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After a brutal first week for Aussies at the AO, just two remain

Staff reporters

Updated ,first published

Follow our live coverage of day six of the 2026 Australian Open here. 

The first week of the 2026 Australian Open is underway and some of our best home-grown athletes have already advanced into the later rounds. Here’s a list of every Australian tennis player in the men’s and women’s singles who won their matches in week one.

This story will be updated every morning with the previous night’s results.

Are there any Australian players in action today?

Alex de Minaur is the last one standing on the men’s side of the draw. He’s scheduled to face Frances Tiafoe in the primetime slot on Rod Laver Arena on Friday.

In women’s singles, Maddison Inglis will play her third round match on Saturday against none other than Naomi Osaka.

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Men’s singles

Alex De Minaur

Alex de Minaur has sailed into the second round of the 2026 Australian Open.Eddie Jim

“The Demon” stormed through to the second round with a dominant straight sets win over American Mackenzie McDonald in just under 2 hours on Monday.

On Wednesday night, De Minaur dropped the first set against Novak Djokovic protégé and Serbian Hamad Medjedovic in a tiebreak, before going on to close out the game in straight sets 2-6, 2-6, 1-6 to advance to the third round.

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De Minaur faces Frances Tiafoe on Friday, January 23 on Rod Laver Arena with the time for the match scheduled as 7pm.

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Jordan Thompson (eliminated in round two)

Jordan Thompson in action in round 1 of the 2026 Australian Open.Christopher Hopkins

Thompson dropped the first set to Argentine Juan Manuel Cerundolo in a tiebreak in the first round on Monday, but managed to advance in subsequent straight sets.

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Thompson suffered a heartbreaking 6-7 (9-11), 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 defeat to Portugal’s Nuno Borges on Wednesday, in a marathon match that saw the 31-year-old from Sydney down a break in the third set after a foot fault, which was followed by a fault on his second serve.

Rinky Hijikata (eliminated in round two)

Australian Rinky Hijikata is through to the second round of the 2026 Australian Open.Getty Images

The 24-year-old advanced to the second round with a win in straight sets over France’s Adrian Mannarino on Monday night.

On Thursday morning, Hijikata suffered a 1-6, 3-6, 6-4, 4-6 defeat at the hands of world No.30 Valentin Vacherot on Show Court Arena.

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Dane Sweeny (eliminated in round two)

Dane Sweeney refused to give an inch against Gael Monfils at Melbourne Park.Chris Hopkins

In a special moment, Dane Sweeny chalked up his first-ever major grand slam win against 6-time ATP Tour champion and tournament mainstay Gaël Monfils in a first round 4-set epic on the Show Court Arena.

The first set went to a tiebreak before Sweeny defeated the French showman in his last-ever Australian Open appearance in subsequent sets 7-5, 6-4, 7-5.

On Thursday, Sweeny wasn’t able to overcome American Ben Shelton, going down in straight sets 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 on John Cain Arena.

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James Duckworth (eliminated in round two)

James Duckworth defeated Croatian Dino Prizmic on Tuesday night.Chris Hopkins

It took 4 hours and 21 minutes, but 33-year-old James Duckworth managed to topple Croatian Dino Prizmic in an epic battle on Court 7 on Tuesday night to send himself sailing into the second round.

Duckworth won the first set in a tiebreak before his opponent mounted a stunning comeback, taking the next two sets 6-3, 6-1. Duckworth retaliated, taking the fourth set 7-5 before out muscling a courageous Prizmic in the fifth set 6-3.

Duckworth was bundled out in the second round on Thursday, going down to Jannik Sinner 6-1, 6-4, 6-2.

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Women’s singles

Ajla Tomljanović (eliminated in round two)

Ajla Tomljanovic celebrates her victory against Yuliia Starodubtseva of Ukraine in the Women’s Singles First Round during day two of the 2026 Australian Open. Getty Images

The 32-year-old mounted a valiant comeback in the first round against Ukrainian Yuliia Volodymyrivna Starodubtseva at John Cain Arena on Monday night after dropping the first set 6-4.

Although mounting another comeback early in the second set against Elena-Gabriela Ruse on Wednesday night, Tomljanović fell to the Romanian in straight sets 6-4, 6-4.

Talia Gibson (eliminated in round two)

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Talia Gibson claims victory against Anna Blinkova in round 1 of the 2026 Australian Open.Eddie Jim

The 21-year-old wildcard pulled off her career-best win in straight sets against Russia’s Anna Blinkova on Monday in a commanding 6-1, 6-3 performance.

Gibson lost her second round match in a hard fought effort against Diana Shnaider on Wednesday, falling 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Priscilla Hon (eliminated in round two)

Priscilla Hon is into the second round of the 2026 Australian Open.Eddie Jim
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Hon won her first Australian Open match in six years on Monday in a walkover against Canadian Marina Stakusic, with the final score 1-6, 6-4, 5-3 after two hours of play.

In an exceptional display of sportsmanship, Hon helped her injured opponent off Stadium Australia in a wheelchair after Stakusic was suffering from what appeared to be extreme cramps in the final set.

Unfortunately, Hon was no match for American Iva Jović on Wednesday night, bowing out in straight sets 6-1, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena.

Storm Hunter (eliminated in round two)

Aussie Storm Hunter is through to the second round of the Australian Open.Eddie Jim
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The 2022 US Open mixed doubles champion defeated Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-4 on Monday to advance to the second round.

Hunter was bundled out in the second round on Wednesday. American rising star Hailey Baptiste proved too tough of an opponent, taking the match 6-2, 6-1.

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Taylah Preston (eliminated in round two)

Taylah Preston moves into the second round.AP
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Wildcard Taylah Preston stunned Kia Arena on Tuesday, dispatching doubles world No.15 Zhang Shuai 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 to book a place in the second round.

The 20-year-old Aussie looked emotional as she pinched the late break to seal the match, and again when she spoke on court.

“I’m just really, really happy to get the win today, my first grand slam win,” she said.

Preston put up a valiant effort against 13th seed Linda Nosková on Thursday on Show Court Arena but eventually fell 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.

Maddison Inglis

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Maddison Inglis is through to the second round fo the 2026 Australian Open. AP

Maddison Inglis defeated fellow Australian Kimberly Birrell on Tuesday night, with the first two sets of the match decided by a tiebreak. Inglis took the final set 6-4 to book her place in the second round.

On Thursday, Inglis booked her place in the third round with a nail-biting win over Germany’s Laura Siegmund, with the last two sets being decided by a tiebreak. The final score from the match was 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (10-7).

Inglis’ next match-up against world No.16 Naomi Osaka will take place on Saturday, January 24 with a time and venue for the match yet to be decided.

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