Youth movement: 5 teenagers into Australian Open third round

2m read 22 Jan 2026 3h ago

Photo by Paul Crock / AFP via Getty Images

Summary

For the first time since the 2009 US Open, five teenagers are into the third round of a major. Mirra Andreeva, Iva Jovic, Victoria Mboko, Tereza Valentova and Nikola Bartunkova all advanced to the Round of 32 at the Australian Open.

Five teenagers have advanced to the third round of the Australian Open, the most at a major since the 2009 US Open.

Mirra Andreeva, 18, is the highest-ranked of the five. She's joined by 29th seed Iva Jovic, also 18, and 19-year-old Victoria Mboko.

Tereza Valentova, 18, is also into the third round -- her best-ever result at a Grand Slam -- after knocking off 30th seed Maya Joint in the first round and Linda Fruhvirtova in her most recent match.

The most surprising teenager to make the Round of 32, though, is 19-year-old Nikola Bartunkova. Playing a Grand Slam for the first time in her career, the World No. 126 won three matches to qualify for the main draw before upsetting Daria Kasatkina and stunning Belinda Bencic. Bencic, the No. 10 seed, came into the match as arguably the hottest player on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz, having won her last 12 matches.

"It's a dream come true," an overjoyed Bartunkova said after the 6-3, 0-6, 6-4 win.

Of the five teens, only Andreeva will be favored in her third-round match. She'll play World No. 79 Elena-Gabriela Ruse.

Mboko will take on 14th seed Clara Tauson, and Jovic is set to meet two-time Grand Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini. Valentova will play WTA Finals champion Elena Rybakina for the second time -- Rybakina won their first meeting, at last year's US Open -- and Bartunkova will look to keep her dream run alive against 21st seed Elise Mertens.

"I know she's very aggressive," Mboko said of Tauson, who she'll be playing for the first time. "She's ranked really high for a reason. I know it's going to be another battle on Friday. She's a hard hitter, and I'm really looking forward to it."

The last five teens to make it to the third round, at the 2009 US Open, were 19-year-olds Petra Kvitova, Caroline Wozniacki, Yanina Wickmayer and Sorana Cirstea, and 17-year-old Melanie Oudin.

Seventeen years later, Cirstea -- now 35 -- made it into the second round of the Australian Open, beating Eva Lys in her opener before falling to Naomi Osaka in a tense three-setter. Cirstea is planning to retire at the end of the year.