DATE: 18 January - 1 February 2026
SURFACE: Hard
PRIZE MONEY: A$49,171,000
FIELD SIZE: 128
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Jannick Sinner
The Tournament:
Nicknamed "The Happy Slam", The Australian Open is the first of the four Grand Slam tennis events of the year and has been staged since 1905. Prior to 1988 the tournament was played on grass. Since 1988 two types of hardcourt surfaces have been used at Melbourne Park (formely known as Flinders Park) - Rebound Ace to 2007 and then Plexicushion.
The competition features men's and women's singles, men's, women's and mixed doubles, juniors’ championships, wheelchair, legends, and exhibition events.
The showcourts are the Rod Laver Arena (15,000 seats), Margaret Court Arena (7,500 seats), Melbourne Arena (9,600 seats), and two other show courts (2&3) with approximately 3,000 seats. The three main arenas have retractable roofs.
About Melbourne:
Melbourne is the state capital of Victoria and is widely regarded as one of the world’s most liveable cities, frequently ranking near the top of global liveability indexes. It is Australia’s second-largest city after Sydney, with a metropolitan population of just over 5 million people.
Founded in 1835 during the Victorian gold rush era, Melbourne sits on the northern edge of the expansive natural harbour of Port Phillip Bay. From its bayside suburbs, the city fans out toward the Dandenong and Macedon Ranges, the Mornington Peninsula, and the renowned wine regions of the Yarra Valley — giving it a rare mix of urban density, coastline, and countryside within easy reach.
At the heart of the city is Federation Square, a modern civic precinct on the banks of the Yarra River that serves as a cultural meeting point, hosting major sporting broadcasts, festivals, exhibitions, and live performances. Just across the river, Southbank is home to the Melbourne Arts Precinct, which includes Arts Centre Melbourne—one of the largest performing arts centres in the Southern Hemisphere and the National Gallery of Victoria, Australia’s oldest and most visited art museum, with world-class Australian and Indigenous collections.
Often described as Australia’s sporting capital, Melbourne is synonymous with major international events, none more so than the Australian Open. Each January, the city comes alive as players and fans from around the world converge on Melbourne Park, drawn not only by world-class tennis, but by the city’s vibrant food culture, café scene, street art, and famously unpredictable weather—sometimes all four seasons in a single day.
Seeds:
1. Carlos Alcaraz
2. Jannik Sinner
3. Alexander Zverev
4. Novak Djokovic
5. Lorenzo Musetti
6. Alex de Minaur
7. Felix Auger-Aliassime
8. Ben Shelton
9. Taylor Fritz
10. Alexander Bublik
11. Daniil Medvedev
12. Casper Ruud
13. Andrey Rublev
14. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
15. Karen Khachanov
16. Jakub Mensik
17. Jiri Lehecka
18. Francisco Cerundolo
19. Tommy Paul
20. Flavio Cobolli
21. Denis Shapovalov
22. Luciano Darderi
23. Tallon Griekspoor
24. Arthur Rinderknech
25. Learner Tien
26. Cameron Norrie
27. Brandon Nakashima
28. Joao Fonseca
29. Frances Tiafoe
30. Valentin Vacherot
31. Stefanos Tsitsipas
32. Corentin Moutet
SURFACE: Hard
PRIZE MONEY: A$49,171,000
FIELD SIZE: 128
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Jannick Sinner
The Tournament:
Nicknamed "The Happy Slam", The Australian Open is the first of the four Grand Slam tennis events of the year and has been staged since 1905. Prior to 1988 the tournament was played on grass. Since 1988 two types of hardcourt surfaces have been used at Melbourne Park (formely known as Flinders Park) - Rebound Ace to 2007 and then Plexicushion.
The competition features men's and women's singles, men's, women's and mixed doubles, juniors’ championships, wheelchair, legends, and exhibition events.
The showcourts are the Rod Laver Arena (15,000 seats), Margaret Court Arena (7,500 seats), Melbourne Arena (9,600 seats), and two other show courts (2&3) with approximately 3,000 seats. The three main arenas have retractable roofs.
About Melbourne:
Melbourne is the state capital of Victoria and is widely regarded as one of the world’s most liveable cities, frequently ranking near the top of global liveability indexes. It is Australia’s second-largest city after Sydney, with a metropolitan population of just over 5 million people.
Founded in 1835 during the Victorian gold rush era, Melbourne sits on the northern edge of the expansive natural harbour of Port Phillip Bay. From its bayside suburbs, the city fans out toward the Dandenong and Macedon Ranges, the Mornington Peninsula, and the renowned wine regions of the Yarra Valley — giving it a rare mix of urban density, coastline, and countryside within easy reach.
At the heart of the city is Federation Square, a modern civic precinct on the banks of the Yarra River that serves as a cultural meeting point, hosting major sporting broadcasts, festivals, exhibitions, and live performances. Just across the river, Southbank is home to the Melbourne Arts Precinct, which includes Arts Centre Melbourne—one of the largest performing arts centres in the Southern Hemisphere and the National Gallery of Victoria, Australia’s oldest and most visited art museum, with world-class Australian and Indigenous collections.
Often described as Australia’s sporting capital, Melbourne is synonymous with major international events, none more so than the Australian Open. Each January, the city comes alive as players and fans from around the world converge on Melbourne Park, drawn not only by world-class tennis, but by the city’s vibrant food culture, café scene, street art, and famously unpredictable weather—sometimes all four seasons in a single day.
Seeds:
1. Carlos Alcaraz
2. Jannik Sinner
3. Alexander Zverev
4. Novak Djokovic
5. Lorenzo Musetti
6. Alex de Minaur
7. Felix Auger-Aliassime
8. Ben Shelton
9. Taylor Fritz
10. Alexander Bublik
11. Daniil Medvedev
12. Casper Ruud
13. Andrey Rublev
14. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
15. Karen Khachanov
16. Jakub Mensik
17. Jiri Lehecka
18. Francisco Cerundolo
19. Tommy Paul
20. Flavio Cobolli
21. Denis Shapovalov
22. Luciano Darderi
23. Tallon Griekspoor
24. Arthur Rinderknech
25. Learner Tien
26. Cameron Norrie
27. Brandon Nakashima
28. Joao Fonseca
29. Frances Tiafoe
30. Valentin Vacherot
31. Stefanos Tsitsipas
32. Corentin Moutet
