Australian Open 2026: Schedule and Key Matchups

The Australian Open, the first major tennis tournament of the year, is set to take place in Melbourne, with Jannik Sinner and Madison Keys aiming to retain their titles. The competition will feature a strong British contingent, including Emma Raducanu, Cameron Norrie, Jacob Fearnley, Sonay Kartal, and Fran Jones, who will be competing in the main draw. The top-ranked players will automatically qualify for the main draw, which will also include eight wildcard entries and 16 qualifiers. The singles tournament will commence on January 18, with the women's final scheduled for January 31 and the men's final for February 1. The main draw will take place on January 15 at 2:30 pm local time. Melbourne Park, the home of the Australian Open since 1988, boasts three show courts: the Rod Laver Arena, the John Cain Arena, and the Margaret Court Arena. The tournament will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, with coverage starting from midnight UK and Ireland time each day. The schedule includes the first round from January 18-20, followed by the second round from January 21-22, and the third round from January 23-24. The quarter-finals will take place from January 25-26, with the women's semi-finals on January 29 and the men's semi-finals on January 30. The women's final will be held on January 31 at 8:30 am UK and Ireland time, and the men's final will take place on February 1 at 8:30 am UK and Ireland time. The Australian Open will also feature a number of other exciting matches, including the participation of British players such as Emma Raducanu, who enjoyed a career-best run in 2025, and Sonay Kartal, who will be looking to build on her strong 2025 season. Fran Jones, who was born with a rare genetic condition, will be aiming for her first Grand Slam win. Katie Boulter will headline the British contingent in the qualifying rounds, which will commence on January 12. Cam Norrie will be looking to continue his excellent form after reaching the quarter-finals at Wimbledon and the third round at the US Open. Jacob Fearnley caused an upset on his Australian Open debut last year, beating Nick Kyrgios in the first round. Unfortunately, Jack Draper has withdrawn from the tournament due to injury. The total prize money for the Australian Open has increased by 16 per cent, with the singles winners set to receive A$4.15m. The tournament will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, with customers able to access over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost.