Australian Open 2026: A meeting of experience and youth — Sabalenka set to play Mboko

Luxurious manufacturers have been getting airtime on the Australian Open as Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Mboko superior to the fourth spherical.

When the top-ranked participant in ladies’s tennis meets one of many sport’s rising teenage stars, although, it’s going to be all in regards to the enterprise of tennis.

No. 1 Sabalenka edged Anastasia Potapova 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7) and 19-year-old Mboko ousted 14th-seeded Clara Tauson 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-3 to advance to the Spherical of 16.

Sabalenka has gained the Australian Open twice and reached the ultimate right here final 12 months. She has additionally gained two U.S. Open titles. Mboko is making her Australian Open debut at Melbourne Park.

There’s been a much bigger give attention to style than normal on the event after Naomi Osaka’s dramatic walk-on for her first-round match.

So each needed to subject questions on endorsement offers timed to coincide with the 12 months’s first main — Sabalenka with Gucci; Mboko with Rolex — however the primary focus Friday was, extra pertinently, on a match-up between two gamers of vastly completely different expertise.

“To begin with, I by no means really talked to her, by no means had likelihood to hit, to observe along with her. I’ve solely seen her exterior,” Sabalenka mentioned. “I used to be watching some matches. Yeah, she’s an ideal participant. She’s a fighter. She’s taking part in actually good, aggressive tennis.” Sabalenka is taking part in on the Australian Open for the eighth time, has gained 22 titles on tour and earned greater than $45 million in prize cash in her profession. She was lengthy thought of among the many brightest prospects within the sport however needed to overcome nerves and issues along with her serve. It wasn’t till her fourth journey to the Australian Open that she superior to the second week.

“I really feel like possibly for me, it could be actually powerful to deal with the success at younger age,” Sabalenka mentioned. “However I really feel like now seeing these women, so like younger age reaching a lot, taking part in such an ideal tennis, being actually mature, it is unbelievable. I really feel like they mature a lot sooner than I did.” Mboko acknowledged it’s going to be an enormous step up, on and off the courtroom. It is her fourth main and her first time into the Spherical of 16. She has gained two WTA titles, her first final 12 months as an 18-year-old wild card in Montreal.

“I believe it is tremendous cool. I’ve by no means performed a present No. 1 on this planet. That is going to be a really completely different expertise,” she mentioned. “I assume we might be taking part in on Rod Laver, as properly. I’ve by no means performed on a Grand Slam heart courtroom both. Quite a lot of firsts.

“To be doing that on Sunday is, I believe, actually cool. Simply to point out what I acquired.” Sabalenka has developed a big following by being very energetic on social media, bringing new followers to tennis and giving current followers a glance behind the scenes.

She takes the function of being an envoy for the general public, and a constructive affect for youthful gamers, severely. Mboko is about to get her first close-up expertise.

“That is the one focus I’ve, is to be good instance, to point out you could steadiness issues, that it’s a must to have enjoyable and likewise be actually targeted in your profession,” she mentioned. “Simply so the younger youngsters do not make the identical mistake that I made, being an excessive amount of on tennis and it is really created numerous stress and it is sort of like destroying your self from inside.

“I am simply making an attempt to be an instance for the subsequent era to be enjoyable, to be prepared to do issues that you just like that brings you pleasure, but in addition the identical time being targeted on tennis.” (AP) UNG