Stefanos Tsitsipas kicked off his 2026 Australian Open campaign with a solid, if tested, first-round victory on Tuesday, January 20, at Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne. The 31st-seeded Greek star overcame Japan's Shintaro Mochizuki in four sets: 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2, in a match lasting just under three hours (2 hours 57 minutes).
Tsitsipas dropped the opening set after a sluggish start but rallied impressively, regaining his rhythm and dominating the latter stages with stronger serving (including 3 aces highlighted in stats) and more consistent groundstrokes. A brief interruption occurred early in the third set when a ball kid felt unwell, but play resumed smoothly without further issues.
In his on-court interview and post-match comments, Tsitsipas expressed delight with the comeback, praising the Melbourne crowd: "The fans here are my favourite in the world… Melbourne feels like a second home." He also made a bold claim about the tournament's potential, hinting that he still sees "room to do many more things" with his tennis despite a challenging 2025 marked by injuries and setbacks.
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This win sets up a tougher second-round clash against Czech player Tomas Machac, scheduled for today. Machac has been in strong form, and Tsitsipas himself described him as "one of the toughest second rounds in a Slam," noting they've played before.
The match is listed as upcoming on major platforms like the official Australian Open site, ESPN, and Flashscore, with start times around evening sessions (e.g., 9:30 PM or 10:30 PM local time on ESPN+ coverage).
As manager of Tsitsipas' commercial affairs, Melbourne-based Australian-Cypriot entrepreneur Lazaros Papasavas (as featured in our recent SBS Greek interview piece) has emphasized that health and stability are the foundation for success in 2026. With Tsitsipas now through to Round 2, the focus shifts to maintaining momentum against a rising opponent like Machac.
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