2026 Australian Open Overview
The vibrant city of Melbourne is set to host the opening Grand Slam of the tennis calendar for 2026, with the Australian Open drawing significant attention after unveiling its entry roster. This prestigious tournament marks the beginning of the Grand Slam season, typically characterized by a somewhat limited preparatory schedule, allowing numerous contenders to believe they can claim the title.
Notable Past Champions
In 2025, Madison Keys triumphed at the Australian Open, thwarting Aryna Sabalenka‘s bid for a third consecutive title, as Sabalenka had clinched the championship in both 2023 and 2024. This year’s lineup includes a number of notable past champions; alongside Keys and Sabalenka, former winners Naomi Osaka and Sofia Kenin will also compete, each seeking to enhance their Grand Slam accolades.
Key Contenders
Attention is particularly focused on Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff, both of whom have secured multiple Grand Slam victories across different surfaces but are yet to conquer the Australian Open. Their determination to change that story in 2026 places them squarely on the radar of tennis fans and analysts alike. Additionally, Elena Rybakina, who concluded 2025 on a high note by winning the WTA Finals, will aim to build on her earlier success at Wimbledon with another major title.
Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula, both of whom have come close to winning their own Grand Slam titles, will also be eager to make their mark at this tournament, entering as top seeds.
Absentees and Special Entries
However, not all notable players will participate; Danielle Collins and Ons Jabeur, the latter of whom recently announced her pregnancy, will be absent from the 2026 competition.
A unique aspect of the entry list includes three players who have used special rankings to enter the tournament, a provision for athletes returning from long-term injuries. Former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova, alongside Yafan Wang and Mananchaya Sawangkaew, have taken advantage of this rule to compete this year.
Additionally, the first wild card entries have been confirmed, with local talent Emerson Jones, Elizabeth Mandlik, and Zarina Diyas earning them. As the tournament approaches, more wild card players will be announced to complete the roster for this year’s event.
Key Players Set to Compete
The following are the key players set to compete in the 2026 Australian Open Women’s Singles:
- Aryna Sabalenka
- Iga Swiatek
- Coco Gauff
- Amanda Anisimova
- Elena Rybakina
- Jessica Pegula
- Madison Keys
- Jasmine Paolini
- Mirra Andreeva
- Ekaterina Alexandrova
- Belinda Bencic
- Linda Fruhvirtova
- Linda Noskova
- Elina Svitolina
- Emma Navarro
- Naomi Osaka
- Liudmila Samsonova
- Victoria Mboko
- Karolina Muchova
- Elise Mertens
- Diana Shnaider
- Leylah Fernandez
- Jelena Ostapenko
- Qinwen Zheng
- Paula Badosa
- Marta Kostyuk
- Dayana Yastremska
- Sofia Kenin
- Emma Raducanu
- Veronika Kudermetova
- McCartney Kessler
- Maya Joint
- Anna Kalinskaya
- Marketa Vondrousova
- Iva Jovic
- Lois Boisson
- Daria Kasatkina
- Ann Li
- Jaqueline Cristian
- Eva Lys
- Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
- Marie Bouzkova
- Sorana Cirstea
- Ashlyn Krueger
- Tatjana Maria
- Laura Siegemund
- Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
- Katerina Siniakova
- Emiliana Arango
- Anastasia Potapova
- Maria Sakkari
- Alexandra Eala
- Janice Tjen
- Cristina Bucsa
- Magda Linette
- Xinyu Wang
- Beatriz Haddad Maia
- Magdalena Frech
- Elsa Jacquemot
- Tereza Valentova
- Hailey Baptiste
- Anna Blinkova
- Peyton Stearns
- Barbora Krejcikova
- Solana Sierra
- Olga Danilovic
- Viktorija Golubic
- Sonay Kartal
- Donna Vekic
- Yulia Putintseva
- Rebecca Sramkova
- Antonia Ruzic
- Francesca Jones
- Anna Bondar
- Varvara Gracheva
- Camila Osorio
- Renata Zarazua
- Ajla Tomljanovic
- Elisabetta Cocciaretto
- Petra Marcinko
- Caty McNally
- Ella Seidel
- Alycia Parks
- Simona Waltert
- Shuai Zhang
- Elena-Gabriela Ruse
- Suzan Lamens
- Lulu Sun
- Panna Udvardy
- Sara Bejlek
- Katie Volynets
- Moyuka Uchijima
- Julia Grabher
- Oleksandra Oliynykova
- Kamilla Rakhimova
- Kimberly Birrell
- Daria Galfi
- Oksana Selekhmeteva
- Daria Semenistaja
- Kaja Juvan
- Leolia Jeanjean
- Karolina Pliskova (SR)
- Yafan Wang (SR)
- Mananchaya Sawangkaew (SR)
- Emerson Jones (WC)
- Elizabeth Mandlik (WC)
- Zarina Diyas (WC)
