Aus Open Day 1 - How did post-Ferrero Alcaraz look?
The Tennis Podcast
David Law
4.6 • 2.4K Ratings
🗓️ 18 January 2026
⏱️ 76 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Catherine, David and Matt review an opening day which saw the big contenders advance at night after a fun day session filled with upsets.
Part one - Men’s Results. We discuss Carlos Alcaraz’s first match without Juan Carlos Ferrero on his team, an unfortunate day for Flavio Cobolli, a disciplined performance from Alexander Bublik, Alexander Zverev finding some form after a slow start, and a big win for Columbia University student Michael Zheng. There’s also tribute to journalist Guillermo Salatino following his passing.
Part two (33:39) - Women’s Results. We cover a heartbreaking loss for Venus Williams, Aryna Sabalenka passing a little test, and defeats for Ekaterina Alexandrova and Marta Kostyuk at the hands of Zeynep Sonmez and Elsa Jacquemot.
Part three (1:00:16) - We crown Sensation of the Day and look ahead to Day 2.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Well, hello and welcome to the tennis podcast coming to you shortly after 11pm on a perfect Melbourne night at the tail end of day one of the Australian Open. |
| 0:22.8 | We are all three present and correct to talk through everything of note that's happened today |
| 0:28.6 | and to look ahead to tomorrow and of course to give out the real prize at Melbourne Park. |
| 0:34.3 | Sensation of the day. The big return. |
| 0:38.3 | That prize will not be going to Adam Walton, |
| 0:41.9 | who was just moments ago left the Rod Laver Arena |
| 0:44.5 | after a straight set to defeat to career slam chasing Carlos Alcaraz. |
| 0:49.2 | Alcaraz's first professional match, |
| 0:51.5 | not under the tutelage of Juan Carlos Ferreiro. He seemed pretty chuffed |
| 0:56.4 | with his own level today judging on what he just said to Jim Currier in the post-match |
| 1:02.2 | on-court interview. Do you agree? Matt, did we learn anything about Carlos Alcaraz today? And |
| 1:10.5 | will we learn anything about him potentially before |
| 1:13.2 | the final well we learned that he's spent his off-season playing board games and |
| 1:18.6 | getting ready for the Australian Open that way as he as he told Jim Curia just then |
| 1:24.1 | yeah the question was tell us how hard a day in the life of Carlos Alcraz |
| 1:30.1 | during the preseason is. |
| 1:31.3 | And he said, well, I play a bit of tennis |
| 1:33.6 | and then I play some board games at home, |
| 1:36.8 | which, you know, I'm sure he's playing it down. |
| 1:39.4 | But that sounds fine, sign me up. |
| 1:41.8 | I learned some stuff about Adam Walton. |
| 1:45.3 | Like, that guy did not miss a serve for so much of this match. |
... |
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