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India's Yuki Bhambri fell at the first hurdle at the Australian Open 2026 after he and his American partner Nicole Melichar-Martinez lost the mixed doubles opener against the German-Chinese duo of Tim Putz and Zhang Shuai in Melbourne on Thursday.
Bhambri and Melichar-Martinez suffered a 6-3, 1-6 (10-6) defeat to the sixth-seeded pairing of Putz and Shuai.
Despite crashing out of the mixed doubles, Bhambri has the chance to redeem himself in the year's first Major. The Indian star remains in contention in the men's doubles event after crossing the first hurdle on Wednesday.
Yuki and his Swedish partner Andre Goransson cruised into the second round of the men's doubles competition after thrashing local wildcards James Duckworth and Cruz Hewitt 6-3, 6-4 on Wednesday.
Bhambri, 33, will aim to surpass his best performance at the Australian Open, which he achieved in 2014.
Back then, Bhambri reached the third round at Melbourne Park alongside New Zealand's Michael Venus. Meanwhile, his best showing at a Grand Slam tournament came more recently, when the pair made a superb run to the semi-finals at the 2025 US Open.
Yuki's compatriot Niki Poonacha and his Thai partner Pruchya Isaro, however, crashed out in the men's doubles event after suffering a straight-sets loss to Pedro Martinez and Jaume Munar.
Earlier in the day, reigning champion Madison Keys survived a tough challenge against fellow American, Ashlyn Krueger and claimed a 6-1, 7-5 to reach the third round of AO 2026.
After breezing through the first set, the ninth-seeded veteran fell behind 5-2 in the second set but rallied brilliantly for a morale-boosting victory at John Cain Arena.
In another early match between two Americans, sixth-seeded Jessica Pegula stormed past McCartney Kessler 6-0, 6-2.
In men's singles, former world number one Novak Djokovic, who is bidding for a 25th Grand Slam title, which will take him one clear of Margaret Court's all-time singles record, entered the third round with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win over Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli.
