The 2026 Australian Open advances into the singles quarter-final stage on Wednesday 28 January at Melbourne Park, with scheduled matchups determining the semifinal line-ups in both the men’s and women’s draws.

The event is part of the first Grand Slam of the tennis season, held annually on hard courts in Melbourne, Australia, and running from 18 January to 1 February.

In the men’s singles quarter-finals, world No. 4 Novak Djokovic is set to face No. 5 Lorenzo Musetti.

Djokovic progressed to this stage following a walkover in the fourth round and enters the match with a series of previous victories over Musetti in head-to-head meetings; Musetti reached the quarter-finals by advancing through earlier rounds of the draw.

Another men’s quarter-final pairing on Wednesday pits No. 8 Ben Shelton against No. 2 seed and defending champion Jannik Sinner.

Both players reached this stage after victories in the round of sixteen, with Shelton defeating Casper Ruud and Sinner overcoming Luciano Darderi.

The women’s quarter-final schedule includes several high-profile singles ties.

No. 5 seed Elena Rybakina is scheduled to play against No. 2 seed Iga Świątek on one of the show courts.

In another women’s quarter-final match, No. 6 seed Jessica Pegula is set to compete against No. 4 seed Amanda Anisimova.

Both players advanced through their respective sections of the draw to reach the final eight of the women’s singles competition.

Matches on the main show courts are scheduled to begin with day sessions in the late morning local time, followed by additional quarter-final contests later in the afternoon and evening.

In addition to the singles order of play, doubles quarter-final matches involving pairs from the women’s and men’s doubles draws are also scheduled across the outer courts, contributing to the full day’s programme of competition at the tournament.

The Australian Open’s singles quarter-finals form part of the second week of play at the Grand Slam, traditionally a pivotal point in the tournament’s progression.

Players reaching this stage have navigated multiple rounds in the initial week, with the quarter-final results determining the semifinal matchups later in the week.

The tournament continues to award ranking points that contribute to season standings for both the Association of Tennis Professionals and the Women’s Tennis Association as competitors advance.

Melbourne Park’s hard courts and the tournament’s schedule of day and night sessions reflect standard Grand Slam fixture planning, with day matches typically beginning in the late morning local time and continuing through the afternoon.

Weather conditions and scheduling adjustments, where necessary, are managed by tournament officials to accommodate the full slate of quarter-final matches on Wednesday 28 January.