The 2026 Australian Open Schedule, the first Grand Slam of the year, runs from January 12 to February 1 at Melbourne Park in Australia. Qualifying and Opening Week events start January 12, with main draw action beginning Sunday, January 18, and concluding with the men’s singles final on February 1. The draw is set, and the tournament is set to start on January 18th, 2026.
Who are the Defending Australian Open Champions?
Defending champions are Jannik Sinner (men’s singles) and Madison Keys (women’s singles). The tournament features hard courts at Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena, and other venues, with retractable roofs to minimize weather delays.
2026 Australian Open Schedule: Round-by-Round
The 2026 Australian Open schedule is set to kickoff on January 18th, 2026. Here is the schedule for you.
| Round | Dates | Notes |
| Qualifying | January 12–15 | Part of Opening Week; public access available |
| First Round | January 18–20 | Three-day start for singles |
| Second Round | January 21–22 | |
| Third Round | January 23–24 | |
| Round of 16 | January 25–26 | |
| Quarterfinals | January 27–28 | |
| Semifinals | January 29–30 | Women’s semis often earlier |
| Women’s Final | January 31 | Evening session |
| Men’s Final | February 1 | Evening session (~7:30 PM AEDT) |
US TV & Streaming Schedule (ET)
Coverage airs primarily on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ (wall-to-wall streaming). Due to the time difference, live broadcasts often occur overnight/early morning in the US, with encores in the afternoon.
- Most days: Overnight from 7 p.m. previous day to 7 a.m. (ESPN+ full coverage), with featured matches on ESPN/ESPN2 from 9 p.m.–2 a.m. or 3 a.m.–7 a.m.
- Finals: Women’s (Jan 31, 3:30 a.m. ESPN) | Men’s (Feb 1, 3:30 a.m. ESPN)
- Highlights and encores on ABC/ESPN2 daytime.
Check ESPN listings for exact daily order of play.
Printable 2026 Australian Open Bracket
Download our free printable 2026 Australian Open bracket to fill in once the draw takes place and the bracket is released. You can view the blank 2025 Men’s Australian Open Bracket here to see how the tournament is setup before the 2026 brackets are released for the tournament that you can use to print out.
If you want to checkout the live, interactive and updated 2026 Australian Open Bracket, it is here for you. If you are into playing free contests, the AO26 Bracket Challenge is live for both the men’s and women’s tournaments for you by the Tourney organizers.
Draw Release and Key Matchups
The draw is now set, creating exciting early and potential deep-round storylines:
- Men’s: Defending champ Jannik Sinner (top seed/favorite) faces potential early tests; Carlos Alcaraz (often No. 1 seed) in the other half. Notable: Alex de Minaur (home favorite, seeded ~6) draws Matteo Berrettini (former semifinalist) in R1,ough opener. Novak Djokovic (10-time champ) is in the field despite recent neck concerns and no tune-up matches. Potential blockbuster paths include Sinner-Djokovic clashes.
- Women’s: Aryna Sabalenka (world No. 1, multi-time finalist/champ) could meet Coco Gauff in semis. Iga Swiatek faces potential Naomi Osaka in R4. Venus Williams (wildcard, returning after years) lines up for possible early clash with Gauff (their first meeting was Gauff’s 2019 Wimbledon debut win at age 15). Amanda Anisimova and others add depth.
Other notables: Wildcards include Venus Williams, Stan Wawrinka; Aussies like Maya Joint (seeded ~30, vs. Tereza Valentova R1).
Latest Injuries/Withdrawals and Returns (as of January 15):
- Men’s misses: Jack Draper (arm), Holger Rune (Achilles, long-term), Thanasi Kokkinakis (shoulder, withdrew post-Adelaide).
- Women’s misses: Zheng Qinwen (elbow/form issues).
- Returns/concerns: Djokovic (neck, but confirmed playing); Venus Williams (wildcard return).
No major new reports for top seeds like Sinner, Alcaraz, Sabalenka, Swiatek.
Early Predictions & Favorites
Updated Predictions, Favorites, and Odds (consensus from DraftKings, Ladbrokes, etc., mid-January 2026):
- Men’s Singles: Jannik Sinner heavy favorite (4/5 to -115) for three-peat (back-to-back wins in 2024-25). Carlos Alcaraz close second (8/5). Novak Djokovic (12/1, dark horse despite age/injury history). Others: Zverev (+3500), Medvedev (~+3000–22/1). Predictions lean Sinner-Alcaraz final, with Sinner edging for third straight title—elite hard-court form dominates.
- Women’s Singles: Aryna Sabalenka favorite (7/4 to +180–200) chasing third title (runner-up last year to Keys). Iga Swiatek (9/2–+550), Coco Gauff (9/2–+850–1000), Elena Rybakina (15/2–+750). Sleepers: Amanda Anisimova (+900–1000). Sabalenka’s power and Brisbane prep give edge, but deeper field than men’s.
