Australian Open 2026: Comprehensive Guide to the Season’s First Grand Slam
Preview of dates, draws, star players, defending champions and key storylines shaping the tournament in Melbourne
The 2026 Australian Open, marking the first Grand Slam of the tennis season, is set to begin on Sunday, January eighteen at Melbourne Park in Victoria, Australia, with the men’s final scheduled for Sunday, February one and the women’s final on Saturday, January thirty-one.
The tournament represents the 114th edition overall and the fifty-eighth in the Open era, featuring singles draws of 128 players and total prize money of more than A$111 million, the largest in the event’s history.
Qualifying rounds run from January twelve to fifteen, with wild cards and rankings determining final entries.
Defending champions include Jannik Sinner on the men’s side and Madison Keys in the women’s draw, both of whom aim to retain their titles amid a stacked field.
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz leads the men’s seeds as he targets his first Australian Open crown and a career Grand Slam, beginning his campaign against Australian Adam Walton.
Second seed Sinner, aiming for a third consecutive Melbourne title, opens against France’s Hugo Gaston, while Novak Djokovic, a ten-time Australian Open winner seeking a record-extending twenty-fifth major, faces Pedro Martinez.
The women’s draw sees top seed Aryna Sabalenka start against French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga, with potential marquee matches against Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff in later rounds.
Australian players face demanding early challenges: Thanasi Kokkinakis withdrew due to a shoulder injury while Alex de Minaur, seeded sixth, draws former world No. 6 Matteo Berrettini in the first round, a difficult path that could pit him against major seeds later.
Young talents and qualifiers also add intrigue, and the event features historic moments in qualifying, including Brazilian Joao Lucas Reis Da Silva becoming the first openly gay male player to compete at the event.
With fast hard courts, fervent crowds and dynamic storylines from rising stars to established champions, the Australian Open sets the tone for the tennis year as global audiences prepare for two weeks of elite competition.
The tournament represents the 114th edition overall and the fifty-eighth in the Open era, featuring singles draws of 128 players and total prize money of more than A$111 million, the largest in the event’s history.
Qualifying rounds run from January twelve to fifteen, with wild cards and rankings determining final entries.
Defending champions include Jannik Sinner on the men’s side and Madison Keys in the women’s draw, both of whom aim to retain their titles amid a stacked field.
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz leads the men’s seeds as he targets his first Australian Open crown and a career Grand Slam, beginning his campaign against Australian Adam Walton.
Second seed Sinner, aiming for a third consecutive Melbourne title, opens against France’s Hugo Gaston, while Novak Djokovic, a ten-time Australian Open winner seeking a record-extending twenty-fifth major, faces Pedro Martinez.
The women’s draw sees top seed Aryna Sabalenka start against French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga, with potential marquee matches against Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff in later rounds.
Australian players face demanding early challenges: Thanasi Kokkinakis withdrew due to a shoulder injury while Alex de Minaur, seeded sixth, draws former world No. 6 Matteo Berrettini in the first round, a difficult path that could pit him against major seeds later.
Young talents and qualifiers also add intrigue, and the event features historic moments in qualifying, including Brazilian Joao Lucas Reis Da Silva becoming the first openly gay male player to compete at the event.
With fast hard courts, fervent crowds and dynamic storylines from rising stars to established champions, the Australian Open sets the tone for the tennis year as global audiences prepare for two weeks of elite competition.
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