Women’s doubles world No.2 Taylor Townsend and 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens were among players who punched their tickets into the second round of Australian Open 2026 women’s singles qualifying at Melbourne Park on Monday.
The 11th-seeded Townsend needed six match points to defeat Japan’s Nao Hibino 6-7(3) 6-0 7-5 in a gripping encounter on Kia Arena.
MORE: All the results from AO 2026 qualifying
“I’m super proud of myself… for the way that I went out [there and] the way that I was problem solving,” she said.
The left-hander forced herself to stay in the moment as match points slipped through her fingers, providing an unwelcome flashback to the eight match points she was unable to convert against Barbora Krejickova last September with a US Open quarterfinal berth on the line.
“It’s tough for it not to go through my mind, the Krejickova match,” the 29-year-old said with relief. “It feels really good one down, two to go, we’ve still got a long way to go for this tournament,” she added.
“Matches like this really kind of put a battery pack in my bag, because I know that I can do it."
During the change of ends, the American consulted a red notebook filled with personalised cues and reminders about how to play her best tennis.
“I’m a very creative player, so it’s easy for me to go outside the lines,” she explained, describing her notes as self-imposed guidelines.
Townsend announced a split with longtime coach John Williams in December. “It gives me a lot of confidence to be able to know that I can lean on myself to get things done,” she said.
“Looking over, and my coaches’ box is empty, and I just pat myself and I keep going.”
Townsend, the AO 2012 junior girls' singles champion and defending women’s doubles champion, said she has arrived in Melbourne in an “amazing headspace” after a refreshing off-season that included a vacation with two-time AO champion Naomi Osaka.
“We have a lot of shared experiences and I think we have just so much respect for each other,” Townsend said of the four-time Grand Slam champion.
“Now I have a friend on tour, which is really cool,” she grinned. “It’s really nice to have someone that I’m really comfortable with, I haven’t had that in a long time.”
Earlier on Monday, Townsend’s countrywoman Stephens struck a backhand winner to secure a 6-1 7-5 victory over Czechia’s Barbora Palicova, marking her first victory since Wimbledon 2024.
“I haven’t won in a very long time, so it was nice to just get a win,” the 32-year-old said.
“Playing here is always special,” the AO 2013 semifinalist added, noting that the crowd on Kia Arena brought “really good vibes” and an atmosphere wildly different to when she last contested qualifying in 2011.
Sidelined by a foot injury for most of 2025, Stephens said she played more matches than usual during the off-season in an effort to become match ready.
The former world No.3 is upbeat about the road ahead. “It’s always about looking ahead, instead of looking back,” she said. The American will next tackle Australia’s Olivia Gadecki, who owns a 2-1 head-to-head advantage over Stephens.
In the day’s biggest upset, Spaniard Guiomar Maristany Zuleta De Reales toppled third seed Mayar Sherif 6-4 6-3 to set up a second-round clash against Tatiana Prozorova.
Second seed Lucia Bronzetti avoided an early exit by outlasting Aliona Bolsova 6-0 6-7(3) 6-1. The 27-year-old Italian, who upset two-time AO champion Victoria Azarenka in the opening round of AO 2025, is chasing a third main draw appearance.
In second round action, she’ll face off against American Mary Stoiana, who saved three match points to defeat Nuria Brancaccio 7-5 4-6 7-5 in two hours and 46 minutes.
Elsewhere, Viktoriya Tomova, once ranked as high as No.46, also earned a berth in the second round of qualifying, earning a comeback 1-6 6-4 6-0 victory over American Bernada Pera.
“It was a very tough draw for the first round of quallies, I’m happy I got through,” the 30-year-old Bulgarian said, adding that Pera is one of her oldest friends.
“It’s nice being here, the weather is not so hard on us,” she said, smiling as she referenced Monday’s modest temperature of 23°C.
Also joining the winner’s circle was Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, who became the first Andorran player to win a Grand Slam when she captured the AO 2020 junior girls’ singles title.
The 20-year-old triumphed over Canada’s Kayla Cross 4-6 6-4 7-5.
In other action, Slovakia’s Viktoria Hruncakova dispatched Burundi’s Sada Nahimana 6-3 6-1.