Stefanos Tsitsipas fought back from dropping the opening set to defeat Japan's Shintaro Mochizuki 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in the first round of the Australian Open 2026 on Tuesday at Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne Park.
The 31st-seeded Greek star and 2023 finalist recovered strongly after an initial struggle, regaining his rhythm and dominating the latter stages to secure the victory in just under three hours. The match was briefly suspended early in the third set when a ball kid felt unwell, but play resumed without further delay.
Tsitsipas, who has been managing injury concerns in recent times, showed encouraging signs of returning to form as the Grand Slam season begins. This win marks a solid start for the former world No. 3, building on his earlier United Cup victory over the same opponent.
He now advances to the second round, where he will face Czech player Tomas Machac in what promises to be a competitive hard-court encounter. The pair have met once before, with Tsitsipas holding a 1-0 head-to-head advantage.
The Australian Open 2026 continues until February 1, with Tsitsipas looking to carry this momentum into deeper rounds in Melbourne.
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