Australian Open 2026: All the results from Day 4

The 2026 Australian Open moved into the second round on Wednesday, and while the Melbourne sun beat down on the blue courts, the competition was just as scorching. Day 4 at Melbourne Park was a tale of two halves: clinical precision from the world’s best on the show courts, and a series of grinding, emotional battles on the outside courts that left several home favourites in the dust.

The elites assert dominance

On Rod Laver Arena, the world number ones made short work of their opponents, signalling that they are the clear favourites to lift the trophies come next weekend.

Carlos Alcaraz continued his quest for the career Grand Slam with a commanding straight-sets victory over German veteran Yannick Hanfmann. Though Hanfmann showed flashes of brilliance and pushed the first set to a tiebreak, Alcaraz’s physical superiority eventually told. The Spaniard closed out the match 7–6 (7–4), 6–3, 6–2, looking every bit the heir apparent to the "Big Three" era.

On the women's side, Aryna Sabalenka was even more ruthless. Facing Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan, the top seed overcame a minor first-set challenge to win 6–3, 6–1. Sabalenka’s power game was too much for Bai to handle, as the defending finalist hit winners from almost every corner of the court. 

Joining her in the third round is Coco Gauff, who cruised past Serbia’s Olga Danilovic 6–2, 6–3. Gauff’s serve was particularly sharp today, as she looks to add a second major title to her resume.

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Aussie heartbreak: Thompson and Hunter fall

It was a mixed day for the local contingent, with high hopes turning into frustration as the afternoon wore on.

In what was arguably the most dramatic match of the day, Jordan Thompson’s campaign ended in a fiery second-round loss to Portugal’s Nuno Borges. After winning an epic first-set tiebreak, Thompson’s game unravelled amidst a series of foot-fault calls.

The Aussie star slammed a ball into the stands and engaged in a heated debate with the chair umpire, claiming the electronic system "fails half the time." The distraction proved fatal, as Borges kept his cool to win 6–7, 6–3, 6–2, 6–4.

After a remarkable comeback from injury and a successful qualifying run, Storm Hunter was finally halted by American Hailey Baptiste. Hunter fought valiantly, but Baptiste’s consistency on the baseline proved too much, ending the Australian’s singles run in straight sets.

However, the home crowd still has Alex de Minaur to cheer for. "The Demon" is scheduled for a high-stakes night session match against Hamad Medjedovic, with the weight of Australian expectations firmly on his shoulders.

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The "Sinner" and the "Slam"

Other notable results saw Daniil Medvedev survive a scare. After dropping the opening set in a tiebreak to Frenchman Quentin Halys, the world number 11 locked in, eventually grinding out a four-set victory.

Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner benefited from an early retirement by Hugo Gaston, allowing the Italian to conserve energy for the tougher rounds ahead.