Australian Open 2026: Alex de Minaur, Maya Joint lead Australia’s home hopes at season-opening Grand Slam

The Australian Open always brings out passionate crowds, none more so than when a home hope takes to the courts at Melbourne Park.

Australia is no stranger to tennis glory: only the USA (50) has won more combined world team titles – the Davis Cup for men and Billie Jean King Cup for women – than the nation’s tally of 35.

However, the affectionately dubbed ‘Happy Slam’ has brought less joy from singles silverware for Australians participating in their home major in recent years.

Half a century has passed since the last Australian men’s singles champion, Mark Edmondson. That was back in 1976, and the world No. 212 still stands as the lowest-ranked Grand Slam champion.

For the women, there was no home singles seed for three consecutive years. On the most recent occasion, Ashleigh Barty went on to win the title for the first time, retiring two months later and remaining Australia’s last Grand Slam singles champion.

This year, the green-and-gold contingent will be spearheaded by a top 10 player in Alex de Minaur and the rising teenage star Maya Joint. They head up 21 Aussies in the singles draws, all desperate to keep the winners’ trophies on home soil.

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2026 Australian Open – Alex de Minaur chases first Slam semi at Melbourne Park

De Minaur comes into the Australian Open at a joint-career high of No. 6 in the ATP rankings, safely established as one of the tour’s most consistent and explosive players.

With that comes towering expectations, not least because the 26-year-old is on the verge of a Grand Slam semi-final debut. He has been beaten in all six quarter-final appearances, including at last season’s Australian Open to eventual champion Jannik Sinner, and the 2025 US Open in a four-hour, 10-minute marathon.

The Sydney native will hope to build on a successful season, where he clinched 10 ATP titles and a personal-best 55 wins on tour. The next step is to be able to challenge tennis’ ruling elite, having yet to beat Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in 18 meetings.

De Minaur was expecting a tough run-in ahead at this year’s home Slam, starting in the first round against former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini, before the Italian announced on Saturday that he was withdrawing from the event due to fitness concerns, leaving De Minaur to instead face lucky loser Mackenzie McDonald of the US**.** With a potential quarter-final against Alcaraz. Can this be the season he makes it to the final four of a major?

Talking of Alcaraz, he begins his campaign against another Australian, world No. 79 Adam Walton, who is in the main draw for the third year in a row.

With 2022 doubles champions Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios choosing to channel their efforts towards a second title, Rinky Hijikata is one to keep an eye on. The Youth Olympic doubles silver medallist won the Australian Open men’s doubles titles three years ago, and now enters the singles main draw on a wildcard.

2026 Australian Open – Maya Joint and Daria Kasatkina search for statement runs

The women’s singles draw features an Australian seed for the first time since 2022, and it is 19-year-old Joint who makes her debut as a Grand Slam seeded player.

Going in as the 30th seed and ranked at No. 32, she had her first taste of the Australian Open main draw last year against seventh seed Jessica Pegula. A 6-3, 6-0 loss was a learning curve for the teenager who then went on to claim her first two career titles.

This year, Joint will look to kickstart a home tournament run against a fellow teenage talent, Tereza Valentová of Czechia, in round one.

Although unseeded, Australia can also look to Daria Kasatkina as a contender to make the second week. This will be the Youth Olympic silver medallist’s first time playing at Melbourne Park under the Australian flag, after formally switching nationality last March.

Kasatkina is looking forward to the fresh start after curtailing her 2025 season two months early for rest. Though she has dropped from last year’s ninth seed to world No. 48, it will be a sweet feeling taking to the Australian courts with fresh home support.

Four years on from Barty’s historic victory on Rod Laver Arena, 10 Australian women will aim to follow in her footsteps of home glory when the first round gets underway on Sunday (18 January).

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