Aryna Sabalenka opens Australian Open in front of Roger Federer and Rod Laver | ATP Tour

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Selfie moments with legends: Sabalenka opens Australian Open with Federer and Laver

Federer and Laver watch Sabalenka courtside at Rod Laver Arena

January 18, 2026

Aryna Sabalenka’s Australian Open got off to a star-studded start on Sunday, with tennis’s elite on hand to watch the world number one perform in her first-round match. Sitting courtside were none other than Roger Federer and Rod Laver, adding extra sparkle to Sabalenka’s first steps towards a hard-court Grand Slam.

The pair smiled, clapped, and soaked it all up throughout the game before unexpectedly becoming part of the postgame show. With phone in hand, Sabalenka grabbed the two legends for a selfie on the sidelines, instantly creating one of the early viral moments of the tournament.

This is a special photo 📸

We are patiently waiting for the results of this selfie, @ SabalenkaA 🤳 pic.twitter.com/CXUQi2JgJf

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2026

Asked later if she noticed them during the match, Sabalenka laughed: “Of course I did. I’m a huge fan. The whole match I just told myself, don’t look there, please, don’t look. But, yeah, it was incredible. I never thought Roger Federer and Rod Laver would be sitting in the front row watching me play. Yeah, it’s unbelievable.”

Sabalenka is chasing a third Australian Open title in four years, a move that will go down well with the champions watching her play on Sunday. Federer lifted the trophy six times in Melbourne, while Laver won it twice, once at the Open.

Federer has been making the most of his trip to Melbourne. On Saturday, he delighted fans by participating in a doubles match with ATP No. 1 club members Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt and Patrick Rafter. Read more here.