The Australian Open 2026 kicks off the tennis calendar with some excellent matches from Melbourne Park. This is the first Grand Slam of the year, and while the Australian Open runs from January 12 to February 1, 2026, this period includes Opening Week and qualifying, with the main draw beginning later in the month.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 12–15 Jan 2026 | Qualifying (Opening Week) |
| 13–16 Jan 2026 | Opening Week charity matches at Rod Laver Arena (evenings) |
| 14 Jan 2026 | Million Dollar 1 Point Slam final (Opening Week) |
| 17 Jan 2026 | Kids Tennis Day (Opening Week) |
| 18–20 Jan 2026 | Main draw singles – First Round |
| 20 Jan 2026 | Men’s & Women’s doubles begin |
| 21–22 Jan 2026 | Main draw singles – Second Round |
| 22 Jan 2026 | Mixed doubles begins |
| 23–24 Jan 2026 | Main draw singles – Third Round |
| 24 Jan 2026 | Junior singles events begin |
| 25–26 Jan 2026 | Main draw singles – Fourth Round / Round of 16 |
| 27–28 Jan 2026 | Main draw singles – Quarterfinals |
| 28 Jan – 1 Feb 2026 | AO LIVE Presents concert series (John Cain Arena) |
| 29 Jan 2026 | Women’s Singles Semifinals |
| 30 Jan 2026 | Men’s Singles Semifinals |
| 31 Jan 2026 | Women’s Singles Final; Men’s & Women’s Doubles Finals (Saturday afternoon) |
| 1 Feb 2026 | Men’s Singles Final; Junior boys’ & girls’ singles finals (Sunday afternoon) |
The Australian Open 2026 at a Glance
During your tennis lessons in Melbourne, you may have heard talk of the Australian Open. It spans three weeks from January 12 to February 1, 2026, including Opening Week and qualifying, with the main singles draws taking place after Opening Week and continuing through the remainder of the tournament. Matches take place at Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena, and John Cain Arena. Rod Laver Arena and Margaret Court Arena feature retractable roofs to ensure play can continue during adverse weather.
The Venues
John Cain Arena: Hosts early-round sessions and is popular among fans who have a Ground Pass.
Venue for early-round matches and doubles competitions.
The main stadium for headline matches and finals.
As an elimination tournament with an extended schedule, the Australian Open features a high volume of matches during Opening Week and the first main-draw week, while the highest-stakes matches take place in the final week. If you want to see a lot of tennis, Opening Week and the early main-draw rounds offer more tennis overall. Still, better matchups will naturally occur in the second week with the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the highly anticipated finals. Be sure to plan which tickets you buy according to what you want to see and who's likely to make it to each round.
Opening Week and Early Rounds (January 12–18, 2026, including qualifying)
As mentioned, the first week is bustling with a variety of matches, offering a chance to see many players who won't make it to the second week in action. That said, Opening Week sessions at Rod Laver Arena beginning Monday, January 12, may feature high-profile players through scheduled practice sessions, media appearances, and special events.
What to Expect
- Day and night sessions featuring the biggest names in tennis
- Qualifying singles matches and early doubles events
- Early doubles rounds
Venues
- Rod Laver Arena (centre court)
- Margaret Court Arena and John Cain Arena
Tickets
2 nights (January 12–14) with Rod Laver Arena sessions during Opening Week.
These tickets offer access to outer courts and a flexible experience.
January 18–20: Early Rounds in Full Swing
Matches will continue across all the main stadiums and outer courts as the early main-draw rounds get underway, which is a great time to see both rising stars and established champions.
The men's and women's singles competitions will enter the second round, while the doubles events are heating up. With a lot of tennis still happening, this is a great time to soak in the festival-like atmosphere around Melbourne Park.
Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena, outer courts.
This part of the tournament offers great value and variety of tennis, and holders of a Ground Pass can watch multiple tennis matches in a single day.
January 21–22: Transition Into the Later Rounds
Towards the end of the early main-draw rounds, players compete for a spot in the round of 16. This is where you'll have a chance to witness some nail-biting battles and potential upsets.
Key Matches
Towards the end of week 1, the higher-seeded players will start to face increasing challenges, and the latter stages of the early rounds in both men's and women's singles begin to take shape.
Atmosphere
By this point, the night atmosphere at Rod Laver Arena is electric, and if you want a different kind of atmosphere, there's also the AO Live Stage with music and entertainment.
Packages
Multi-day ticket packages covering Rod Laver Arena sessions are typically available during this stage of the tournament.
Main Draw Progression: Round of 16 and Quarter-Finals
The tournament's second week features less tennis but much higher stakes. The round of 16 starts at the beginning of the second week. Here, the top 16 players in both the men's and women's singles battle for a place in the quarter-finals.
What to Expect
- Intense matches featuring the top seeds.
- Rising stars looking to upset the favourites.
- More exciting doubles action.
Venues
- Rod Laver Arena and Margaret Court Arena
January 27–28: Quarter-Finals
The quarter-finals mean that only eight players are left in each draw. By this point, the stakes are starting to get really high. These are the days of the men's and women's singles quarter-finals, and the day and night sessions are split over two days.
Why It's Special
This is where you may see some of the most competitive and dramatic tennis matches, complete with five-set thrillers in the men's draw.
Tickets
2 nights (January 27–29) with two Rod Laver Arena sessions
3 nights (January 26–29) with four quarter-final sessions
January 29–30: Semi-Finals
The semi-finals are understandably huge as they give players a chance to play to get into the final and play for their chance at winning the Grand Slam.
Date: January 29
Date: January 30
As the final is only one step away, these matches are high drama played under the lights.
Packages
3 nights (January 28–31) with all semi-final sessions.
Watch the highlights from one of last year's semifinals.
Finals Weekend: January 31 – February 1
The women's singles final will take place on Saturday, January 31, and offer the very best of women's tennis. The men's final will take place the following day, Sunday, February 1.
Women's Singles Final: January 31
This takes place at Rod Laver Arena and is accompanied by the men's doubles final.
What to Expect
This matchup could feature clashes between top-ranked players and rising stars. Past winners include Ash Barty, Naomi Osaka, and Iga Świątek.
Tickets
2 nights (January 30 – February 1), including the women's final.
Here are the highlights from last year's final.
Men's Singles Final: February 1
This draw concludes with the men's singles final, which will take place on February 1, 2026, at Rod Laver Arena. The women's doubles final will follow.
Why It's Special
As the final to any Grand Slam, this promises to create historic moments with intense competition. There's always the chance of record-breaking performances and seeing the very best in men's tennis compete against one another, potentially offering an insight into how the rest of the tennis calendar will play out for the 2026 season. If you were taking tennis lessons in Sydney and couldn't catch the final, check out the highlights from last year's men's singles final.
Tickets
2 nights (January 31 – February 2)
How to Watch the Australian Open 2026: TV, Streaming, and More
Here, we've given you the dates of the events and some of the ticketing packages to consider if you'd like to attend on these dates. However, we understand that not everybody has the time or budget to attend every match they'd like. Fortunately, there are free-to-air and streaming options for people in Australia wanting to watch the Australian Open.
- Channel Nine and 9Now are the official broadcast partners in Australia, and every day and night session will be aired live on Nine.
- Online viewers can enjoy free live streaming and on-demand replays of all key matches through 9Now.
- Kayo Sports is a subscription-based option that also includes live coverage and replays. With Kayo, viewers can watch multiple courts simultaneously using the Split View feature.
Watching Outside of Australia
For those outside of Australia, you'll have to look for which broadcast partners offer coverage. Viewers in the US can enjoy the Australian Open on ESPN and ESPN+. ESPN covers the tournament and broadcasts the major matches and finals. ESPN+ offers a streaming option. Eurosport will broadcast the Australian Open across multiple channels in the UK and Europe, and Discovery+ will have streaming options. Networks like WOWOW, Sony Sports Network, and Sky Sport offer coverage in places like Japan, India, and New Zealand.
AO Official Website and App
Go to the official Australian Open website. You can find live scores, real-time updates, match schedules and player statistics, and video and interview highlights. Download the Australian Open app to get push notifications for match updates, access to AO Radio for live commentary, and detailed venue maps and schedules. These are great if you're attending in person or preparing for a trip to the Australian Open.
Social Media and Digital Platforms
Last, you can also follow the Australian Open on X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for updates, behind-the-scenes content, clips, press conferences, and key highlights. With so many options, as long as you aren't busy between January 12 and February 1, 2026, you should be able to keep up to date with everything at the Australian Open 2026 and maybe even attend if you're lucky enough! If you're looking to sharpen your game, consider tennis coaching.
Are you looking to learn or improve your tennis skills? Superprof is a platform that connects you with coaches and tennis lessons anywhere in Australia. Visit the platform and enter "tennis classes Sydney," or any city in the country, and you will have access to an array of local tennis coaches and instructors ready to start lessons with you!
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