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Author: Andrii Nikitonok

Ukraine Begins Junior Australian Open Tennis: First-Round Results

Ukraine Begins Junior Australian Open Tennis: First-Round Results
Sofiia Bielinska. Photo: Arata Yamaoka / TENNIS Club / Ukrainian Tennis Federation

All the Ukrainians won in straight sets.

The year's first tennis major, the Australian Open, held its junior tournament's round of 32 matches. By the end of the round, all four Ukrainian representatives had beaten their opponents in the first round.

The competition in Melbourne began January 25 for Antonina Sushkova (No. 55 in the ITF Juniors rankings), Sofiia Bielinska (No. 70), Polina Skliar (No. 95), and Nikita Bilozertsev (No. 10).

Earlier, the International Tennis Federation also updated its ITF Juniors world rankings for the first time in 2026, removing athletes born in 2007. All four Ukrainian representatives at the Australian Open made the top 100.

How the Ukrainians Played Their First-Round Junior Australian Open Matches

  • Nikita Bilozertsev spent just over an hour on court against France's Aaron Gabet. The Ukrainian converted a break point in the ninth game, after which his opponent couldn't break back. In the second set, Bilozertsev didn't drop a single game after the first on serve, securing his first win of the year.
  • Antonina Sushkova needed nearly two hours for her win — the Ukrainian pulled out a tiebreak victory in the first set, then took the second set too, despite trailing 1:3 at one point.
  • Sofiia Bielinska and Polina Skliar also won in straight sets, defeating wild card holder Emily Chen and the Czech Republic's Tereza Hermanova, respectively.

Junior Australian Open, First Round, Results

  • Nikita Bilozertsev (Ukraine, 6) — Aaron Gabet (France, Q) — 6:4, 6:1
  • Antonina Sushkova (Ukraine) — Wei Zhangqian (China) — 7:6(1), 6:4
  • Emily Chen (Australia, WC) — Sofiia Bielinska (Ukraine) — 3:6, 4:6
  • Polina Skliar (Ukraine, Q) — Tereza Hermanova (Czech Republic) — 6:4, 6:2

In the next round, Nikita Bilozertsev will play American Vihaan Reddy, Antonina Sushkova faces Australia's Ellen Hirshy, Polina Skliar takes on the third-seeded French player Xenia Efremova, and Sofiia Bielinska will meet Maia Ilinca Burcescu of Romania on court. The Ukrainians' next matches at the 2026 Australian Open take place the night of January 26.

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