This year’s tournament boasts a bumper prize pot of A$111.5 million (£55.5m), the largest sum of money ever given out in Australian Open history. That figure represents a 16% uplift on the 2025 total, which was also a record-breaking purse.
The Australian Open has evenly distributed funds between the men’s and women’s singles divisions since 2001, when American duo Andre Agassi and Jennifer Capriati were crowned champions.
This year’s winners will receive an eye-watering A$4.15 million (£2.2m) (alongside 2000 ATP/WTA points), while the runners-up are set to take home A$2.15 million (£1.06m).
The tournament has been staged at Melbourne Park for almost three decades, although it was previously held at various venues across Australia.
It’s also taken place across the Tasman Sea, with New Zealand (specifically Christchurch and Hastings) playing host on two occasions at the beginning of the 20th century.
Between Monday and Thursday of this week, a field of 256 male and female singles players will participate in the pre-tournament qualifiers.
Only 32 of these players will make it through to the first round proper, after successfully navigating three qualifying matches. Spectators at Melbourne Park can also currently enjoy AO Opening Week, which provides a range of activities and events – such as open practice sessions, DJ sets, and special guest appearances – before the main draw commences at the weekend.
In addition to the singles events, the strongest players across the doubles, wheelchair, and junior divisions will compete in Melbourne.
The AO Legends Trophy also returns for a second year, with a handful of former professionals ready to once again go toe-to-toe.
The inaugural edition saw ‘Team Australia’ – consisting of Lleyton Hewitt, Casey Dellacqua, Alicia Molik, Mark Philippoussis, Pat Rafter and Sam Stosur – claim the title after defeating ‘Team World’ in a series of singles and doubles matches.
This year’s Australian Open will be broadcast exclusively live on TNT Sports, although discovery+ customers can also access this footage through the streaming platform’s dedicated app service.
Who are the favourites?
Although a range of events will be contested at the 2026 Australian Open, the men’s and women’s singles competitions will inevitably attract the most attention.
There are several competitors with a realistic chance of securing silverware this time around, most of whom have previously emerged triumphant at Melbourne Park.
The bookmakers have already selected their favourites ahead of Sunday’s opening set of matches – who do you think will win the first major of the calendar year?
We briefly review the credentials of the most likely title challengers below.
Men’s Singles
Jannik Sinner
Having successfully defended his Australian Open crown last year, Jannik Sinner unsurprisingly arrives in Victoria as the overwhelming favourite.
The Italian defeated fellow finalist Daniil Medvedev in a five-set thriller two years ago, before registering a more routine victory over Alexander Zverev in the 2025 showpiece.
The biggest threat to him achieving a third consecutive title is undoubtedly Carlos Alcaraz, whom he faced in last year’s three other Grand Slam finals. Sinner only managed to prevail on one of those occasions, winning at Wimbledon to offset disappointments in Paris and New York.
However, he did manage to overcome the Spaniard in November’s ATP Finals to add yet another trophy to his ever-increasing haul.
After being suspended for three months last year following an accidental administration of the banned anabolic substance Clostebol, Sinner will be desperate to make up for lost time.
Therefore, don’t be surprised if the 24-year-old talent – who has been appointed second seed as a result of his world number two ranking – lifts the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup aloft for a third time in quick succession.
Carlos Alcaraz
Having been building his hegemony over the ATP circuit following landmark victories at Flushing Meadows and Wimbledon during the very early stages of his professional career, Carlos Alcaraz now must share the limelight with the aforementioned Jannik Sinner.
Although Alcaraz has the superior head-to-head record in clashes between the pair and currently sits at the summit of the ATP rankings, it’s arguable that his familiar foe is currently considered the more intimidating opponent.
However, the Murcia-born star has further motivation to clinch this year’s title, given that the Australian Open is now the only Grand Slam trophy he hasn’t won.
Alcaraz has remarkably never reached the last four in any of his five previous appearances in Melbourne, although he was eliminated at the quarter-final stage in 2024 and 2025 following losses to Alexander Zverev and serial champion Novak Djokovic respectively.
Novak Djokovic
No player has enjoyed more success in this competition than modern legend Novak Djokovic, who claimed a staggering tenth Australian Open title in 2023. Exactly fifteen years earlier, the skilful Serbian beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at Melbourne Park to land the first of his titanic haul of 24 Grand Slam crowns.
Djokovic bowed out at the semi-final stage in each of the previous two editions of the ‘happy’ slam, losing to eventual winner Jannik Sinner in 2024 before being forced to retire during his meeting with Alexander Zverev just over twelve months ago.
Having withdrawn shortly after Zverev took the opening set, the seven-time Wimbledon champion later revealed he was nursing a torn muscle in his left leg in the lead-up to the semi-final.
The nature of his premature exit – which was greeted by a cacophony of boos at the Rod Laver Arena – initially sparked fears that he may have made his last Australian Open appearance.
However, Djokovic will be desperate to achieve a record-extending eleventh Australian Open success this month, having not won a major since his emphatic display at Flushing Meadows in 2024.
Women’s Singles
Aryna Sabalenka
Ahead of the first Grand Slam final of 2025, Aryna Sabalenka was aiming to become just the sixth woman in history to land a third consecutive Australian Open title.
However, after edging past Kazakh youngster Elena Rybakina in the 2023 showpiece and delivering a straight-sets triumph over surprise finalist Zheng Qinwen twelve months later, Sabalenka was unable to write herself into the record books last year.
The Belarusian’s bid for three-in-a-row was thwarted by an unlikely candidate, as nineteenth seed Madison Keys celebrated a maiden Grand Slam triumph.
Despite that early disappointment in Melbourne, it was a largely positive 2025 for Sabalenka. The 27-year-old featured in the French Open final for the first time in her career (although lost to Coco Gauff) and reached the last four of Wimbledon in the summer, before successfully defending her U.S Open crown.
After falling at the final hurdle of the ATP Finals in Riyadh, she took on maverick Aussie Nick Kyrgios – who recently confirmed he wouldn’t be entering this year’s Men’s Singles event at Melbourne Park – in the controversial ‘Battle of the Sexes’ clash.
Iga Świątek
Although Iga Świątek has acquired all three other Grand Slam titles on at least one occasion, a first Australian Open crown still remains elusive. The Pole’s best-ever performances at Melbourne Park came in 2022 and 2025, when she exited in the semi-finals.
She was beaten by an American opponent on both of these occasions, firstly losing to Danielle Collins before being ousted by eventual champion Madison Keys last year.
A clay court specialist, Świątek secured her fourth French Open title in 2024 when she swept aside Italian Jasmine Paolini in straight sets. However, she’s only managed to land one major since her latest success at Roland Garros, clinching silverware at Wimbledon thanks to an extremely rare double-bagel triumph over Amanda Anisimova.
Nevertheless, the gifted youngster did manage to win the Cincinnati Open last August at the seventh time of asking, as well as progress to the last four of three other WTA 1000 tournaments throughout 2025.
Can she achieve the Holy Grail by completing a Career Grand Slam later this month?
Elena Rybakina
Six months after recovering from a set down against Ons Jabeur to earn an unlikely Wimbledon crown, Elena Rybakina reached the final of the 2023 Australian Open. Despite succumbing to an irrepressible Aryna Sabalenka, her performance at Melbourne Park ensured she became the first Kazakh representative to break into the top ten places of either the WTA or ATP rankings.
Having failed to progress to the latter stages since that sensational run to the 2023 showpiece, Rybakina will be desperate to prove her credentials this time round, particularly after a challenging past twelve months.
The Moscow-born competitor was knocked out in the fourth round of the Australian, French, and U.S Opens, and wasn’t even able make it to the last sixteen at SW19. She did manage to secure titles at the Internationaux de Strasbourg and Ningbo Open, although didn’t register a single appearance at a WTA 1000 final.
However, her year did end on an incredible high. Having navigated through the entire WTA Finals without incurring a defeat, Rybakina received a colossal $5.235 million (£2.603m) – the biggest cash reward ever paid in women’s sporting history – for her efforts in the Saudi capital.
A potentially career-defining 2026 awaits….
Where to watch on TV or live stream?
TNT Sports are providing comprehensive coverage of this year’s Australian Open, with viewers able to watch every contest live and access full match replays via the network’s website.
Alternatively, those with a relevant subscription can stream all the action from Melbourne via the discovery+ app, which is available to download from Smart TV content stores, the Apple App Store, and Google Play.