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Teen Sensation Mboko Sparkles in Melbourne to Book Sabalenka Matchup

Victoria Mboko of Canada waves after defeating Clara Tauson of Denmark in their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (AP)
Victoria Mboko of Canada waves after defeating Clara Tauson of Denmark in their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (AP)
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Teen Sensation Mboko Sparkles in Melbourne to Book Sabalenka Matchup

Victoria Mboko of Canada waves after defeating Clara Tauson of Denmark in their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (AP)
Victoria Mboko of Canada waves after defeating Clara Tauson of Denmark in their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (AP)

Victoria Mboko did not place any expectations on herself coming into her first Australian Open but the Canadian teen ticked off another milestone on Friday by reaching the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first ​time.

The 19-year-old's reward for a 7-6(5) 5-7 6-3 win over Clara Tauson at Melbourne Park was a first career meeting against world number one Aryna Sabalenka with a place in the quarter-finals on the line.

Mboko shot into the spotlight when she became the youngest player since Serena Williams to beat four major winners in a tournament en route to claiming last year's Canadian Open in Montreal and has continued to impress Down Under.

After a run to the Adelaide final, Mboko's win ‌over 14th-seeded Dane ‌Tauson marks her best result at a Grand Slam.

"I ‌didn't ⁠really ​expect ‌that. I feel like sometimes I just say things just to say it, just throw it out there," a beaming Mboko told reporters.

"But no, every tournament I play I always want to do well. It's my first fourth round in a Grand Slam. It's my first time playing the Australian Open. This is a really cool experience.

"I didn't have any expectations on myself since I'd never been here before. But it's really cool ⁠to have played so many matches on stadiums."

A LOT OF FIRSTS

Born in the United States to parents who ‌fled political unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo, ‍Mboko shifted base to Canada as ‍a child and began hitting balls in Ontario tennis courts aged four.

On Sunday, ‍she will most likely play at the iconic Rod Laver Arena against top seed and favorite Sabalenka.

"I've never played a current number one in the world. That's going to be a different experience," Mboko said.

"I assume we'd be playing on Rod Laver, as well. I've never ​played on a Grand Slam center court either. A lot of firsts.

"It's something not many people get to experience. To be doing that ⁠on Sunday is really cool. Just to show what I got."

Still without a full season on the WTA Tour but already ranked 16th, Mboko said taking on high-quality players helped hone her aggressive ball-striking skills to become more effective on the biggest stages.

Her powerful game was on full display when she reached the third round of Roland Garros last year, which she began ranked 350th in the world.

"A lot more people have more experience than I do so whether you win or lose, learning a lot can come into play," Mboko said.

"I haven't had a full season yet on the WTA Tour, but so far having played a lot of matches, it's helped me adapt. ‌I'm always going to play someone older than me, they've been playing longer than I have.

"I think it's those experiences that get me through."

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Sports

Vinicius Revival Can Help Arbeloa’s Real Madrid Lift off

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates his side's fifth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and Monaco in Madrid on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP)
Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates his side's fifth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and Monaco in Madrid on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP)
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Vinicius Revival Can Help Arbeloa’s Real Madrid Lift off

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates his side's fifth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and Monaco in Madrid on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP)
Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates his side's fifth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and Monaco in Madrid on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP)

Real Madrid roared back to life this week, led by a superb Vinicius Junior, who is looking to confirm his own resuscitation and that of his team at Villarreal on Saturday in La Liga.

Second-placed Madrid can move top of the table with a victory before leaders Barcelona host Real Oviedo on Sunday and crush the threat of another title contender at the same time as they head to Spain's east coast.

Marcelino Garcia Toral's Villarreal are third, seven points behind Madrid and eight off champions Barca, and a defeat would virtually write off any chance of a first ever title.

An emphatic 6-1 victory over Monaco on Tuesday in the Champions League helped brighten the gloom in the Spanish capital and earn new coach Alvaro Arbeloa a modicum of credit.

It was the first glimpse of what his team might look like, after the Copa del Rey last 16 defeat against Albacete in his first match at the helm was the performance of a club deep in the doldrums, two days after Xabi Alonso's departure.

Arbeloa's second match, a win over Levante in La Liga last weekend, was marked by a monumental show of dissent from home fans, the shadow of which the team struggled to emerge from.

However with the fans behind them again against Monaco, Madrid put in their best performance of the season with Brazilian winger Vinicius offering a sensational display in particular.

After going 16 games in a row without finding the net, Vinicius has now scored two in his last four matches.

Beyond a delightful solo goal against Monaco, he was a persistent threat and played key parts in three more of his team's strikes.

"I think he's a player who thrives when he gets love," said team-mate Jude Bellingham. "He goes up leaps and bounds in his game and becomes so much more joyful to watch and to play with.

"I think that's the pressure that the kind of whistles put on a player. But now it seems like he's free from those shackles a little bit and hopefully he can continue."

Vinicius himself admitted he needed the Bernabeu by his side rather than on his back.

"We have to keep going and have the support of our fans so that everything returns to normal," said the winger.

"We want to win, the fans want it too, and if we stick together, we're going to achieve great things this season."

The winger ran over to hug his coach Arbeloa after scoring, after the Spaniard had defended him publicly over the last week.

"I saw the fans completely devoted to Vinicius, chanting his name... I said it the other day, he needs to feel loved by his people, he's very emotional and he needs that affection," said the coach.

Vinicius, who finished as runner-up in the Ballon d'Or rankings in 2024, has struggled for consistency ever since.

The 25-year-old's contract at Madrid runs out in the summer of 2027 and for months he has been in an apparent stand-off with the club over renewing it.

In the days after his sizzling performance against Monaco, that situation seems to be slowly easing too.

"Renewal talks are gathering pace. Despite a bruising week, the Brazilian knows that Real Madrid as an institution are firmly behind him," wrote Spanish newspaper AS.

"Vinicius needed the backing of his own to rise from the ashes -- and the embrace, first from his teammates and then from Alvaro Arbeloa, made that clear."

Arbeloa has indicated from the beginning of his reign that a happy Vinicius will lead to a happy Madrid.

Both parties are keen to ensure the good vibes continue this weekend at Villarreal's Estadio de la Ceramica.

Sports

Olympic Flame Glides on Traditional Venetian Boats Down the Grand Canal

A torchbearer holds an Olympic torch flame on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, its journey will conclude in Milan on February 6 for the Winter Olympics opening ceremony. (AP)
A torchbearer holds an Olympic torch flame on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, its journey will conclude in Milan on February 6 for the Winter Olympics opening ceremony. (AP)
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Olympic Flame Glides on Traditional Venetian Boats Down the Grand Canal

A torchbearer holds an Olympic torch flame on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, its journey will conclude in Milan on February 6 for the Winter Olympics opening ceremony. (AP)
A torchbearer holds an Olympic torch flame on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, its journey will conclude in Milan on February 6 for the Winter Olympics opening ceremony. (AP)

The Olympic flame on Thursday crossed through the romantic, lagoon city of Venice, where torchbearers glided on traditional Venetian boats down the Grand Canal and across St. Mark’s Basin facing the famed Doge’s Palace in one of its most scenic passages ahead of the Milan Cortina Winter Games.

The flame arrived near dusk in Venice's Piazzale Roma, the main bus terminal for people arriving in the city. It crossed the Ponte delle Guglie in Cannaregio en route to the arched Rialto Bridge, where it was loaded onto a boat to traverse the Grand Canal toward the wooden Accademia Bridge.

Francesco Lamon, an Olympic gold medal-winning cyclist, was one of the torchbearers on Thursday.

“It’s an indescribable emotion," he told The Associated Press.

People cheered from the side of the canal as the flame, held aloft by torchbearers, was conveyed on a long traditional Venetian boat that once carried Venice's rulers. Called the Serenissima, it was flanked by smaller traditional boats as well as police on Jet Skis. One small group of anti-war demonstrators called for Israel and the US to be excluded from the Games.

Venice historically has served as a crossroads between Eastern and Western civilizations, which is evident in its Byzantine architecture and history in the trade of spices, silks and art. In the modern era, it is the capital of the Veneto region, which includes host city Cortina nestled in the Dolomites to the north. On a clear day, snow-capped mountains can be seen from Venice’s historic center.

From the Accademia Bridge, the flame was carried by foot to Punto della Salute, opposite St. Mark's Square, four a brief tour of St. Mark's Basin before being set down at the Doge's Palace. Thousands of people gathered in St. Mark’s Square to cheer the flame as it passed St. Mark's Basilica, where a small cauldron was lit.

Venice was the 46th stage of the 63-day torch relay covering 12,000 kilometers (nearly 7,500 miles) that started in Rome and will wind its way through all 110 Italian provinces before reaching Milan’s San Siro Stadium for the opening ceremony on Feb. 6.

Two official cauldrons will burn during the Games, one in Milan at Arco della Pace in Sempione Park, and one in Cortina, in the Dibona Square.

It’s the first time in nearly 20 years — since the 2006 Turin Games — that Italy has hosted the flame. The Winter Games run through Feb. 22, when the closing ceremony will take place in the Veneto city of Verona.

Sports

Carlos Alcaraz Wins Third-Round Match but Loses ‘Drop-Shot Battle’ at Australian Open

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates match point during his men's singles third-round match against Corentin Moutet of France on day six of the 2026 Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 23 January 2026. (EPA)
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates match point during his men's singles third-round match against Corentin Moutet of France on day six of the 2026 Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 23 January 2026. (EPA)
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Carlos Alcaraz Wins Third-Round Match but Loses ‘Drop-Shot Battle’ at Australian Open

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates match point during his men's singles third-round match against Corentin Moutet of France on day six of the 2026 Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 23 January 2026. (EPA)
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates match point during his men's singles third-round match against Corentin Moutet of France on day six of the 2026 Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 23 January 2026. (EPA)

Carlos Alcaraz acknowledged that while he won the third-round match, he lost the battle of the drop shots against Corentin Moutet.

That could be a first for the 22-year-old Spaniard, who grew up relentlessly practicing his drop shots and is now at the Australian Open chasing a career Grand Slam.

The left-handed Moutet mixed things up for Alcaraz in an almost festival Friday vibe on Rod Laver Arena, his blend of drop shots, slice, tweeners, half-volleys, angled volleys and even an underarm serve keeping the world's No. 1-ranked player on his toes.

The 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 win over the No. 32 seed appeared like a fairly convincing scoreline, but the match was anything but routine.

“When you play someone like Corentin you don’t know what’s going to be next,” Alcaraz said in his on-court TV interview. “I had so much fun on the court. As you could see, we both pulled off great shots. Great points.”

Alcaraz laughed when he reflected on his surprise near the end of the first set, when he was fed up with tracking down drop shots and told his support team “I’m not going to run to get those.”

“I was tired to go forward to the net,” he said. “I thought we were in a drop-shot competition, but he won!”

There were moments of tension, of course, such as in the second set when Alcaraz surrendered a 3-0 lead when the 26-year-old Frenchman went on a four-game roll.

Ever the showman himself, Alcaraz chimed in with some of his own tricks and tweeners across three sets. It helped him stay composed.

In the first round, Moutet was booed by the crowd for his underarm serve on match point. For his debut on the main arena, there was much more love from the Aussie crowd.

After winning a point near the end of the match with a perfect, deep lob into the corner, he made an iconic fist pump celebration.

When he held in that game with a winning volley, he marked it by doffing his cap.

Alcaraz will next play on Sunday against No. 19 Tommy Paul, who advanced when Alejandro Davidovich Fokina retired with an injury after dropping the first two sets 6-1, 6-1.

Sabalenka, Coco Gauff advance

No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 3 Coco Gauff had tough routes through the third round.

Sabalenka said there were times she felt like her head, her hands and her racket were not connected but she still had just enough to squeeze past Anastasia Potapova 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7).

Gauff weathered early trouble against Hailey Baptiste before advancing 3-6, 6-0-6-3, cutting down her unforced errors and not serving any double-faults in the second set.

Sabalenka, chasing her third Australian Open title in four years, led 6-5 and 40-0 in her opening set but Potapova saved all three set points to send it to a tiebreaker. Sabalenka led 3-0 in the tiebreaker before Potapova leveled at 3-3.

Sabalenka held two more set points and clinched the set when she laced a backhand down the line.

Potapova recovered two service breaks in the second to level it at 4-4 and then again force a tiebreaker. Potapova had three set points in the tiebreaker but Sabalenka rallied when the pressure was on.

“She played incredible tennis,” Sabalenka said. “I was always on the back foot. There are days where you just have to fight — it was such a fight.”

Sabalenka won the Australian Open title in 2023 and 2024 and was the runner-up a year ago to Madison Keys.

She next faces rising star Victoria Mboko, who beat 14th-seeded Clara Tauson 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-3.

“I never actually talked to her, never had chance to hit, to practice with her. I was watching some matches," Sabalenka said of the teenage Canadian. “Yeah, she’s a great player. She’s a fighter. She’s playing really good, aggressive tennis.”

Yulia Putintseva shrugged off a vocal crowd to end Turkish player Zeynep Sonmez 's run, 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3.