Sebastian Baez’s strong start to the 2026 season hit a roadblock on Thursday at the Australian Open, where the Argentine fell in the second round to Italy’s Luciano Darderi in a hard-fought four-set battle. The 36th-ranked Baez, who arrived in Melbourne with an 8-1 record and fresh off a runner-up finish in Auckland, couldn’t sustain his momentum against the 22nd-seeded Darderi, who prevailed 6-3, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 after two hours and 28 minutes on Court 6.
Baez, 25, had shown flashes of the form that carried him through early-season wins over top-10 players like Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz. His first-round victory here—a grueling five-setter against France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard—suggested he was ready to build on that. But Darderi, a 23-year-old with Argentine roots who represents Italy, proved too consistent in the key moments. The match swung back and forth, with Baez dominating the second set but unable to convert opportunities in the third and fourth.
Darderi broke Baez early in the opener and held serve comfortably to take it 6-3. Baez responded by racing through the second set 6-1, breaking twice and limiting Darderi to just one game. The third set turned on a single break in the seventh game, where Darderi capitalized on a Baez backhand error to go up 4-3 and close it out. In the fourth, Baez fought off break points but cracked under pressure, allowing Darderi to seal the win with a forehand winner on match point.
For Baez, the loss marks his second defeat of the year and ends his Australian Open campaign earlier than hoped. He had reached the third round in Melbourne two years ago but hasn’t progressed further in a major outside clay. Still, his hard-court play this month—highlighted by those upsets in Auckland and the United Cup—points to growth for the Buenos Aires native, who typically thrives on slower surfaces.
Darderi, meanwhile, advances to face 15th seed Karen Khachanov in the third round. The Italian, who started 2026 with a quarterfinal in Auckland, showed poise beyond his seeding. His serve fired 10 aces, and he won 73% of first-serve points, exposing Baez’s return game at times. “It was tough out there,” Darderi said post-match. “Sebastian’s been playing great, so I had to stay focused.” This win builds on his breakthrough 2025 season, where he cracked the top 30.
The Baez-Darderi clash was one of several second-round matches on Day 5 that kept fans at Melbourne Park on edge, but the day’s bigger story was the smooth progress of the top seeds. Defending champion Jannik Sinner wasted no time on Rod Laver Arena, dismantling Australian wildcard James Duckworth 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in just 90 minutes. The second-seeded Italian, chasing back-to-back titles, dropped only seven games and faced no break points. Sinner’s precision—29 winners to 11 unforced errors—sets up a third-round meeting with either Tomas Machac or Sebastian Korda.
Novak Djokovic, the fourth seed and a 10-time champion here, looked equally sharp against Italy’s Francesco Maestrelli. The 38-year-old Serbian won 6-3, 6-2, 6-2, extending his Melbourne winning streak. Djokovic broke five times and served at 80% efficiency, showing no signs of the age that has sparked retirement talk. He’ll next play either Alejandro Davidovich Fokina or Arthur Fils as he eyes an 11th title.
On the American front, the stars aligned. Eighth seed Ben Shelton powered past local Dane Sweeny 6-3, 6-2, 6-2, while ninth seed Taylor Fritz overcame Vit Kopriva 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (4). With 14 U.S. players—seven men and seven women—still in the draw, it’s the strongest American showing at this stage in years. Shelton’s serve dominated, with 14 aces, and he advances to face either Jiri Lehecka or Emil Ruusuvuori.
Italy enjoyed a strong day beyond Darderi. Fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti outclassed countryman Lorenzo Sonego 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in a straightforward affair. Musetti’s all-court game produced 28 winners, setting up a clash with either Casper Ruud or Thanasi Kokkinakis.
In women’s action, Naomi Osaka returned to form with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win over Sorana Cirstea, but the match ended tensely with a cold handshake after on-court friction. The four-time major winner, back after maternity leave, hit 35 winners and advances to face either Elena Rybakina or Katerina Siniakova. Osaka’s resilience in the decider highlighted her ongoing comeback.
A major upset came when qualifier Nikola Bartunkova stunned 12th seed Belinda Bencic 6-4, 7-5. The 19-year-old Czech, in her Grand Slam debut, broke Bencic four times to reach the third round. Bencic, returning from injury, struggled with consistency.
Other notable results included 30th seed Valentin Vacherot’s four-set win over Rinky Hijikata, and Khachanov’s comeback against Arthur Cazaux. In doubles, top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos eased past Baez and Francisco Comesana 6-2, 6-3.
As the Australian Open hits the third round, the field narrows. With top players like Sinner and Djokovic cruising, and surprises like Bartunkova emerging, Melbourne Park remains a stage for both dominance and drama. Friday’s action features Iga Swiatek, Alexander Zverev, and more, as the push toward the second week intensifies.
