Sabalenka favourite as rivals close in

TOP-RANKED Aryna Sabalenka is favourite to win a third Australian Open in four years but faces strong competition from a US contingent led by Coco Gauff and defending champion Madison Keys.

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World number two Iga Swiatek is another big threat while two-time Melbourne champion Naomi Osaka will hope to be in the mix when the first Grand Slam of the year begins on Sunday.

Keys stunned titleholder Sabalenka 12 months ago in a classic three-set final to win her first major title aged 29.

But she failed to kick on from there, not winning another tournament all year, and the world number nine will have a target on her back as the title holder.

Three other Americans are ranked inside the world’s top 10: Gauff (third), Amanda Anisimova (fourth) and Jessica Pegula (sixth).

The 21-year-old Gauff last year beat Sabalenka at the French Open for her second major crown, but her best performance on the Melbourne Park hardcourts was making the semifinals in 2024.

Speaking at the mixed-teams United Cup, where she launched her 2026 campaign, Gauff said she spent the off-season “just overall becoming better and more comfortable with my game”.