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The Australian Open 2026 headlines the tennis calendar as the first Grand Slam of the year, delivering high-stakes action at Melbourne Park. Defending champions Jannik Sinner and Madison Keys are set to return to defend their titles in a tournament bursting with top talent, massive prize money, and thrilling storylines.
Australian Open 2026: Dates and schedule
The tournament will kick off with qualifying on Monday, January 12. The main singles draw will begin on Sunday, January 18, 2026, and will run until the women's final on January 31 and the men's final on February 1. The official draw ceremony will take place on Thursday, January 15, unveiling the 128-player singles brackets.
January 18-20: First round
January 21-22: Second round
January 23-24: Third round
January 25-26: Fourth round
January 27-28: Quarter-finals
January 29: Women's semi-finals
January 30: Men's semi-finals
January 31: Women's final
February 1: Men's final
Doubles, mixed doubles, wheelchair, and junior events run alongside the main action.
Venue and format
Since 1988, the Australian Open has called Melbourne Park home, featuring iconic arenas like Rod Laver Arena (15,000 capacity), John Cain Arena (10,500), and Margaret Court Arena (7,500). The hard-court surface favors aggressive baseline play, with men's singles best-of-five sets and women's best-of-three.
Key players
Men's singles key players
1. Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)
2. Jannik Sinner (ITA)
3. Alexander Zverev (GER)
5. Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN)
Sinner, chasing a historic third straight title, stands as a prime favourite on his favoured hard courts. Alcaraz and the ever-dangerous Djokovic promise epic battles.
Women's singles key players
1. Aryna Sabalenka
2. Iga Swiatek (POL)
3. Coco Gauff (USA)
4. Amanda Anisimova (USA)
5. Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
Defending champion Madison Keys faces fierce competition from Sabalenka (a recent finalist), Swiatek, and Gauff in one of the most open women's draws in years.
Record-breaking prize money
Tennis Australia has set a new record with the 2026 Australian Open prize money, announcing a total pool of approximately $74.9 million USD. This marks a significant 16% increase from the previous year's event.
(All values are approximate due to the AUD to USD conversion)
Winner: $2.79 million
Runner-up: $1.44 million
Semifinalists: $842,306
Quarterfinalists: $505,383
Fourth round: $323,445
Third round: $220,852
Second round: $151,615
First round: $101,076
Q1: $27,290
Q2: $38,409
Q3: $56,266
English (US) ·