The Australian Open is here! The Tennis Gazette provides all the key information about the event.
The 2026 season started two weeks ago, but the first Grand Slam of the year is when tennis fans really get excited.
And this Australian Open promises to be as entertaining as ever, with so many interesting storylines to keep an eye on.
Here is everything you need to know about the tournament, including the schedule, how to watch, and prize money.
The Australian Open is the best Grand Slam… discuss!
When is the Australian Open?
The 2026 Australian Open takes place at Melbourne Park between Sunday, January 18, and Sunday, February 1.
Australian Open schedule
Here is the full schedule for the Australian Open in Melbourne over the next two weeks:
| Dates | Matches |
| January 18-20 | First round |
| January 21-22 | Second round |
| January 23-24 | Third round |
| January 25-26 | Fourth round |
| January 27-28 | Quarterfinals |
| January 29 | Women’s semifinals |
| January 30 | Men’s semifinals |
| January 31 | Women’s final |
| February 1 | Men’s Final |
How to watch the Australian Open
Tennis fans can watch live coverage of the Australian Open throughout the tournament on ESPN, ESPN 2, and ESPN Deportes in the United States.
Australian Open top seeds
Here are the top eight seeds in the men’s and women’s draws at the Australian Open:
| Seeds | Men’s | Women’s |
| 1 | Carlos Alcaraz | Aryna Sabalenka |
| 2 | Jannik Sinner | Iga Swiatek |
| 3 | Alexander Zverev | Coco Gauff |
| 4 | Novak Djokovic | Amanda Anisimova |
| 5 | Lorenzo Musetti | Elena Rybakina |
| 6 | Alex de Minaur | Jessica Pegula |
| 7 | Felix Auger-Aliassime | Jasmine Paolini |
| 8 | Ben Shelton | Mirra Andreeva |
Which American man and woman do you think will go furthest at the Australian Open?
Australian Open prize money and ranking points
A record prize pool of $111.5 million AUD ($166.6m USD) is available to players at the Australian Open. This represents a 16 percent increase from last year.
| Round | Prize Money AUD (USD) | Men’s | Women’s |
| Champion | $4.15m ($2.78m) | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| Final | $2.15m ($1.44m) | 1,300 | 1,300 |
| Semifinal | $1.25m ($840k) | 800 | 780 |
| Quarterfinal | $750k ($501k) | 400 | 430 |
| Fourth round | $480k ($321k) | 200 | 240 |
| Third round | $328k ($219k) | 100 | 130 |
| Second round | $225k ($151k) | 50 | 70 |
| First round | $150k ($100k) | 10 | 10 |
Who won the 2025 Australian Open?
Jannik Sinner won the men’s singles title at the Australian Open last year. He beat Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 in the final.
Madison Keys won her first Grand Slam at the 2025 Australian Open. Keys defeated the top two seeds in the tournament (Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka).
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