In a stunning display of resilience and determination, Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis has secured a dramatic victory over German veteran Laura Siegemund to advance to the third round of the 2026 Australian Open at Melbourne Park. The world number 168 battled through a tense and gruelling three-hour-and-twenty-minute match on ANZ Arena, winning 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (10-7) in what proved to be an emotional rollercoaster for the Perth native.
Emotional Triumph After Four-Year Absence
This marks Inglis's first grand slam appearance in four years, making her triumphant return all the more significant. The 28-year-old joined compatriot Alex de Minaur in the round of 32, becoming the only Australian woman to progress to this stage of the tournament. After the match, an emotional Inglis fell to the ground in celebration, overwhelmed by her achievement against considerable odds.
Nerve-Wracking Final Stages
The match reached its climax during a dramatic third set where Inglis appeared to be on the brink of elimination. After failing to serve out the match in the second set, she found herself trailing 5-4 in the third with Siegemund serving for victory. Mirroring her first-round comeback against close friend Kim Birrell, Inglis broke back at the crucial moment, forcing a first-to-ten-point tiebreaker that she eventually won despite appearing to injure herself late in the match.
"I didn't come in with high expectations. I can take it to anyone on any given day, but I wouldn't have dreamed of this," Inglis revealed after her victory. "In the third set the crowd gave me the energy I didn't think I had. Coming into this I hadn't played a match for six weeks."
Australian Contingent Dwindles Rapidly
While Inglis celebrated her hard-fought victory, the broader picture for Australian players at their home grand slam grew increasingly bleak. After an initial promising showing that saw eleven Australians qualify for the second round, only de Minaur and Inglis now remain in contention.
Thursday's Casualties
Rinky Hijikata and Dane Sweeny both bowed out early on Thursday, falling to higher-ranked opponents. Sweeny, who had celebrated his first major match victory just days earlier, was comprehensively defeated by American eighth seed Ben Shelton in just one hour and forty-two minutes. Hijikata showed brief resistance against 30th seed Valentin Vacherot, pinching the third set before ultimately losing 6-1 6-3 4-6 6-2 in two hours and twenty-eight minutes.
These exits followed Wednesday's disappointing results which saw Jordan Thompson, Ajla Tomljanovic, Talia Gibson, Storm Hunter and Priscilla Hon all eliminated from the tournament. Wildcard Taylah Preston managed to take a set off 13th seed Linda Noskova but ultimately fell 6-2 4-6 6-2 to the Czech star.
Significant Milestones and Rewards
Inglis's victory represents multiple personal milestones. The win equals her best-ever result at a major tournament, matching her performance at Melbourne Park four years ago. Her current ranking of 168 is now certain to rise to the cusp of the top 100 following this impressive run.
Financially, the achievement proves substantial, with Inglis guaranteed to pocket $327,750 for reaching the third round. This represents a remarkable return for a player who hadn't featured in the main draw of a grand slam since 2022 and who has already spent six hours and twenty-one minutes on court during this campaign across singles, doubles and qualifying matches.
Challenges Ahead
The remaining Australian players face formidable challenges in their next matches. Veteran wildcard James Duckworth prepares for what many consider the tournament's toughest assignment - a prime-time Rod Laver Arena clash against dual defending champion Jannik Sinner. Meanwhile, world number six Alex de Minaur will seek to build momentum after his own hard-fought victory over Serb Hamad Medjedovic, where he recovered from being outplayed in the first set to eventually dominate the match.
As the 2026 Australian Open progresses, Maddison Inglis's remarkable journey serves as both inspiration and consolation for Australian tennis fans witnessing the gradual exit of most homegrown talent from the tournament.
