Australian Open 2026: Alcaraz and Sabalenka Lead as Early Seeds Fall
Australian Open 2026: Top Seeds Progress, Early Upsets

Australian Open 2026: Top Seeds Progress Amid Early Tournament Upsets

The Australian Open 2026 is underway with its first grand slam of the year, delivering thrilling matches and unexpected early exits. Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka headline the tournament as the top seeds in the men's and women's draws, respectively, while Felix Auger-Aliassime has become the biggest casualty so far, retiring in the first round due to cramp.

Key Contenders and Historic Pursuits

In the men's competition, Carlos Alcaraz is through to the third round as he hunts his first Australian Open title. A victory here would make him the youngest man in history to complete the career grand slam. Jannik Sinner, seeded second, is aiming for a hat-trick of titles in Melbourne. Notably, Alcaraz and Sinner could become the first men to play in four consecutive grand slam finals since Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal achieved this feat between 2011 and 2012.

On the women's side, Aryna Sabalenka, the US Open champion, and Iga Swiatek, the Wimbledon champion, are the top two seeds. They have yet to meet in a grand slam final, adding intrigue to the tournament. Swiatek is also one Australian Open title away from completing her career grand slam, while Sabalenka seeks to regain her crown after a surprising defeat to Madison Keys in last year's final.

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Notable Early Exits and Progress

The tournament has seen several upsets already. Felix Auger-Aliassime, the seventh seed, retired while trailing Portugal's Nuno Borges 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the first round. Other early casualties include seeds like Jiri Lehecka, Flavio Cobolli, and Tallon Griekspoor in the men's draw, and Ekaterina Alexandrova, Emma Navarro, and Leylah Fernandez in the women's draw.

Novak Djokovic, the record 10-time champion in Melbourne, is seeded fourth and could face Sinner in the semi-finals if both advance. Coco Gauff begins as the third seed on the women's side, with defending champion Madison Keys seeded ninth.

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Men's Seeds Tracker

  1. Carlos Alcaraz – ✅ Won second round vs. Yannick Hanfmann
  2. Jannik Sinner – Plays second round vs. James Duckworth [WC]
  3. Alexander Zverev – ✅ Won second round vs. Alexandre Müller
  4. Novak Djokovic – ✅ Won second round vs. Francesco Maestrelli [Q]
  5. Lorenzo Musetti – ✅ Won second round vs. Lorenzo Sonego
  6. Alex de Minaur – ✅ Won second round vs. Hamad Medjedovic
  7. Felix Auger-Aliassime – ❌ Knocked out first round by Nuno Borges, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 0-0, ret.
  8. Ben Shelton – ✅ Won second round vs. Dane Sweeny [Q]
  9. Taylor Fritz – Plays second round vs. Vít Kopriva
  10. Alexander Bublik – ✅ Won second round vs. Márton Fucsovics
  11. Daniil Medvedev – ✅ Won second round vs. Quentin Halys
  12. Casper Ruud – Plays second round vs. Jaume Munar
  13. Andrey Rublev – ✅ Won second round vs. Jaime Faria [Q]
  14. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina – ✅ Won second round vs. Reilly Opelka
  15. Karen Khachanov – ✅ Won second round vs. Nishesh Basavareddy [Q]
  16. Jakub Mensik – ✅ Won second round vs. Rafael Jódar [Q]
  17. Jiri Lehecka – ❌ Knocked out first round vs Arthur Gea [Q]
  18. Francisco Cerundolo – ✅ Won second round vs. Damir Džumhur
  19. Tommy Paul – ✅ Won second round vs. Thiago Agustín Tirante
  20. Flavio Cobolli – ❌ Knocked out first round vs Arthur Fery [Q], 7-6 (1), 6-4, 6-1
  21. Denis Shapovalov – Plays second round vs. Marin Cilic
  22. Luciano Darderi – ✅ Won second round vs. Sebastián Báez
  23. Tallon Griekspoor – ❌ Knocked out first round vs Ethan Quinn
  24. Arthur Rinderknech – ❌ Knocked out first round vs Fabian Marozsan, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (2), 6-4
  25. Learner Tien – ✅ Won second round vs. Alexander Shevchenko
  26. Cameron Norrie – ✅ Won second round vs. Emilio Nava
  27. Brandon Nakashima – ❌ Knocked out first round vs Botic van de Zandschulp
  28. Joao Fonseca – ❌ Knocked out first round vs Eliot Spizzirri
  29. Frances Tiafoe – ✅ Won second round vs. Francisco Comesana
  30. Valentin Vacherot – ✅ Won second round vs. Rinky Hijikata [WC]
  31. Stefanos Tsitsipas – Plays second round vs. Tomas Machac
  32. Corentin Moutet – ✅ Won second round vs. Michael Zheng [Q]

Women's Seeds Tracker

  1. Aryna Sabalenka – ✅ Won second round vs. Bai Zhuoxuan [Q]
  2. Iga Swiatek – Second round vs. Marie Bouzkova
  3. Coco Gauff – ✅ Won second round vs. Olga Danilovic
  4. Amanda Anisimova – ✅ Won second round vs. Katerina Siniakova
  5. Elena Rybakina – Plays second round vs. Varvara Gracheva
  6. Jessica Pegula – ✅ Won second round vs. McCartney Kessler
  7. Jasmine Paolini – ✅ Won second round vs. Magdalena Frech
  8. Mirra Andreeva – ✅ Won second round vs. Maria Sakkari
  9. Madison Keys – ✅ Won second round vs. Ashlyn Krueger
  10. Belinda Bencic – Plays second round vs. Nikola Bartunkova [Q]
  11. Ekaterina Alexandrova – ❌ Knocked out in first round by Zeynep Sonmez [Q], 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
  12. Elina Svitolina – ✅ Won second round vs. Linda Klimovičová [Q]
  13. Linda Noskova – ✅ Won second round vs. Taylah Preston [WC]
  14. Clara Tauson – ✅ Won second round vs. Polina Kudermetova
  15. Emma Navarro – ❌ Knocked out in first round by Magda Linette, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
  16. Naomi Osaka – Plays second round vs. Sorana Cîrstea
  17. Victoria Mboko – ✅ Won second round vs. Caty McNally
  18. Liudmila Samsonova – ❌ Knocked out first round by Laura Siegemund, 0-6, 7-5, 6-4
  19. Karolina Muchova – ✅ Won second round vs. Alycia Parks
  20. Marta Kostyuk – ❌ Knocked out first round by Elsa Jacquemot, 6-7, 7-6, 7-6
  21. Elise Mertens – ✅ Won second round vs. Moyuka Uchijima
  22. Leylah Fernandez – ❌ Knocked out first round vs Janice Tjen
  23. Diana Shnaider – ✅ Won second round vs. Talia Gibson [WC]
  24. Jelena Ostapenko – ❌ Knocked out second round vs Wang Xinyu, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
  25. Paula Badosa – ❌ Knocked out second round vs Oksana Selekhmeteva, 6-4, 6-4
  26. Dayana Yastremska – ❌ Knocked out first round by Elena-Gabriela Ruse, 6-4, 7-5
  27. Sofia Kenin – ❌ Knocked out first round by Peyton Stearns, 6-3, 6-2
  28. Emma Raducanu – ❌ Knocked out second round by Anastasia Potapova, 7-6, 6-2
  29. Iva Jovic – ✅ Won second round vs. Priscilla Hon [WC]
  30. Maya Joint – ❌ Knocked out first round vs Tereza Valentova
  31. Anna Kalinskaya – Plays second round vs. Julia Grabher
  32. Marketa Vondrousova – Withdrew before first round vs Hailey Baptiste

Broadcast Information

For viewers in the UK, the Australian Open 2026 is being shown live on TNT Sports and online on Discovery+. In the United States, coverage is available on ESPN and Tennis Channel, ensuring fans can follow all the action from Melbourne.