Ben Shelton of the U.S. plays a forehand return to Ugo Humbert of France during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Defending champion Madison Keys struggled early but held on to defeat Oleksandra Oliynykova and her offbeat style of game 7-6 (6), 6-1 in a first-round match Tuesday at the Australian Open.

Ninth-seeded Keys, playing in her 50th Grand Slam tournament, dug herself into a deep hole at Rod Laver Arena. She trailed 4-0 in the first set and rallied to force a tiebreaker against the Ukrainian.

Oliynkyoka, playing in her first Grand Slam main draw, also raced to a 4-0 lead in the tiebreaker but failed to cash in on two set-point opportunities.

“Obviously I was very nervous at the start,” Keys said. "As nervous as I was … I’m really glad to be back, and that I got through that match.”

Keys praised Oliynykova, who signed autographs, accepted loud applause, and waved a Ukrainian flag on-court after the match.

Different strokes

Oliynykova kept Keys off-stride, particularly in the first set, with random shots which included high lobs — moon shots — that forced Keys deep behind the baseline. The Ukrainian's strong defence and unorthodox play also kept her in the match early.

“A little bit more of like an unconventional style,” Keys said. “I feel like that made things a little extra tricky at the start. I felt like at the end of the tiebreaker I really kind of found my game and then was able to carry that into the second set.”

Oliynykova, who featured a number of facial and other tattoos which she said were only temporary — they wash off — admitted that her style of play can throw opponents off.

“Since I started my pro year career, I was hearing that I will not be in top 1,000, then in top 500, in top 300, and in top 100.” said Oliynykova, who is ranked 92nd. "All these people telling me that I won’t be able to progress with this game style.

“But, actually, my idea is to do my ‘weird’ things on court, but to be the best player with this type of game. I mean, I saw today that even for one of the best players in the world, it could be really uncomfortable."

Among other early matches Tuesday, two seeded women's players were beaten. Indonesian Janice Tjen beat 22nd-seeded Leylah Fernandez of Canada 6-2, 7-6 (1) and Tereza Valentova of Czech Republic defeated Australia's top-ranked women's player, 30th-seeded Maya Joint, 6-4, 6-4.

Former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens was beaten in the first round by Karolina Pliskova 7-6 (7), 6-2. Stephens, who had to qualify this year, won the U.S. Open in 2017.

Shelton advances

In a match between left-handers, American Ben Shelton, a semifinalist a year ago in Australia, overcame Ugo Humbert of France 6-3, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5) to reach the second round. Shelton was also semifinalist at the U.S. Open in 2023.

Eighth-seeded Shelton said it was one of the toughest first-round matches he could have faced with Humbert ranked No. 33. If Humbert was ranked 32nd or better he would not have faced a seeded player in the first round.

“I thought I stayed really calm today,” Shelton said. “On a court like this, playing Ugo in the first round is a tough draw. I felt I found some of my better tennis late in the match.”

Fifth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti advanced when Raphael Collignon of Belgium retired in the fourth set. The result was 4-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5, 3-2 when the Belgian player quit due to reported cramping and dizziness.

In night matches, two-time defending men’s champion Jannik Sinner faced Hugo Gaston of France and two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka was scheduled to play Antonia Ruzic of Croatia.

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