Australian Open 2026: Preview, draws, schedule, order-of-play, UK times & how to watch
• 4 minute read
The new tennis season is here and we’re gearing up for the first Grand Slam of the year in Melbourne. Check out the latest schedule, UK time, draws, order-of-play and player lists for Australian Open 2026.
When is the Australian Open 2026?
Qualifying for the Australian Open will take place from Monday 12 January to Thursday 15 January.
The Australian Open main draw will start on Sunday 18 January through to its conclusion on Sunday 1 February.
The Australian Open wheelchair tennis main draws are set for Tuesday 27 January through to Saturday 31 January.
The Australian Open will begin at 00:00 UK time each day on the outside courts and 1:00 on the show courts. The Australian Open night sessions will start at 8:00.
Where is the Australian Open 2026 being held?
The Australian Open takes place at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria – one of the biggest tennis venues in the world and home to the Grand Slam event since 1988.
Melbourne Park has three show courts – the Rod Laver Arena (the second largest indoor sports venue in Australia with a capacity of 15,000), as well as the John Cain Arena (capacity: 10,500) and Margaret Court Arena (capacity: 7,500).
In 2025, the Australian Open welcomed over one million fans for the first time ever.
What is the Australian Open 2026 schedule?
The Australian Open 2026 schedule includes:
- Men’s & women’s singles: 18 January – 1 February
- Men’s & women’s doubles: 20-31 January
- Mixed doubles: 22-30 January
- Wheelchair events: 27-31 January
- Junior events: 24 January – 1 February
Australian Open 2026 draw
The draw for the Australian Open will be announced closer to the event. Check back here or the link below to see the full draws:
Australian Open order of play
Get the daily order of play for the Australian Open 2026 via the link below:
Where to watch the Australian Open 2026
Watch and stream all of the 2026 Australian Open live on Eurosport and discovery+.
Which British players will be competing at the Australian Open 2026?
Women’s singles
British No.1 Emma Raducanu had her career-best Australian Open performance in 2025, defeating 26th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova and future Wimbledon and Roland Garros runner-up Amanda Anisimova in the opening rounds before losing out to Iga Swiatek. She finished last season ranked at world No.29 with highlight results including a semi-final at the Citi Open and quarter-final at the Miami Open.
Sonay Kartal is back in Melbourne for the second time in her career, looking to build on her strong 2025 season. The young Brit reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time at Wimbledon and also beat world No.5 Mirra Andreeva en route to her maiden WTA 1000 quarter-final at the China Open.
Francesca Jones broke into the top 100 last season with consecutive WTA 125 titles on the clay. This will be her second appearance in Melbourne after qualifying back in 2021 and she’ll be aiming for a first Grand Slam win.
Men’s singles
Jack Draper is set to make his tour comeback at the Australian Open after a lengthy spell on the sidelines with injury.
The British No.1 had an electric start to last season, reaching the fourth round in Melbourne before capturing his first ATP Masters title in Indian Wells and finishing runner-up at the Madrid Open.
Cam Norrie saved his best tennis for the big moments last year and had an excellent end to the season. A quarter-final at Wimbledon was followed up by a third round at the US Open, a final at the Moselle Open and his first win over a world No.1, beating Carlos Alcaraz at the Paris Masters.
Jacob Fearnley caused an upset on his Australian Open debut last year, beating Nick Kyrgios in the first round. The Briton reached the third round before bowing out to Alexander Zverev before going on to break the top 50 in June.
Qualifying, doubles and wheelchair entry lists will be announced soon.
Australian Open 2026 top seeded players
Women’s singles
- Aryna Sabalenka
- Iga Swiatek (POL)
- Coco Gauff (USA)
- Amanda Anisimova (USA)
- Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
Men’s singles
- Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)
- Jannik Sinner (ITA)
- Alexander Zverev (GER)
- Novak Djokovic (SRB)
- Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN)
Australian Open 2025 champions
Here’s a rundown of all the reigning champions from the 2025 Australian Open:
- Men’s singles – Jannik Sinner (ITA)
- Women’s singles – Madison Keys (USA)
- Men’s doubles – Henry Patten (GBR) & Harri Heliovaara (FIN)
- Women’s doubles – Katerina Siniakova (CZE) & Taylor Townsend (USA)
- Mixed doubles – Olivia Gadecki (AUS) & John Peers (AUS)
- Wheelchair men’s singles – Alfie Hewett (GBR)
- Wheelchair women’s singles – Yui Kamiji (JPN)
- Wheelchair quad singles – Sam Schroder (NED)
- Wheelchair men’s doubles – Alfie Hewett (GBR) & Gordon Reid (GBR)
- Wheelchair women’s doubles – Li Xiaohui (CHN) & Wang Ziying (CHN)
- Wheelchair quad doubles – Andy Lapthorne (GBR) & Sam Schroder (NED)
What is the Australian Open 2026 prize money?
More information will be available soon.
Past British winners at the Australian Open
In the Open Era, Virginia Wade is the only British player to have won either a women’s or men’s singles title at the Australian Open.
In 1972, she defeated Evonne Goolagong 6-4, 6-4 to claim her second of three Grand Slam titles in her career. Wade also won the women’s doubles title the year after with Magaret Court.
Andy Murray has come the closest on the men’s side, reaching the final five times in seven years, but finishing runner-up to either Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic on each occasion.
John Lloyd also made men’s singles final in the second of two Australian Open events in 1977, losing to Vitas Gerulaitis in five sets.
Britain have had three men’s doubles champions in the last 10 years – Jamie Murray (2016), Joe Salisbury (2020) and Henry Patten (2025).
Jo Durie and Jeremy Bates are the only Brits to have won the mixed doubles back in 1991.
In wheelchair tennis, the Brits have enjoyed strong success over the years including the following title-winners:
- Alfie Hewett: Men’s singles (2023 & 2025); Men’s doubles (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 & 2025)
- Andy Lapthorne: Quad doubles (2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2022, 2024 & 2025)
- Gordon Reid: Men’s singles (2016); Men’s doubles (2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 & 2025)
- Jordanne Whiley: Women’s doubles (2014, 2015 & 2020)
- Peter Norfolk: Quad singles (2008, 2009, 2010 & 2012); Quad doubles (2011 & 2012)
