Australian Open Day 2 order of play: Swiatek and Gauff begin pursuits
Win seven straight matches in the swelter of the Australian summer, seven more on the baked terre battue of Roland Garros, seven more on the lush lawns of Wimbledon and, finally, seven more victories on the hard courts of New York.
That’s all it takes to become a legend among legends on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz.
Only six women -- Margaret Court, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova -- have managed a career Grand Slam in the Open Era. At the age of 24, Iga Swiatek has an opportunity to join them this fortnight at the Australian Open. Has the tantalizing thought crossed her mind?
“I think you guys are thinking more about it,” she told reporters in Melbourne. “I mean, honestly since the beginning of the year, there are many people coming to me and talking to me about it. I'm really just focusing on, like, day-by-day work. This is how I actually was able to achieve the success that I already have, just focusing really on grinding, match by match.
“Winning a Grand Slam is tough. Like a lot of things have to come together to do that. Obviously, it would be a dream come true. This is not, like, my clear goal that I wake up with.”
Swiatek begins her quest on Monday. Here’s a look at some of the enticing first-round matchups on tap:
No. 2 Iga Swiatek vs. qualifier Yuan Yue
Head-to-head: 1-0, Swiatek, 2025 Beijing
Some players scrutinize a freshly made draw with the enthusiasm of a child set loose in a store of sweets. Swiatek wants no part of it.
“I'm not looking at the draw, so thanks for the heads-up,” she answered when a reporter inadvertently revealed that Naomi Osaka and Elena Rybakina could be in her path to the semifinals. “No, it's not a joke. I'm literally not doing that. So please don't spoil it for me. I want to be surprised after every match.”
The numbers, for the qualifier, are foreboding. Swiatek has won 24 straight first-round matches at the majors. Yuan has never won a first-round match here in three previous attempts and is 1-12 against Top 10 players.
Swiatek helped lead Poland to the United Cup title but lost her singles matches to the two highest-ranked players she faced, Coco Gauff and Belinda Bencic.
No. 3 Coco Gauff vs. Kamilla Rakhimova
Head-to-head: 1-0, Gauff, 2025 Beijing
Gauff’s best result here is a semifinal appearance two years ago, before falling to Aryna Sabalenka. At the age of 21, Gauff is on the verge of her 75th Grand Slam match-win; she’s a sporty 74-23.
“At the beginning of my career I wrapped myself too much into the results of part of my identity -- I no longer do that,” Gauff said. “I mean, yes, it's a Grand Slam and every Grand Slam you want to perform and do your best. It's like a fine line of playing like your life depends on it but also not playing like your life depends on it.”
Part of Gauff’s success comes from beating the players she’s supposed to. She’s won her last 21 matches against players ranked outside the Top 50. Rakhimova, who won two matches a year ago at Wimbledon, is at No. 55.
No. 4 Amanda Anisimova vs. Simona Waltert
Head-to-head: 0-0
Three times Anisimova reached the fourth round -- and ran into eventual champions Ashleigh Barty (2022) and Sabalenka (2024) and runner-up Petra Kvitova (2019). Coming off back-to-back major finals, Anisimova is focused on going further.
Waltert, a 25-year-old from Switzerland, is at a career-high No. 86 (up from No. 167 a year ago), playing in her third major draw.
No. 6 Jessica Pegula vs. Anastasia Zakharova
Head-to-head: 0-0
A three-time quarterfinalist in Melbourne, Pegula would love to push through and, like fellow American Madison Keys a year ago, collect her first Grand Slam singles title. She reached the semifinals in Brisbane before falling to Marta Kostyuk.
Zakharova, ranked No. 103, reached the third round here two years ago in her major main-draw debut. She lost her only previous match against a Top 10 player, last summer to Keys in London.
No. 8 Mirra Andreeva vs. Donna Vekic
Head-to-head: 1-0, Andreeva, 2024 Beijing
Andreeva’s coming off a terrific week in Adelaide, winning the final over fellow teenager Victoria Mboko. She’s 10-1 in career first-round matches at the majors.
Vekic, though, likes this tournament. She made the quarters in 2023 and the fourth round twice, in 2025 and 2021. Her 16-13 record in Melbourne is her best in a Slam.
No. 17 Victoria Mboko vs. wild card Emerson Jones
Head-to-head: 0-0
Mboko, who looked spent during and after her final with Andreeva, has been focusing on recovery the past two days. This is her Australian Open debut. Mboko has won her past six matches against players ranked outside the Top 100.
Jones, at No. 155, lost a year ago to Elena Rybakina in her first Aussie main draw and is 0-4 against Top 20 players.
No. 23 Diana Shnaider vs. Barbora Krejcikova
Head-to-head: 0-0
In terms of quality, this shapes up as one of the best first-round matches.
Shnaider was a semifinalist last week in Adelaide in her first action of 2026. She reached the third round here in 2024, losing to Vekic.
Krejcikova, a two-time Grand Slam singles champion, went 2-1 at the United Cup. She has never lost a first-round match in Melbourne (5-0).