Australian Open news: Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff and the key talking points of the tournament so far
With the quarter-finals of the Australian Open just around the corner, there have already been plenty of surprises and upsets in the main draw at Melbourne Park.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Lorenzo Gagliotta takes a closer look at the tournament’s biggest talking points so far and what to expect from the closing stages of the year’s first major.
Heat, injuries feature prominently
The first few days of the Australian Open were filled with action but contained some early retirements too.
One of the earliest ones came when Italian Matteo Berrettini withdrew from his first-round match-up against Alex de Minaur.
Canada’s challengers Marina Stakusic and Felix Auger-Aliassime fell in the first round too, forced to retire due to severe cramping issues, with Stakusic having to leave the court in a wheelchair.
The extreme heat in Melbourne has also been playing a huge role, with court officials having to suspend some games as a precautionary measure for both players and spectators.
Another withdrawal was Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who felt the bare brunt of opponent Tommy Paul and his presence – he pushed through two sets but couldn’t sustain another.
The most recent retiree was Japan’s Naomi Osaka – who unfortunately pulled out due to a left abdominal injury – and Czech number one Jakub Menšík.
Osaka, a four-time major champion, was finding her rhythm in Melbourne but noticeably struggled in her second-round game against Sorana Cîrstea.
Defending champion Jannik Sinner, meanwhile, massively struggled in the heat against American Eliot Spizzirri, suffering from cramps and facing a true test against the world number 85.
Looking down and out, the closed roof managed to help Sinner regain and successfully advance onto the next stage.
MORE FROM LORENZO GAGLIOTTA: 2026 Australian Open: When is it, what to expect, talking points and players to watch
Surprises at the Open
Many tipped some younger talents to be challenging the higher seeds at the first Grand Slam of the year.
Unfortunately, a few fell short at the first hurdle, with the likes of Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Joao Fonseca surprisingly out following uncharacteristic performances, having struggled in the heat.
Brisbane International runner-up Marta Kostyuk suffered an ankle injury mid-match and was not able to get past French number two Elsa Jacquemot.
Canadian Leylah Fernandez couldn’t get the better of Janice Tjen’s strong service game and all-round dominant performance.
Italian number two Jasmine Paolini really struggled against 18-year-old American Iva Jović, who put on a fine display to dispatch Paolini in the second round.
Former Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka entered his 20th and final Australian Open, looking to replicate the wonders he did back in 2014.
He bid an emotional farewell after losing out to Taylor Fritz.
American tennis seems to have started the season strong, it must be said, with both the men and women looking impressive.
Ben Shelton and Fritz have been in top form, looking to cause chaos higher up the rankings.
Sadly for Madison Keys, Amanda Anisimova continued her redemption arc, playing some dominant tennis to knock out the defending champion as she aims to clinch her first Grand Slam title.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Australian Open news: Five memorable matches that lit up Melbourne Park
Top seeds finding form
It certainly seems like it’s a Grand Slam which is up for contention and dependent on the form players are in.
World number three Alexander Zverev’s level seems to rise with every opponent and every match as he chases a successive Australian Open final.
He started the tournament off strong on a difficult side of the draw, getting past the young Gabriel Diallo and Frenchman Alexander Muller.
Trusting in her game and her potential, Coco Gauff feels galvanised following her start to the Open.
Her consistency has only grown as the games have gone by, with some top-tier tennis on show from the American, including an exciting match-up against compatriot Hailey Baptiste.
High-performing seeds from both sides of the draw should have enough belief in their performances if they reach the first Grand Slam final of the year.
READ MORE: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner take over tennis in 2025
Pretenders to the throne
With the tournament getting to its closing stages, many are looking to cause upsets amongst the top seeds on both sides of the draw.
Rising stars have established themselves on the scene of this Slam, with the likes of Ethan Quinn, Learner Tien, Zeynep Sönmez, and Jović playing an exciting brand of tennis.
Sönmez became the first Turkish women to grab a win in the main singles draw in Melbourne Park.
Kazakhstani tennis seems to be in excellent hands for the rest of the season as well, considering the start Alexander Bublik and Elena Rybakina have made.
Should they continue the run of form they are in, they could both really challenge for a Grand Slam title in 2026.
YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN: Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in tennis: Is Saudi investment helping the sport or just sports washing?
Another dominant Slam season?
World number one Carlos Alcaraz has hit the ground running at Melbourne Park as he looks to retain his first Grand Slam title of 2026.
Seemingly in cruise control, he managed to dispatch fan favourite Corentin Moutet in impressive fashion, putting aside any doubt about possible inconsistencies that might have crept up throughout the match.
Alcaraz’s serve remains a big talking point, following some modification in the off-season, but it seems to be working in his favour and becoming more powerful after every round.
Aryna Sabalenka seemed to play like her vintage self in the first few rounds before nearly facing an upset in her third-round match against Anastasia Potapova.
A game away from a tied set, she managed to soak up the pressure and play like a champion, thriving in the tiebreak and advancing further in the Open.
She’s on a redemption tour after her defeat in the final last year and looking to build her mental strength to truly stamp her authority on the rest of the tennis season.
