Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic may already have an advantage over Carlos Alcaraz for the 2026 Australian Open

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With the 2025 Grand Slam campaign done and dusted, eyes are beginning to turn to the 2026 Australian Open…

Tennis will head to Melbourne in a few months for the 114th edition of the Australian Open.

Italy’s Jannik Sinner won the Australian Open in 2025 and 2024, and will return as a heavy favorite to win his third in 2026.

The only other ‘active’ player to have won the title since 2015 is Novak Djokovic, the most successful player in tournament history.

World number one Carlos Alcaraz will be desperate to beat his two biggest rivals to the title in 2026 as he looks to complete his Career Grand Slam, although his chances may have taken a hit recently.

Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic could benefit from longer off-seasons when they play the Australian Open

On Monday, Sinner announced his withdrawal from the 2025 Davis Cup Finals, having played the event in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Serbia’s Djokovic will also miss the event, after his nation failed to qualify for the second year running.

Alcaraz, on the other hand, will play as he prepares to lead Spain to glory in Bologna.

The Spaniard’s decision to represent his country is commendable, although it could harm his chances of capturing the title in Melbourne three months from now.

With Sinner and Djokovic likely to wrap up their seasons at the ATP Finals, they are set to enjoy a longer break than Alcaraz.

• 2025 ATP Finals will finish on November 16
• 2025 Davis Cup Finals will finish on November 23
• 2026 Australian Open will begin on January 12

• Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic’s break ~ 57 days
• Carlos Alcaraz’s break ~ 50 days

A week can make all the difference in tennis, as the Italian and Serb will have more time not only to rest, but to work on things ahead of their 2026 campaigns.

All hope is not lost for Alcaraz, however, as Sinner, the Australian Open champion in 2024 and 2025, competed in the previous year’s Davis Cup Finals on both occasions.

It remains to be seen how the trio will get on in 2026, but how have they performed at the Australian Open throughout their careers so far?

Comparing Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, and Carlos Alcaraz’s Australian Open records

Sinner made his Australian Open debut in 2020 and has played 26 matches in total, winning 22 and two titles.

Djokovic made his first visit to Melbourne in 2005, winning the first of his ten titles three years later.

Alcaraz has only appeared at the Australian Open on four occasions: 2022, 2024, and 2025, and has yet to reach the semifinals.

Looking at the numbers, you would be brave to bet against Djokovic, although they don’t necessarily tell the full story.

At 38, Djokovic isn’t the player he once was, and he struggled against both Alcaraz and Sinner at the Grand Slam tournaments in 2025 (1-3).

He also fell to Sinner in Melbourne at the 2024 Australian Open, as the Italian snapped Djokovic’s six-year unbeaten run at the event.

It’s also important to remember that Sinner, Djokovic, and Alcaraz aren’t the only players competing…

The likes of Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, and Daniil Medvedev could all be dangerous when they head down under.

Russia’s Medvedev is a three-time finalist at the Australian Open and was just a set away from victory in both 2022 and 2024.

Winning his first title since 2023 last time out in Kazakhstan, Medvedev looks to be back on track and won’t be someone Sinner, Djokovic, or Alcaraz wants to see in their draws come January.

Only time will tell who will emerge victorious at the 2026 Australian Open, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action when the tournament begins on Monday, January 12.