena against Alexandre Muller. Last year’s finalist is under pressure to defend the ranking points collected from last year’s venture at Melbourne Park, which was by far the highlight of his 2025.

After a tricky opening set against Gabriel Diallo, the world number three settled into his tennis and dropped just seven games in the final three sets to complete a very commendable win. He will be hoping to play like this against another tough player, who got the better of him in their prior meeting back in the Hamburg Open.

Alex de Minaur first made an Australian Open quarter-final back in 2025, adding to his already growing collection of last-eight appearances in Grand Slams. He has the talent to go further, and as always, the support in Melbourne, with fans passionately urging him on. These events will be no different on Rod Laver Arena where he will take on Hamad Medjedovic for a spot in round three.

Three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev is not predicted by many to reach another final Down Under, but his form has not gone unnoticed. After his Brisbane International title, he has now won two titles in the space of a few months. The former world number one will be hoping to continue his Australian Open run against Frenchman Quentin Hayls.

Alexander Bublik is also a man very much in form. He also began the year with a title in the Hong Kong Open and is so far unbeaten in 2026. His entry into the top 10 is a huge moment for the talented Kazakh, who is finally starting to show the potential he has always had within but never really showcased on a consistent level. Marton Fucsovics is his next challenger.

On Margaret Court, Andrey Rublev will take on qualifier Jaime Faria at the start of the day while Frances Tiafoe will conclude events on that court against Francisco Comesana. Spanish number 14 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will clash against the tall American Reilly Opelka with fellow countryman and last year’s quarter-finalist Tommy Paul going head-to-head with Thiago Tirante.

It is another stacked session of women’s tennis, led by no other than the world number one and two-time champion Aryna Sabalanka. The Belarusian has won half of her Grand Slam titles in Melbourne, and will be looking to reach a fourth consecutive final with a fifth major title firmly on the mind.

This, however, is a long way away. She looked good in her opening match against young Frenchwoman Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajonah after overcoming an early slip up. As the tournament progresses, these mistakes will be pounced upon more and punished on a regular basis, making it crucial Sabalenka gets in a good routine. She will tackle qualifier Zhuoxuan Bai, who despite being ranked outside the top 700 in the world defied the odds and defeated former French Open finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Sabalenka will be the heavy favourite, as will Coco Gauff in her quest for a third Grand Slam title. The American had trouble with her serve in the opening set against Kamila Rakhimova but was much better in the second set, with the American never really under the cosh.

At one point, it looked like she would be coming up against Venus Williams in what would have been a blockbuster tie. However, Olga Danilovic managed to stage an incredible comeback after finding herself 4-0 down in the third set. It will be a first meeting between the pair at the biggest occasion of them all.

One of the performances in the first round came from Mirra Andreeva. Despite finding herself a set down against Donna Vekic, she went to a frightening level as the match went on, claiming 10 of the last 11 games to prevent an upset from occurring. It does not get much easier, with former world number three Maria Sakkari up next for the 18-year-old to take on in a first meeting.

On the Kia Arena, Jasmine Paolini rounds off the action with a tie against Magdalena Frech. They have not clashed since 2023, with one win a piece between the pair. The Italian marvelled in her opening match, defeating Aliaksandra Sasnovich while dropping just three games.

While slightly trickier for Victoria Mboko, the Canadian had no trouble in winning on her Australian Open debut with 17-year-old Emerson Jones the victim. It is a more experienced player set to be at the other side of the net, with Catherine McNally looking to halt the meteoric rise that the 19-year-old is currently enjoying. While this is going on, her doubles partner and fellow sensation Iva Jovic will be playing under the lights on Rod Laver Arena against Aussie wildcard Priscilla Hon.

Emma Raducanu was once herself a teenage sensation, winning the US Open as an 18-year-old qualifier. While her tennis career has not gone the way she would have hoped, the British number one is still on the rise. It is the big events she is yet to crack. After a very solid opening win against Mananchaya Sawangkaew, she has a slightly tougher test in the form of Anastasia Potapova.

Other notable figures stepping onto the court includes ASB Classic champion Elina Svitolina against qualifier Linda Klimovicova, Clara Tauson will take on Polina Kudermetova while former Roland Garros finalist Karolina Muchova goes up against Alycia Parks.