Australian Open 2026, the first Grand Slam of the season, is set to run from 12 January to 1 February at Melbourne Park, with qualifying taking place from 12 to 15 January before the main draw begins on Sunday 18 January. The official singles draw is scheduled for 15 January, setting the opening-round match-ups for the sport’s leading contenders. Organisers have confirmed a record A$111.5 million (£58m) total prize pool, with A$4.15 million (£2.2m) going to each singles champion, making it the richest Grand Slam in history. Defending champions Jannik Sinner and Madison Keys return in fields featuring Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Świątek, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff. For British audiences, attention centres on Emma Raducanu.This is reported by The WP Times, citing Australian Open’s official tournament website.
What is the Australian Open
The Australian Open is one of tennis’s four Grand Slam tournaments, alongside Wimbledon, the French Open and the US Open, and has traditionally been the opening major of the season.
It has been held at Melbourne Park since 1988 and is played on outdoor hard courts. The tournament’s three show courts — Rod Laver Arena (15,000 seats), Margaret Court Arena (7,500) and John Cain Arena (10,500) — host the main televised matches, while dozens of additional courts are used for early-round and qualifying matches. The main singles draws are made up of 104 direct entries based on world rankings, plus 16 qualifiers and eight wildcards.
When does Australian Open 2026 take place
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Qualifying | 12–15 January |
| Official singles draw | 15 January |
| First round | 18–20 January |
| Second round | 21–22 January |
| Third round | 23–24 January |
| Fourth round | 25–26 January |
| Quarter-finals | 27–28 January |
| Women’s semi-finals | 29 January |
| Men’s semi-finals | 30 January |
| Women’s final | 31 January |
| Men’s final | 1 February |
Because Melbourne is 10 to 11 hours ahead of the UK, most matches are broadcast overnight in Britain, with the show-court sessions typically beginning shortly after midnight UK time.
The women’s and men’s finals are scheduled to start at around 8.30am UK time.
Who are the top seeds and favourites
Men’s singles
| Player | Why they matter |
|---|---|
| Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) | One of the most dynamic all-court players in the game and a leading contender for the title |
| Jannik Sinner (Italy) | Defending champion after defeating Alexander Zverev in the 2025 final |
| Novak Djokovic (Serbia) | Ten-time Australian Open champion with a historically dominant record in Melbourne |
| Alexander Zverev (Germany) | 2025 finalist and a consistent Grand Slam performer |
| Felix Auger-Aliassime (Canada) | Former top-ten player capable of deep tournament runs |
Women’s singles
| Player | Why they matter |
|---|---|
| Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) | One of the most powerful players on the WTA Tour and a regular contender in Melbourne |
| Iga Swiatek (Poland) | Former world No 1 and multiple-time Grand Slam champion |
| Coco Gauff (USA) | One of the sport’s biggest stars and a consistent title challenger |
| Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan) | Wimbledon champion with a strong record on hard courts |
| Madison Keys (USA) | Defending Australian Open champion after her breakthrough win in 2025 |
Who are Britain’s players at the Australian Open 2026? Raducanu, Norrie and full UK list
Britain will have five players in the main singles draws at the Australian Open 2026: Emma Raducanu, Cameron Norrie, Jacob Fearnley, Sonay Kartal and Francesca “Fran” Jones. Their opening-round matches will be played across the first three days of the tournament (18–20 January), following the official draw on 15 January.
Raducanu returns to Melbourne after her best Australian Open run in 2025, when she reached the third round. The former US Open champion finished last season ranked inside the world’s top 30 and remains Britain’s leading women’s singles hope. She is expected to be scheduled on one of the main show courts for her opening match, most likely on Sunday 18 or Monday 19 January, depending on the draw.
Norrie leads the British men’s challenge in the absence of Jack Draper. The left-hander ended 2025 strongly, highlighted by a run to the Moselle Open final and a victory over Carlos Alcaraz at the Paris Masters, and arrives in Melbourne as Britain’s most consistent hard-court performer. His first match is expected during the opening two days of the tournament.
Fearnley is regarded as one of the most dangerous unseeded players in the draw after breaking into the top 50 last season. He made headlines in Melbourne a year ago by defeating Nick Kyrgios in the first round on his Australian Open debut and then reaching the third round.
Kartal enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2025, reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon and recording her first WTA 1000 quarter-final at the China Open. She now enters the Australian Open aiming to establish herself as a regular at Grand Slam level.
Jones qualified directly for the main draw after winning back-to-back WTA 125 titles last season. Her appearance in Melbourne is a major milestone, given she was born with Ectrodactyly-Ectodermal Dysplasia (EEC), a rare genetic condition affecting her hands and feet, and was once told she might never play professionally.
One major absence is Jack Draper, Britain’s highest-ranked male player, who has withdrawn because of a long-term injury. Draper said he was not yet ready to return to best-of-five-set tennis, which is required at Grand Slam level.
For British viewers, the first week of the tournament (18–24 January) will be crucial, with Raducanu and Norrie expected to carry the main hopes of a deep run in Melbourne.
Australian Open 2025 winners: Sinner and Keys
Men’s singles (2025): Jannik Sinner lifted the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after defeating Alexander Zverev in the final, securing his first Australian Open title and confirming his status as one of the dominant players of the new generation.
Women’s singles (2025): Madison Keys won the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup by beating Aryna Sabalenka in the final, claiming her first Grand Slam title and becoming the first American woman to win the Australian Open since Sofia Kenin in 2020.
How much is the prize money
The Australian Open 2026 will pay out a record A$111.5 million in total prize money.
| Stage | Prize money |
|---|---|
| Champion | A$4,150,000 |
| Runner-up | A$2,150,000 |
| Semi-final | A$1,250,000 |
| Quarter-final | A$750,000 |
| Fourth round | A$480,000 |
| Third round | A$327,750 |
| Second round | A$225,000 |
| First round | A$150,000 |
How to watch the Australian Open 2026 in the UK
The Australian Open is being shown exclusively in the UK by Warner Bros. Discovery, with coverage across TNT Sports on television and discovery+ online. There is no free-to-air broadcaster showing the tournament in Britain. Every match from Melbourne — including early-round and outside-court matches — is available live, but only through paid services.
Where to watch
| Platform | Coverage |
|---|---|
| TNT Sports | Live matches from Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena and Kia Arena, plus studio coverage and highlights |
| discovery+ | Every match from every court, live and on demand |
TNT Sports shows the main courts. discovery+ is the only service that provides full tournament access.
Can you watch for free
There is no legal free-to-air broadcast in the UK. Some Sky, BT and Vodafone packages include TNT Sports or discovery+, and occasional discovery+ trials are available with bundled subscriptions. Otherwise, viewers must pay.
UK start times
Melbourne is 10–11 hours ahead of London, meaning most tennis is played overnight in Britain.
| Melbourne session | UK time |
|---|---|
| Day (11am local) | 12am–1am |
| Afternoon (3pm) | 4am–5am |
| Night (7pm) | 8am–9am |
The biggest matches on Rod Laver Arena are usually played in Melbourne’s night session, making them morning viewing in the UK. The men’s and women’s finals are scheduled for around 8.30am UK time.
Which service is best for British players
Early-round matches for Emma Raducanu, Cameron Norrie, Jacob Fearnley and Sonay Kartal are often played on outside courts. These are not always shown on TNT Sports. To guarantee access to every British match, discovery+ is essential.
What this means for UK viewers
The Australian Open is effectively a night-time tournament in Britain, with peak viewing from 12am to 6am in the first week and 8am to 11am for the biggest matches and finals.
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