Introduction to the Australian Open
The Australian Open is one of the most highly anticipated events in the world of tennis, and the 2026 edition promises to be just as exciting. With a new year comes new opportunities for players to make their mark on the sport, and fans are eager to see who will emerge victorious. Get ready for the 2026 Australian Open with a guide that tells you everything you need to know about how to watch the first Grand Slam tennis tournament of the season on TV, who the defending champions are, what the schedule is and more.
Opening Day at Melbourne Park
Singles play begins Sunday at 11 a.m. local time (7 p.m. Saturday EST) around the grounds, with the first match in Rod Laver Arena scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. (7:30 p.m. Saturday EST). The excitement is building, and fans are eagerly awaiting the start of the tournament.
Where to Watch the Australian Open on TV
For fans in the U.S., the Australian Open will be broadcast on ESPN and Tennis Channel. For those in other countries, a list of broadcast channels is available. With the rise of streaming services, it’s easier than ever to catch all the action from the comfort of your own home.
Defending Champions at the Australian Open
Madison Keys of the United States and Jannik Sinner of Italy won the 2025 singles trophies. Keys beat No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 for her first Grand Slam trophy. Sinner beat Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3 to successfully defend his title at Melbourne Park. Will they be able to repeat their success in 2026?
Sunday Schedule
Seventh-seeded Jasmine Paolini will play Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the opening match on Rod Laver Arena, followed by men’s No. 3 Alexander Zverev against Gabriel Diallo. The center court night session will feature Sabalenka against Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah followed by Carlos Alcaraz against Adam Walton. Emma Raducanu has the closing match on Margaret Court Arena against Mananchaya Sawangkaew. Venus Williams has the last match on John Cain Arena on Day 1 against Olga Danilovic.
Top Seeds in Melbourne
Sabalenka will be the top-seeded woman and Alcaraz the top-seeded man. The draw was held Thursday, and fans are eager to see how the tournament will play out.
More About the Year’s 1st Grand Slam Event
The Australian Open is played outdoors on hard courts at Melbourne Park, located along the Yarra River near downtown Melbourne. There are retractable roofs at Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena and John Cain Arena. Women play best-of-three-set matches with a first-to-10, win-by-two tiebreaker at 6-all in the third; men play best-of-five with a tiebreaker at 6-all in the fifth. Like at the U.S. Open and French Open, there are night sessions. The tournament is staged each year around the last two weeks of January, during the school summer break Down Under.
What’s New
The Australian Open has introduced “opening week” where the Melbourne Park precinct is open to the public from the start of the qualifying tournament, and live music was staged every night at Grand Slam Oval. Fans were able to watch open practice sessions in Rod Laver Arena to see some of the sport’s biggest names preparing for the first major of the year. Tennis Australia says more than 175,000 fans attended across Monday to Friday. On Wednesday, as part of the pre-tournament activities, a little-known local amateur player beat Jannik Sinner and went on to make himself a millionaire in Australian dollars after winning the 1 Point Slam.
Who’s Back This Year
Williams is set to become the oldest woman at 45 to compete in an Australian Open main draw, surpassing the record previously held by Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she lost in the first round at Melbourne Park in 2015. Williams received a wild-card entry. And another familiar face is back, but not playing competitively — Roger Federer. He’s part of Saturday night’s opening ceremony. On Friday, Federer returned to a packed-out Rod Laver Arena for the first time since 2020 for a practice session with Casper Rudd.
Singles Schedule at the Australian Open
— Jan. 18-19-20: First Round (Women and Men)
— Jan. 21-22: Second Round (Women and Men)
— Jan. 23-24: Third Round (Women and Men)
— Jan. 25-26: Fourth Round (Women and Men)
— Jan. 27-28: Quarterfinals (Women and Men)
— Jan. 29: Women’s Semifinals
— Jan. 30: Men’s Semifinals
— Jan. 31: Women’s Final
— Feb. 1: Men’s Final
2026 Prize Money at the Australian Open
Australian Open prize money has increased by 16% from last year to a record total in local currency of 111.5 million Australian dollars ($75 million). That was up from 96.5 million Australian dollars in 2025. The women’s and men’s singles champions will win 4.15 million Australian dollars ($2.8 million), a 19% increase from last year.
Conclusion
The 2026 Australian Open promises to be an exciting event, with a strong field of competitors and a number of new initiatives to enhance the fan experience. With its rich history and tradition of excellence, the Australian Open is a must-watch for tennis fans around the world.
FAQs
Q: When does the Australian Open start?
A: The Australian Open starts on January 18, 2026.
Q: Who are the defending champions?
A: Madison Keys and Jannik Sinner are the defending champions.
Q: Where can I watch the Australian Open on TV?
A: The Australian Open will be broadcast on ESPN and Tennis Channel in the U.S., and on other channels in other countries.
Q: What is the prize money for the 2026 Australian Open?
A: The total prize money for the 2026 Australian Open is 111.5 million Australian dollars ($75 million).
