The first Grand Slam of the 2026 season is upon us, with the Australian Open in Melbourne set to deliver high-stakes drama from the very first serve. Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka headline the men's and women's singles draws as the top seeds, with Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek occupying the second seeding positions.
Historic Opportunities at Melbourne Park
The men's draw presents a tantalising chance for history. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner could become the first pair to contest four consecutive Grand Slam finals since the legendary Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal did so over a decade ago between 2011 and 2012. For Alcaraz, victory in Melbourne would complete the Career Grand Slam, making him the youngest man ever to achieve the feat. Sinner, meanwhile, arrives with the aim of securing a remarkable hat-trick of Australian Open titles.
In the women's competition, a fascinating narrative unfolds. Top seed Sabalenka, the reigning US Open champion, and second seed Swiatek, the Wimbledon title holder, have remarkably never met in a major final. Swiatek is herself one Australian Open crown away from a Career Grand Slam, while Sabalenka will be fiercely determined to reclaim the title she lost in a shock defeat to Madison Keys in the 2025 final.
Seeds and First-Round Matchups
Defending champion Madison Keys is seeded ninth, while US star Coco Gauff begins her campaign as the third seed. A potential second-round clash with the legendary Venus Williams looms for Gauff. On the men's side, the iconic Novak Djokovic, a record ten-time champion in Melbourne, is seeded fourth and is projected to meet Sinner in the semi-finals.
Men's Singles Top Seeds
The full list of men's seeds and their opening opponents is as follows:
- Carlos Alcaraz vs Adam Walton
- Jannik Sinner vs Hugo Gaston
- Alexander Zverev vs Gabriel Diallo
- Novak Djokovic vs Pedro Martínez
- Lorenzo Musetti vs Raphael Collignon
- Alex de Minaur vs Matteo Berrettini
- Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Nuno Borges
- Ben Shelton vs Ugo Humbert
Other notable seeds include Taylor Fritz (9), Daniil Medvedev (11), Casper Ruud (12), Andrey Rublev (13), and Stefanos Tsitsipas (31).
Women's Singles Top Seeds
The women's draw features these seeded players in round one:
- Aryna Sabalenka vs Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah [WC]
- Iga Swiatek vs qualifier
- Coco Gauff vs Kamilla Rakhimova
- Amanda Anisimova vs Simona Waltert
- Elena Rybakina vs Kaja Juvan
- Jessica Pegula vs Anastasia Zakharova
- Jasmine Paolini vs qualifier
- Mirra Andreeva vs Donna Vekić
The draw also sees former champions Naomi Osaka (16) and Emma Raducanu (28) return, alongside British hope Katie Boulter, who faces Belinda Bencic.
How to Watch the Australian Open in the UK
The tournament will be broadcast live in the UK on TNT Sports, with extensive coverage also available for streaming on Discovery+. For viewers in the United States, live action will be shown on ESPN and the Tennis Channel.
With the seeds set and the draws made, the stage is now set for two weeks of world-class tennis at Melbourne Park, where history is waiting to be written.
