Elina Svitolina defeated Diana Shnaider 7–6, 6–3 in the second round of the Australian Open on hard court on 23 January 2026, confirming her status as the pre-match favourite. Shnaider, competing at odds of 2.58, mounted a competitive first set that went to a tiebreak before Svitolina clinched it. The Ukrainian's superiority became more pronounced in the second set, where she broke through to secure a commanding 6–3 victory. The result aligns with Svitolina's seeding and recent form, advancing her deeper into the tournament whilst Shnaider's Australian Open campaign came to an end in the early rounds.