Australian Open 2026 draw: When and where to follow

Jannik Sinner and Madison Keys are the defending champions at the Australian Open this year. While Sinner has yet to make his first appearance of the new season, Keys is currently in action at the Brisbane International.

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic are also among the favorites to win the event on the men's side. Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek will hope to dethrone Keys in the women's division.

The 2026 Australian Open will give away AUD111.5 million in prize money. The amount marks a 16% increase from last year’s prize pool of AUD 96.5 million.

On that note, let's understand when the Australian Open begins, when the main draw will be announced, the seeded players in action, and more:

When is the 2026 Australian Open?

Carlos Alcaraz during a Pre-Season Training - Source: Getty

The first Grand Slam tournament of the year will begin on January 12. The main draw action will kick off on January 18, with the finals set to take place on January 31 (women's singles) and February 1 (men's singles).

When is the draw for the Australian Open 2026?

The main draw for the Australian Open will be revealed on January 15 at 02:30 p.m. AEDT.

Where to watch the Australian Open 2026 draw?

Fans can watch the Australian Open main draw ceremony on the official website (http://ausopen.com), the Australian Open YouTube channel, and the tournament’s Facebook page.

Australian Open 2026 expected seeds: Men's and Women's singles categories

2025 Australian Open men's singles final - Source: Getty

Here are the potential seeds leading up to the Australian Open this year:

Men’s singles seeds

All 32 seeds in men’s singles:

1) Carlos Alcaraz

2) Jannik Sinner

3) Alexander Zverev

4) Novak Djokovic

5) Felix Auger-Aliassime

6) Taylor Fritz

7) Alex de Minaur

8) Lorenzo Musetti

9) Ben Shelton

10) Jack Draper

11) Alexander Bublik

12) Casper Ruud

13) Daniil Medvedev

14) Alejandro Davidovich Fokina

15) Andrey Rublev

16) Jiri Lehecka

17) Karen Khachanov

18) Jakub Mensik

19) Tommy Paul

20) Francisco Cerundolo

21) Flavio Cobolli

22) Denis Shapovalov

23) Joao Fonseca

24) Tallon Griekspoor

25) Luciano Darderi

26) Cameron Norrie

27) Learner Tien

28) Arthur Rinderknech

29) Frances Tiafoe

30) Valentin Vacherot

31) Tomas Machac

32) Brandon Nakashima

Women’s singles seeds

All 32 seeds in women’s singles:

1) Aryna Sabalenka

2) Iga Swiatek

3) Coco Gauff

4) Amanda Anisimova

5) Elena Rybakina

6) Jessica Pegula

7) Madison Keys

8) Jasmine Paolini

9) Mirra Andreeva

10) Ekaterina Alexandrova

11) Belinda Bencic

12) Linda Fruhvirtova

13) Linda Noskova

14) Elina Svitolina

15) Emma Navarro

16) Naomi Osaka

17) Liudmila Samsonova

18) Victoria Mboko

19) Karolina Muchova

20) Elise Mertns

21) Diana Shnaidr

22) Leylah Fernandez

23) Jelena Ostapenko

24) Qinwen Zheng

25) Paula Badosa

26) Marta Kostyuk

27) Dayana Yastremska

28) Sofia Kenin

29) Emma Raducanu

30) Veronika Kudermetova

31) McCartney Kessler

32) Maya Joint