Australian Open 2026: Iga Swiatek's bid for career Grand Slam gets off to underwhelming start

Iga Swiatek's bid to create history and complete the career Grand Slam got off to an underwhelming start as her fellow title contenders made light work of their first-round matches in Melbourne.

The Australian Open is the only major missing from world number two Swiatek's collection.

But the Pole's chase for a seventh Grand Slam trophy - and a piece of tennis history - started slowly on Rod Laver Arena as she grappled with her serve and committed 34 unforced errors against Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue.

Despite being far from her clinical best, Swiatek eventually overcame 130th-ranked Yuan 7-6 (7-5) 6-3.

"It wasn't perfect but that's why I am happy because it is not hard to win matches when everything is going well," Swiatek said.

"Today it wasn't but I managed to win so that's good."

Fellow top seeds and title contenders Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula all cruised through their opening matches on Monday.

And while the scoreline looks comfortable, Swiatek admitted she had improvements to make before she meets Czech world number 44 Marie Bouzkova in the second round.

Her second serve in particular was wobbly, with Yuan winning 59% of the points off it.

It is in keeping with a mixed start to the season for Swiatek. She won the United Cup with Poland earlier this month but lost to fellow top 10 players Gauff and Belinda Bencic.

"I was a bit rusty at the beginning. I didn't start well and she seized the opportunity," Swiatek said.

"Many ups and downs but I have some stuff to work on."

Like Swiatek, Gauff also had issues with her serve in the first round as she committed seven double faults against Uzbekistan's Kamilla Rakhimova.

Three of those came in the opening game, but Gauff said it was "smooth sailing from there".

"I think I just erased that first game, and then after that I was better," she said following the 6-2 6-3 win - her 75th Grand Slam match-win.

The two-time major singles winner added: "I tried not to put too much pressure on myself. I am only satisfied if I win, but I am proud of myself regardless of how I get on."

Gauff, 21, will face Olga Danilovic next after the Serb defeated 45-year-old Venus Williams on Sunday.

American fourth seed Anisimova, meanwhile, needed just 60 minutes to beat Switzerland's Simona Waltert 6-3 6-2 and underline her title credentials.

After runs to the US Open and Wimbledon final last season, Anisimova is one of the favourites go all the way in Melbourne, but she insisted she was focusing on improving as a player rather than a third successive Grand Slam final.

Fellow American Pegula, the sixth seed, also impressed with a 66-minute 6-2 6-1 victory over Russian Anastasia Zakharova.

Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva - another title contender - found herself a set down in her first-round tie against Croatia's Donna Vekic, but the eighth seed rallied in set two and won the decider 6-0, winning 25 of the 32 points on offer.

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