Australian Open 2026 Preview: Can Anyone Stop Alcaraz or Sinner?

The first tennis major of the season begins on January 18, with the start of the 2026 Australian Open. The hard courts of Melbourne Park will once again play host as the best players in the world descend on Australia, all looking to start their season in the best possible way.

Defending champions Jannik Sinner and Madison Keys will return to try to build on their 2025 success, with Sinner chasing his third consecutive Australian Open title.

Tennis fans will once more turn their attention to the already legendary rivalry developing between Sinner and world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz. Both men are strong favourites to reach the final of another Grand Slam. However, it is worth noting that Alcaraz has yet to reach the final at Melbourne Park; his best performances to date have been two quarterfinal appearances. Will 2026 be the year he breaks that trend? We will have to wait and see.

In the women’s event, another highly competitive Grand Slam looks likely. Aryna Sabalenka, the world No.1, Iga Swiatek, seeking her first Australian Open title to complete a career Grand Slam, Elena Rybakina, who ended 2025 in fine form, along with Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova, all appear capable of mounting a serious title challenge.

2026 Australian Open: Is Another Alcaraz vs Sinner Clash on the Cards?

Between them, the pair have won the last eight Grand Slam titles, sharing four apiece, while producing some of the highest-quality matches seen in recent years. Last year’s French Open final between the two was unforgettable, and fans are already dreaming of a potential 17th meeting between Sinner and Alcaraz—this time on the final day of the 2026 Australian Open. Alcaraz leads their head-to-head 10–6, although Sinner won their most recent encounter at the ATP Tour Finals in November 2025.

In 2025, they became the first men to contest three consecutive Grand Slam finals in the same calendar year. Remarkably, they have also won 18 of the last 19 tournaments in which both have competed. Such dominance offers little encouragement to the rest of the tour, including a 38-year-old Novak Djokovic, who remains hopeful of capturing a historic 25th Grand Slam title in 2026.

Alexander Zverev and Ben Shelton are among those who could pose a threat if the top two suffer an unexpected early exit. However, given the current level of supremacy displayed by Alcaraz and Sinner, it remains highly likely that one of them will lift the trophy by February 1.

Much to Play for on the Women’s Side

The women’s draw appears far more open and competitive than the men’s event. Madison Keys secured her first Grand Slam title last year, defeating Rybakina, Swiatek, and Sabalenka along the way. Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, and Aryna Sabalenka claimed the remaining three majors in 2025, with victories in Paris, Wimbledon, and the US Open, respectively.

Sabalenka boasts a strong recent record in Melbourne, having reached the last three finals and winning two of them. Although she lost to Keys in 2025, her current form makes her a deserved favourite to claim the fifth Grand Slam title of her career.

Swiatek needs only a win in Melbourne to complete her career Grand Slam at just 24 years of age. While she has yet to reach an Australian Open final, she has made two semifinal appearances and began 2026 by helping Poland win the United Cup.

Also in contention is a revitalised Elena Rybakina. Despite a mixed 2025 season, she finished the year with a flawless, undefeated run at the WTA Finals. If she can replicate that level, she is a genuine threat to secure her second Grand Slam title, following her 2022 Wimbledon triumph. Other notable contenders include Coco Gauff, who is chasing a third major title to add to her 2023 US Open and 2025 French Open victories, and Amanda Anisimova, runner-up at both Wimbledon and the US Open in 2025.

Conclusion

The men’s tournament may lack some suspense given the brilliance and dominance of tennis’s new “Big Two,” but the women’s event promises drama, depth, and unpredictability, with several players capable of shining over the two weeks in Melbourne. Fans can catch all the action from January 18 to February 1, with TNT Sports providing live coverage throughout the tournament.

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