AO 2026 - Draw: Path to glory set Down Under

The ‘Happy Slam’ is the host as major tennis returns on Sunday.

That’s right, the focus of the tennis world centres on Melbourne Park over the next fortnight for the Australian Open 2026.

Who will rise to the top to take Grand Slam glory on Rod Laver Arena? The stars of the show now know who they face in the first round and beyond – let’s take a look at the draws.

Sinner pencilled in for Djokovic duel

World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz – who has never been beyond the quarter-finals in Melbourne – has the chance to complete the career Grand Slam this trip to Australia.

The reigning Roland-Garros champion opens his title tilt facing home hope Adam Walton and could collide with mercurial Frenchman Corentin Moutet in the Last 32. Looking further down the line, Alcaraz has No.19 seed Tommy Paul on his radar, prior to a potentially pulsating hot-shot catalogue quarter-final against Alexander Bublik.

Former finalists Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev would present significant tests ahead of a silverware shot.

Well, over to the bottom half and two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner has a certain Novak Djokovic in range.

Sinner opens in an intriguing clash with flamboyant Frenchman Hugo Gaston. Then the world No.2 has a potential box office third round battle with Brazil’s Joao Fonseca.

Could Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard’s cannonball serve derail Sinner? The Italian’s compatriot Lorenzo Musetti is present in his quarter and then all eyes would be on a Sinner vs Djokovic semi-final!

Djokovic, a 10-time champion at Melbourne Park, has Pedro Martinez to navigate past, with Jakub Mensik and Taylor Fritz presenting formidable tasks.

Popcorn starters

Two fan favourites will wave goodbye to the Australian Open this year, because Gaël Monfils and Stan Wawrinka are launching into their last professional seasons. What a duo!

Monfils, who first competed in the Melbourne main draw in 2005, must take out local qualifier Dane Sweeny. 2014 champion Wawrinka will hope to find the answers against the rock-solid Serbian Laslo Djere.

Here are some more R1 crackers:

Zverev vs Diallo

De Minaur vs Berrettini

Musetti vs Collignon

Shelton vs Humbert

Bublik vs Brooksby

Royer vs Fritz

Dimitrov vs Machac

Sabalenka out to regain crown

World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka will be fiercely determined to take back her Australian Open title. The 2023 and 2024 winner has French wild card Sarah Rakotomanga at the first step.

Sabalenka required a third set tie-break to fend off US Open 2021 champion Emma Raducanu in a WTA 1000 Cincinnati thriller last season and they could be reunited in the Last 32.

How about these possible fourth round tussles? Sabalenka is in line to go toe-to-toe with fearless young guns Clara Tauson or Victoria Mboko. Pass the popcorn indeed.

Sabalenka might earn a Brisbane final re-match with Marta Kostyuk in the Elite 8, prior to a Roland-Garros 2025 final re-match pencilled in with Coco Gauff in the semi-finals.

World No.55 Kamilla Rakhimova will be a dangerous clash for No.3 seed Gauff. Then imagine if both Gauff and the evergreen Venus Williams meet in the second round, nearly seven years after their iconic first contest at Wimbledon 2019.

Versatility and warrior mentality aplenty with Marketa Vondrousova, Karolina Muchova, Elina Svitolina and No.8 seed Mirra Andreeva all in contention in Gauff’s quarter of the draw too.

What about world No.2 Iga Swiatek? The Pole is seeking a maiden title triumph at Melbourne Park and just like Alcaraz, could complete the career Grand Slam this fortnight.

Should the 24-year-old succeed in booking a fourth round ticket, two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka is a match everyone would tune in for. Just check out their Roland-Garros 2024 full match...

If Elena Rybakina fails to reach the quarter-finals the quality of No.10 seed Belinda Bencic might shine through for a deep run. Say Swiatek prevails there and returns to the semi-finals then American powerhouses Madison Keys and Amanda Anisimova are the likely problems to solve.

Keys opens her title defence against Ukraine’s world No.90 Oleksandra Oliynykova.

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