The 2026 Australian Open draw is set, and it’s already packed with intrigue, storylines, and potential heavyweight showdowns across both halves of the bracket. With top seeds, Grand Slam champions, and rising stars scattered throughout, the road to the title in Melbourne promises to be anything but easy.
Let’s start with the top half, where things could get chaotic in a hurry.
Coco Gauff and Venus Williams - Two Generations, One Path
Coco Gauff, fresh off a strong 2025 campaign, opens her tournament against Kamilla Rakhimova. It’s a favorable matchup on paper, but Gauff knows better than to take anything for granted in the early rounds of a Slam. Just a few sections away sits Venus Williams, the two-time Australian Open finalist, who’ll need to navigate a tough opener against Serbia’s Olga Danilovic - a rising player with the kind of fearless game that can give veterans trouble.
Both Gauff and Williams find themselves in the same half of the draw as world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, which means a deep run could require going through the most dominant force in women’s tennis over the past two years.
Sabalenka: The Queen of Melbourne Returns
Sabalenka has owned the Australian summer in recent seasons, winning back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024 before falling just short in last year’s final against Madison Keys. She’s coming into Melbourne with momentum, having defended her Brisbane International title to start the year undefeated. Her first-round opponent is French wild card Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah - a name that may be unfamiliar to most fans but not to Sabalenka, who knows every match at a Slam demands full focus.
The second round could bring a rematch of her 2025 quarterfinal against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova - a player with a history of big-match performances. It’s a potential early test that could shape the tone of Sabalenka’s tournament.
Bottom Half Brings the Heat: Keys, Pegula, Anisimova in Collision Course
If you’re looking for fireworks, the bottom half’s third quarter is where the action could really heat up.
Defending champion Madison Keys, seeded ninth, is projected to meet No. 6 seed Jessica Pegula in the fourth round - a matchup that would pit two of America’s most consistent Slam performers against one another. The winner of that duel could then face Amanda Anisimova, the No. 4 seed, who is making her return to the Australian Open after a resurgent 2025 campaign that saw her reach the finals at both Wimbledon and the US Open.
Anisimova opens against Switzerland’s Simona Wiltert, and while she’ll be favored, there’s a possible third-round showdown with 2020 champion Sofia Kenin lurking just beyond. That’s the kind of draw that demands both physical endurance and mental sharpness from the very start.
Swiatek and Osaka on a Collision Course?
On the bottom line of the bracket sits No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek, who opens her tournament against a qualifier - a manageable start for the four-time major champion. But things could escalate quickly. In her section is two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka, who’s looking to reclaim her spot among the sport’s elite after a strong finish to 2025, highlighted by a semifinal run at the US Open.
Osaka begins her campaign against Antonia Ruzic, and if both she and Swiatek handle business early, we could be in for a blockbuster fourth-round clash. Two power players.
Two Grand Slam champions. One coveted spot in the quarterfinals.
With so many top-tier players packed into both halves of the draw, the 2026 Australian Open is shaping up to be a battle of attrition, talent, and timing. From Sabalenka’s title defense to Osaka’s comeback, and from Gauff’s continued rise to Venus Williams’ enduring presence, this year’s tournament has all the makings of a classic. Buckle up - Melbourne is ready to deliver.