The Australian Open is officially underway, which means the best tennis players from across the globe have descended on Melbourne's sun-drenched blue courts. Across the two week tournament, men and women will compete for a share in a prize pool of a whopping AUD $111.5 million.
If you're tuning in from home or picking up a ground pass, it can be hard to know which matches — or more importantly, players — to take notice of. That's where we come in. Below, 12 tennis players worth paying attention to at the Australian Open in 2026.
Aryna Sabalenka
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Need we really say more? This 27-year-old powerhouse player and World No. 1 hails from Belarus, and is more than a shoe-in at taking home the Australian Open in the women's singles category (she's won it twice before). At last year's tournament she fell short at the final hurdle, coming second to US player Madison Keys. Could 2026 be the year she reclaims her title?
Victoria Mboko
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Mboko's rise has been nothing short of meteoric. This time last year, the 19-year-old Canadian wasn't even inside the top 300, but as of this January, she's the World No. 17. She made her professional debut at the WTA 1000 in Montreal in 2025, beating the likes of Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina and Naomi Osaka throughout the tournament. Can she do it again at the AO? Time will tell.
Priscilla Hon
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27-year-old Priscilla Hon hails from Brisbane, Australia but has quickly made a name for herself on the world stage. She made her main draw debut at the Australian Open as a wildcard when she was just 16 — and has gone on to compete at major tournments like the French and US Opens in the years since. At present, Hon is ranked No. 95 in the world.
Clara Tauson
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Danish player Clara Tauson is currently sitting at a career-high ranking of World No. 12. In round one at this year's AO, she's already defeated Hungarian Dalma Galfi, and will play Paulina Kudermetova in round two.
Coco Gauff
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We know we're not alone as fans of Coco Gauff. The 21-year-old World No. 3 has long proven her prowess on the court, beating some of the biggest and best players since her professional debut in May 2018. She won her debut Grand Slam singles crown in 2023 on home soil at the US Open, and her second at Roland Garros in 2025. Could the AO in 2026 mark her third?
Madison Keys
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30-year-old Madison Keys won her first-ever Grand Slam title last year at the Australian Open, in a monumental victory against Aryna Sabalenka. The win, helped by her coach and husband Bjorn Fratangelo, made her the oldest first-time Australian Open champion at 29-years-old. Can she repeat the win in 2026?
Daria Kasatkina
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Daria Kasatkina originally hails from Russia, but she now counts herself as an Australian citizen. Her path to get here has been somewhat tumultuous — in 2022, the same year she reached her first rand slam semi-final, at the French Open, Kasatkina announced she was gay. As a result of backlash from her home country, she defected from Russia and claimed allegiance to Australia — with citizenship officially granted during this year's AO. She's currently ranked No. 43 in the world.
Carlos Alcarez
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World No. 1 Carlos Alcarez is no stranger to a Grand Slam — in fact, the 23-year-old has already won six. If he takes home the trophy at the AO this year, he'll become just the sixth man – and youngest – in the Open Era to win all four major titles at least once.
Alex de Minaur
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Australian Alex de Minaur is ranked Word No. 6. The 26-year-old turned pro in 2015, but has yet to claim a Grand Slam title. We're hoping 2026 could be the year for Australia's top seed.
Stan Wawrinka
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2026 marks a monumental year for 40-year-old Swiss player, Stan Warinka. Not only is it 20-years since he first played at the Australian Open, but it will also be his last, with the player retiring this year. Aussie fans, if you're hoping to see Warinka play in person, this might be your last chance.
Hubert Hurkacz
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Polish player Hubert Hurkacz is one to watch this year. In 2024, he reached the quarterfinals for the first time at the Australian Open — so we'll be watching closely if he can best himself this year.
Rinky Hijikata
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24-year-old Australian Rinky Hijikata is a wildcard entrant to this year's Australian Open. He's already advanced to the second round, defeating France’s Adrian Mannarino in straight sets.
