Novak Djokovic and defending champion Jannik Sinner are likely to create a dream semi-final at the opening Grand Slam of the season in Australia.
Sinner is currently leading Djokovic 6-4 in head-to-head record, with the latest 5-game winning streak. The Italian tennis player once defeated Djokovic in the semi-finals of the Australian Open 2024, before heading straight to his first Grand Slam title in his career.
The round is very difficult, but it's the same with anyone. We are all top players in the world and the road ahead is still very long. The important thing is to focus on each match" - Sinner shared during the draw.
Seeded number two, Sinner aims for a hat-trick championship at Melbourne Park, while looking for his fifth Grand Slam title in his career. In the first round, he will face French left-handed player Hugo Gaston.
Meanwhile, Djokovic aims to win his 25th Grand Slam, thereby breaking the co-ownership record with Margaret Court for the most singles Grand Slam titles in tennis history. The Serbian player will open the campaign with a confrontation with Spanish opponent Pedro Martinez.
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz also aims for a big milestone when setting a goal to win his seventh Grand Slam title and complete his "Career Grand Slam". The Spanish tennis player is in the same semi-finals as Alexander Zverev and will start with a match against host representative Adam Walton.
The first round promises many notable matches, including the confrontation between sixth seed Alex de Minaur and former world number six player Matteo Berrettini, and the clash between Zverev and young player with a powerful serve Gabriel Diallo.
Thanasi Kokkinakis announced his withdrawal right before the draw, while Nick Kyrgios also confirmed he was not fit enough to participate in the singles event.
The Australian Open 2026 has a record total prize money. The singles champion will receive 2.8 million USD, an increase of about 400,000 USD compared to the previous season. Players participating in the main round are guaranteed a minimum of 100,000 USD in prize money.
