Press releases

12 Jan 2026

Sasnovich off to winning start in Australian Open qualifiers

Aliaksandra Sasnovich. Photo courtesy of the NOC of Belarus

MINSK, 12 January (BelTA) – The Australian Open, the season’s opening Grand Slam event, has got underway in Melbourne with the start of qualifying rounds, BelTA has learned.

Aliaksandra Sasnovich was the first Belarusian to kick off the Australian Open campaign, scoring a confident straight-sets win over Ksenia Efremova of France, 6-3, 6-1. Her opponent in the second qualifying round will be Kathinka von Deichmann of Liechtenstein.

On 13 January, another Belarusian tennis player, Iryna Shymanovich, will take on Australia’s Arina Rodionova in the first qualifying round. To secure a spot in the main draw of the Australian Open, the players need to win three qualifying matches.

The main draw of the Australian Open will be held on 18 January – 1 February.