MELBOURNE, Jan 19, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Erratic title contender Coco Gauff and three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev reached the Australian Open second round Monday ahead of a defiant Novak Djokovic launching his latest bid to win a record 25th Grand Slam crown. A former world number one, now ranked four, Djokovic is the undisputed king of Melbourne, having won a record 10 Australian Open crowns. With Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner now dominant, Djokovic's last Grand Slam victory came at the US Open in 2023. Poland's Swiatek, the second seed, has never gone beyond the last four in Melbourne. Like Alcaraz, she is pursuing a career Grand Slam of all four major titles, having triumphed previously at Wimbledon, the US Open and French Open.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha January 19, 2026 04:50 UTC