Day Four of the 2026 Australian Open was a testament to the “Survival of the Fittest.” While the outer courts of Melbourne Park were thrown into chaos by persistent rain, the tournament’s top stars turned the show courts into a fortress. For the first time this week, the hierarchy remained untouched—not a single seeded player was knocked out, as the favorites displayed incredible mental toughness to navigate through marathon sets and five-set thrillers.
Alcaraz weathers the German Storm
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz was the first to lay down the marker. Facing a highly motivated Yannick Hanfmann, the Spaniard had to dig deep in a marathon first set that lasted 78 minutes. Hanfmann’s aggressive backhand pushed the top seed to a tiebreak, but once Alcaraz secured the opening set, the floodgates opened. He eventually sailed to a 7-6(4), 6-3, 6-2 victory.
Alcaraz later admitted that he didn’t feel he was at his best initially, but his ability to find another gear when the score was tight showed why he is the man to beat.
Medvedev and Zverev: The Art of the Comeback
Both Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev faced early scares but refused to buckle. Medvedev dropped a grueling first-set tiebreak to Frenchman Quentin Halys but methodically dismantled his opponent’s game over the next three sets to win 6-7(9), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.
Zverev followed a similar script on John Cain Arena. Despite losing the second set to Alexandre Muller, the German relied on a monstrous serving performance—hitting 18 aces—to book his place in the third round with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win.
The Marathon Man: Davidovich Fokina Outlasts Opelka
The most dramatic match of the day took place at the Kia Arena, where 14th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina faced the “Servebot” Reilly Opelka. In a match that lasted nearly four hours, the Spaniard had to weather a barrage of aces. After taking a two-set lead, Fokina saw Opelka storm back to force a decider. However, Fokina’s superior baseline movement in the fifth set allowed him to scrape through a 6-3, 7-6(3), 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 thriller.
Day 4: Results of the “Clean Sweep”
| Winner | Loser | Score | Key Stat |
| Carlos Alcaraz (1) | Yannick Hanfmann | 7-6(4), 6-3, 6-2 | 78-min First Set |
| Alexander Zverev (3) | Alexandre Müller | 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 | 18 Aces Hit |
| Alex de Minaur (6) | Hamad Medjedović | 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 | Only 5 Games Lost after Set 1 |
| Daniil Medvedev (11) | Quentin Halys | 6-7(9), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 | 2nd Round Streak Continues |
| A. Davidovich Fokina (14) | Reilly Opelka | 6-3, 7-6(3), 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 | 3h 47m Marathon |
Conclusion: The Stage is Set for Round 3
With the big names successfully navigating the “banana skins” of the second round, the draw is now heating up. The third round will see higher-ranked players facing each other for the first time, promising even more intensity. For home fans, all eyes remain on Alex de Minaur, who looks in career-best form after his dominant four-set comeback today.
