
The second round of the Australian Open kicks off on Day 4 as 64 women remain in the first Grand Slam draw of 2026. Some of the best in the world will be in action on Day 4, including No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka squaring off against Zhuoxuan Bai. Elsewhere around the grounds, we offer predictions for Coco Gauff vs Olga Danilovic, Emma Raducanu vs Anastasia Potapova, and Mirra Andreeva vs Maria Sakkari. Ilemona Onekutu, Zain Mustafa, and Jordan Reynolds provide their insights. But who will advance?
Ilemona
Sonmez impressed by staying composed in long exchanges in the first round, showing improved shot tolerance. Bondar was solid but less convincing defensively, and if rallies extend again, Sonmez’s consistency should give her the edge.
Prediction: Sonmez in 3
Zain
Zeynep Sonmez produced one of the best results of the first round when she took down the 11th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova. Her level throughout the tournament, including qualifying, has been pretty solid, and I expect her baseline play to once again be the decisive edge over Anna Bondar in this match.
Prediction: Sonmez in 2
Jordan
Sonmez pulled off a great result against Ekaterina Alexandrova in the previous round. At her best, she has a more formidable game than Bondar, who focuses on doing the basics well and making opponents work hard to beat her. I think Sonmez can handle
that challenge at the moment.
Prediction: Sonmez in 2
Ilemona
Svitolina’s opening match was built on control and discipline, with very few unforced errors creeping in. Klimovicova played freely in round one, but sustaining that level against Svitolina’s defensive pressure is a different challenge.
Prediction: Svitolina in 2
Zain
Carrying the good form from a title run, Elina Svitolina had a pretty comfortable outing in the first round. While Linda Klimovicova is a solid rallier on hard courts, Svitolina is playing just too well to slip up against what should be an undermatched opponent.
Prediction: Svitolina in 2
Jordan
Svitolina cannot afford any complacency here. Klimovicova played excellently in her first Grand Slam main draw match against Francesca Jones. If Svitolina performs well, her experience and relentless will likely still overwhelm
Klimovicova.
Prediction: Svitolina in 2
Ilemona
Ruse had to dig deep in her first-round win, expending a lot of physical energy to get through. Tomljanovic, by contrast, looked sharp and economical, which should matter if this turns into a physical contest.
Prediction: Tomljanovic in 3
Zain
Both Elena-Gabriela Ruse and Ajla Tomljanovic had confident showings in their first-round matches. Ruse should look to grind this one out and test Tomljanovic’s fitness levels, but on a shot-for-shot basis, the Aussie gets the nod, and I expect her to win another close match in front of a home crowd.
Prediction: Tomljanovic in 3
Jordan
Tomljanovic has never reached the third round of her home Grand Slam, losing at this stage several times. This is the best chance she has ever had to achieve it. Ruse will be aggressive with her forehand, but Tomljanovic is a better hard-court player at her best. I am backing the Australian to overcome any mental block and get this done.
Prediction: Tomljanovic in 3
Ilemona
Sabalenka came through her opener with controlled aggression, striking a good balance between power and patience. Bai showed resilience in round one, but the step up in pace and sustained pressure should expose the gaps once rallies shorten.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 2
Zain
While Bai Zhuoxuan has done well to achieve her career-best Australian Open result, against the raw power of Aryna Sabalenka, it is more than likely that her run, which started in the qualifiers, ends here.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 2
Jordan
Bai’s deciding-set tiebreak triumph over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova was one of the tournament’s most exciting matches so far. But her level in that contest will undoubtedly not be good enough against the world No. 1. Sabalenka should win this comfortably.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 2
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