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Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka acquired the highest seeds within the upcoming Australian Open, the primary main of 2026 in males’s and ladies’s tennis to kick-off a strong schedule. Nevertheless, four-time grand slam champion Jannik Sinner (-125 at FanDuel Sportsbook) seems to be the favourite within the minds of others. The Italian goes for a three-peat in Melbourne after defeating Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev in every of the final two Australian Open males’s finals.
Sabalenka had received consecutive grand slams on the Australian Open earlier than American Madison Keys topped her in final yr’s finals in three units. The world No. 1 on the ladies’s facet is the favourite (+180) forward of Iga Swiatek (+550), Elena Rybakina (+750) and Individuals Coco Gauff (+850) and Amanda Anisimova (+900). Sabalenka is gunning for her fifth profession main after profitable the US Open and coming in second at Wimbledon final yr.
Carlos Alcaraz, whose finest profession end in Australia is a quarterfinal look, could have play his finest to have a shot at squaring off with Sinner in one other main last. Alcaraz has received seven of the final eight matchups between the titans, together with three main finals culminating together with his sensible displaying on the 2025 US Open.
The place to look at Australian Open males’s, girls’s singles
- Date: Qualifying runs by way of Jan. 17; Most important-draw play begins Jan. 18
- Location: Melbourne Park Sports activities and Leisure Precinct — Melbourne, Australia
- TV: ESPN, ESPN2 | Stream: Fubo (strive without spending a dime)
Word: Since Melbourne is 16 hours forward of the Jap Time zone in the US, many matches will probably be proven dwell throughout the midnight. When particular person match pairings are launched for the principle draw, hold that in thoughts whereas planning your viewing schedule.
Can the American males break the streak?
Andy Roddick is the newest American to win a slam slam title on the boys’s facet when he captured the 2003 US Open. Since, tennis has been dominated by three of one of the best gamers in historical past, together with Novak Djokovic, who will seem within the Australian Open together with the emergence of Sinner and Alcaraz.
Individuals Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton, two of the top-10 gamers on this planet, have been probably the most constant pair over the past two years with large serves and elevated precision throughout grand slams. Fritz’s finest main end was a semifinal journey at Wimbledon final yr whereas Shelton superior to the semifinals in Melbourne.
Aryna Sabalenka enters with razor-sharp focus
Sabalenka pocketed one other Brisbane Worldwide title this month to ship a warning shot to these within the Australian Open foremost draw — she’s out for blood. Sabalenka didn’t drop a set in her grand slam warmup and leads what needs to be a aggressive discipline. Since profitable the 2023 Australian Open for her first main title, Sabalenka and Polish standout Iga Swiatek have mixed to take eight of the final 12 grand slams on the ladies’s facet. “I am going to do my finest to go so far as doable,” Sabalenka mentioned.
Novak Djokovic goes for twenty fifth main
Djokovic, the fourth-ranked participant on this planet on the boys’s facet, withdrew from the Australian Open tuneup event has not performed an official match since November when he beat Lorenzo Musetti within the last of the Hellenic Championship. After that victory, Djokovic introduced he was skipping ATP Finals with a shoulder damage and as an alternative shifted his focus towards 2026’s first grand slam.
Djokovic is a 10-time Australian Open champion, final profitable the event in 2023. He already holds the profession lead with 24, and he practically received that elusive twenty fifth main on tour final yr however got here up quick within the semifinals of all 4 occasions. Djokovic, 38, hinted at retirement final yr after dropping to Jannik Sinner within the French Open and his phrases following his US Open loss in September mirrored these remarks.
It is clear, he needs to win yet another grand slam earlier than doubtlessly untying his sneakers one last time as knowledgeable athlete and one of many biggest gamers of all-time.
“Yeah, will probably be very troublesome for me sooner or later to beat the hurdle of Sinner or Alcaraz in a best-of-5 in a grand slam,” Djokovic mentioned in September. “I believe I’ve a greater probability best-of-3, however best-of-5 is hard. I am not giving up on grand slams in that regard, having mentioned that, I will proceed combating and attempt to get to the finals and battle for an one other trophy no less than. However, you realize, it’ll be a really troublesome job.”
Coco Gauff eyes third profession main
After claiming her fourth-straight win over Swiatek throughout the United Cup in Sydney, Gauff turned the one participant to have overwhelmed the previous world No. 1 4 consecutive instances in straight units. The budding celebrity on the American facet has by no means received the Australian Open, however just isn’t missing confidence coming into the primary main of the yr.
The 21-year-old Gauff, who’s ranked No. 4 on this planet, took to Instagram after beating Swiatek and reposted a photograph of a leaping two-handed backhand smash on the web, one among a number of spectacular winners throughout the match.
“Def(initely) my favourite shot to hit. My model of a slam dunk lol. Not as climatic however nonetheless cool I believe haha,” Gauff wrote.
Gauff received the French Open final yr and Wimbledon in 2023. Her finest end down beneath was a semifinal loss to Sabalenka in 2024.
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