The 2026 Australian Open is right around the corner…
In 2025, Jannik Sinner won the men’s tournament, while Madison Keys won the women’s title.
Sinner returns as the favorite this year, although Keys isn’t fancied to defend her crown.
The Australian Open is the best Grand Slam… discuss!
Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina are seen as more likely winners.
During the latest episode of ‘Served with Andy Roddick‘, the former world number one predicted the men’s and women’s singles champions for the 2026 Australian Open.
Andy Roddick backs Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka to win the Australian Open
“I’m going to take a flyer here and take [Aryna] Sabalenka to win the Australian Open,” he said.
“I think she wins it again.”
Sabalenka has won 20 of her last 21 matches at the Australian Open, only missing out on a third consecutive title in a deciding set final a year ago.
Aryna Sabalenka’s Australian Open streak
| Match | Opponent | Result | Score |
| 2025 Australian Open – F | Madison Keys | LOSS | 3-6, 6-2, 5-7 |
| 2025 Australian Open – SF | Paula Badosa | WIN | 6-4, 6-2 |
| 2025 Australian Open – QF | Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova | WIN | 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 |
| 2025 Australian Open – 4R | Mirra Andreeva | WIN | 6-1, 6-2 |
| 2025 Australian Open – 3R | Clara Tauson | WIN | 7-6, 6-4 |
| 2025 Australian Open – 2R | Jessica Bouzas Maneiro | WIN | 6-3, 7-5 |
| 2025 Australian Open – 1R | Sloane Stephens | WIN | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 2024 Australian Open – F | Qinwen Zheng | WIN | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 2024 Australian Open – SF | Coco Gauff | WIN | 7-6, 6-4 |
| 2024 Australian Open – QF | Barbora Krejcikova | WIN | 6-2, 6-3 |
| 2024 Australian Open – 4R | Amanda Anisimova | WIN | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 2024 Australian Open – 3R | Lesia Tsurenko | WIN | 6-0, 6-0 |
| 2024 Australian Open – 2R | Brenda Fruhvirtova | WIN | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 2024 Australian Open – 1R | Ella Seidel | WIN | 6-0, 6-1 |
| 2023 Australian Open – F | Elena Rybakina | WIN | 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 |
| 2023 Australian Open – SF | Magda Linette | WIN | 7-6, 6-2 |
| 2023 Australian Open – QF | Donna Vekic | WIN | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 2023 Australian Open – 4R | Belinda Bencic | WIN | 7-5, 6-2 |
| 2023 Australian Open – 3R | Elise Mertens | WIN | 6-2, 6-3 |
| 2023 Australian Open – 2R | Shelby Rogers | WIN | 6-3, 6-1 |
| 2023 Australian Open – 1R | Tereza Martincova | WIN | 6-1, 6-4 |
Looking at those numbers, it’s hard to imagine anyone other than Sabalenka lifting the trophy at the end of the month.
But who did Roddick pick to win the men’s title?
“I have [Jannik] Sinner to win the tournament,” he said.
Roddick is backing Sinner to become a three-time Australian Open champion in 2026, but doesn’t think the Italian’s draw is as easy as it looks.
“The first two rounds are very comfortable,” he said.
“I think if you’re Sinner, all you want to do is avoid people who have something that can bother you.
“There can be really, really good players that don’t have an elite skill to rip your head off with.
“[Joao] Fonseca can rip the cover off the ball, he can make Jannik uncomfortable, I don’t think he’ll do it at scale, I think it’s too early in his career.
“But if you’re Jannik, the [Karen] Khachanovs’ the Michelsen’s… You don’t want to play [Giovanni] Mpetshi Perricard, because he has that elite skill that can actually take you out of it.
Who has the most difficult Australian Open draw?
“I don’t think it’s the hardest draw for most people, but for Sinner, you just don’t want anything weird.
“Fonseca has this weird amount of power on both sides, Mpetshi Perricard is a strange matchup…”
Jannik Sinner’s Australian Open draw in full
Roddick mentioned some of the unseeded players who could cause Sinner problems, but who is he most likely to meet en route to the final?
| Round | Highest-ranked potential opponent | Potential seeded opponents |
| 1R | Hugo Gaston (94) | – |
| 2R | James Duckworth (86) | – |
| 3R | Joao Fonseca (30) | Joao Fonseca [28] |
| 4R | Karen Khachanov (17) | Karen Khachanov [15], Luciano Darderi [22] |
| QF | Ben Shelton (8) | Ben Shelton [8], Casper Ruud [12], Denis Shapovalov [21], Valentin Vacherot [30] |
| SF | Novak Djokovic (4) | Novak Djokovic [4], Lorenzo Musetti [5], Taylor Fritz [9], Jakub Mensik [16], Jiri Lehecka [17], Tallon Griekspoor [23], Brandon Nakashima [27], Stefanos Tsitsipas [31] |
| F | Carlos Alcaraz (1) | Carlos Alcaraz [1], Alexander Zverev [3], Alex de Minaur [6], Felix Auger-Aliassime [7], Alexander Bublik [10], Daniil Medvedev [11], Andrey Rublev [13], Alejandro Davidovich Fokina [14], Francisco Cerundolo [18], Tommy Paul [19], Flavio Cobolli [20], Arthur Rinderknech [24], Learner Tien [25], Cameron Norrie [26], Frances Tiafoe [29], Corentin Moutet [32] |
If the highest-ranked players all advance, Sinner would need to beat Hugo Gaston, James Duckworth, Joao Fonseca, Karen Khachanov, Ben Shelton, Novak Djokovic, and Carlos Alcaraz to clinch his third Australian Open title.
Only time will tell if Sinner will emerge victorious down under…
Sinner will begin his 2026 Australian Open campaign on Monday, January 19 or Tuesday, January 20, against Gaston.
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