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Top seed Aryna Sabalenka has been handed a tough draw at Australian Open 2026, where Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek are each aiming to reach the final for the first time — and complete the fabled career grand slam aged just 22 and 24 respectively. Back-to-back reigning champion Jannik Sinner is on the same side of the draw as Novak Djokovic.
Alcaraz, Sabalenka and Emma Raducanu are in action on Day 1, but the standout tie is Beatriz Haddad Maia's clash with the fiery Yulia Putintseva (7 p.m. ET / 12 a.m. GMT, Court 6). Aged 45, Venus Williams has once again cashed in her wildcard, and is up against Olga Danilovic (3 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. GMT, John Cain Arena).
AO 2026 runs from Sunday, January 18 to Sunday, February 1. Today's order of play below.
► Daily start time — 7 p.m. ET (previous day) / 12 a.m. GMT / 11 a.m. AEDT
• U.S. — ESPN Unlimited / ESPN & ESPN2 via Sling
• FREE STREAMS — 9Now (Australia)
• Watch anywhere — Try NordVPN 100% risk free
Sabalenka, who clinched the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup in 2023 and 2024, but was stunned by Madison Keys in last year's final, could face No.28 seed Raducanu and No.7 seed Jasmine Paolini before the semi-final, where Coco Gauff, who beat the Belarusian on the Paris clay last year, could await.
No.2 seed Swiatek, meanwhile, could come across No.5 seed Elena Rybakina and No.4 seed Amanda Anisimova relatively early. Anisimova is on a collision course with No.9 seed Madison Keys, with another compatriot, No.6 seed Jessica Pegula, potentially up next for the winner of that tussle.
No.4 seed Djokovic's bid for that elusive 25th major has been excruciating, and one way or another it could come to an end in 2026. The now 38-year-old tennis great has now left eight consecutive majors empty-handed, tearing a thigh muscle in his semi-final at Melbourne Park 12 months ago. He'll have been thrilled to be drawn opposite Sinner, the only player to reach all four grand slam finals last year.
Alcaraz, who got the better of the Italian in two of them, will become the youngest man to pull off the career grand slam if he manages to break his AO duck. Before the Spaniard can even think of laying his hands on the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup, however, he may need to see off No.6 seed Alex de Minaur.
Here's how to watch Australian Open 2026 online and on TV — starting with free streaming options. We’ve also listed the order of play below so you don't miss a moment.
Australian Open order of play — Sat, Jan 17 - Sun, Jan 18
(All times ET)
Rod Laver Arena
7:30 p.m. — Jasmine Paolini (7) vs Aliaksandra Sasnovich
9 p.m. — Alexander Zverev (3) vs Gabriel Diallo
3 a.m. — Aryna Sabalenka (1) vs Sarah Rakotomanga
4:30 a.m. — Carlos Alcaraz (1) vs Adam Walton
John Cain Arena
7 p.m. — Flavio Cobolli (20) vs Arthur Fery
9:30 p.m. — Elina Svitolina (12) vs Cristina Bucsa
1 a.m. — Frances Tiafoe (29) vs Jason Kubler
3 a.m. — Olga Danilovic vs Venus Williams
Margaret Court Arena
7:30 p.m. — Maria Sakkari vs Leolia Jeanjean
9 p.m. — Francisco Cerundolo (18) vs Zhizhen Zhang
3 a.m. — Alexander Bublik (1) vs Jenson Brooksby
5 a.m. — Emma Raducanu (28) vs Mananchaya Sawangkaew
Can I watch Australian Open 2026 free of charge?
Every Australian Open 2026 match is free-to-air in Australia courtesy of Channel 9 and 9Gem, with streaming available via the 9Now platform.
Just register an account using a valid Aussie postcode (e.g. NSW 2000).
Away from home? You may not be able to watch the action like you normally would due to regional restrictions. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution. Use a VPN to watch Australian Open 2026 for free — we’ll show you how below.
How to watch Australian Open 2026 from anywhere
Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the tennis on your usual subscription?
You can still watch Australian Open 2026 live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear as if they're back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. So ideal for viewers away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN. It's the best on the market:
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you want to watch the free Australian Open coverage on 9Now, choose 'Australia' from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to 9Now, sign in, and watch Australian Open 2026 live.
How to watch Australian Open 2026 live streams in the U.S.
In the U.S., Australian Open 2026 is being shown across ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Unlimited.
There are many way to tune in, but we recommend Sling TV because it's the most cost-efficient way of getting comprehensive Australian Open coverage.
The Sling Orange plan carries ESPN and ESPN2, and costs $5 per day, $10 for three days, $15/week, $46/month or $115/quarter.
Click through for more options ▼
Although Sling is the most cost-efficient option, it isn't the only cable TV alternative you can use.
ESPN's coverage is available to live stream on ESPN Unlimited, which costs $29.99/month or $299.99/year, but for a limited time you can bundle it with Disney Plus and Hulu for $29.99/month for 12 months, after which it'll cost $35.99/month.
Fubo, YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV will let you tune in too.
How to watch Australian Open 2026 live streams in Canada
In Canada, Australian Open 2026 is being shown on TSN and TSN Plus, which grants access to everything TSN has to offer for just CA$8/month or CA$80/year.
If you're outside Canada but have a subscription, you can watch the tennis with the aid of a VPN, such as NordVPN.
How to watch Australian Open 2026 live streams in the U.K.
In the U.K., Australian Open 2026 is being shown on TNT Sports. Subscriptions for TNT Sports start at £18/month through Virgin Media or £25/month on Sky TV.
Alternatively, tennis fans can live stream TNT Sports via Discovery+, from £30.99/month.
Away from the U.K. right now? NordVPN will unblock your stream of the Australian Open.
How to watch Australian Open 2026 live streams in Australia
There are two ways to watch AO26 in Australia, including a FREE option.
As explained above, free-to-air Channel 9, 9Gem and 9Now are showing every single match live. All you need is an account with a valid Australian postcode (e.g. NSW 2000).
You can also live stream all the action in 4K and ad-free on Stan Sport. The service costs AU$20/month on top of a Stan plan, which itself starts at AU$12/month.
If you're on holiday outside Australia, you can still follow your usual AO26 live streams by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN.
Can I watch Australian Open 2026 in 4K UHD?
If you want to watch the Australian Open in 4K, you'll need Stan Sport. It offers ad-free coverage of every match on every court, with the Stan Sport add-on costing AU$20. You'll also need a Stan base plan, which starts at AU$12/month.
Australian Open seeds 2026
Men's seeds
1. Carlos Alcaraz
2. Jannik Sinner
3. Alexander Zverev
4. Novak Djokovic
5. Lorenzo Musetti
6. Alex de Minaur
7. Felix Auger-Aliassime
8. Ben Shelton
9. Taylor Fritz
10. Alexander Bublik
11. Daniil Medvedev
12. Casper Ruud
13. Andrey Rublev
14. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
15. Karen Khachanov
16. Jakub Mensik
17. Jiri Lehecka
18. Francisco Cerundolo
19. Tommy Paul
20. Flavio Cobolli
21. Denis Shapovalov
22. Luciano Darderi
23. Tallon Griekspoor
24. Arthur Rinderknech
25. Learner Tien
26. Cameron Norrie
27. Brandon Nakashima
28. Joao Fonseca
29. Frances Tiafoe
30. Valentin Vacherot
31. Stefanos Tsitsipas
32. Corentin Moutet
Women's seeds
1. Aryna Sabalenka
2. Iga Swiatek
3. Coco Gauff
4. Amanda Anisimova
5. Elena Rybakina
6. Jessica Pegula
7. Jasmine Paolini
8. Mirra Andreeva
9 Madison Keys
10. Belinda Bencic
11. Ekaterina Alexandrova
12. Elina Svitolina
13. Linda Noskova
14. Clara Tauson
15. Emma Navarro
16. Naomi Osaka
17. Victoria Mboko
18. Liudmila Samsonova
19. Karolina Muchova
20. Marta Kostyuk
21. Elise Mertens
22. Leylah Fernandez
23. Diana Shnaider
24. Jelena Ostapenko
25. Paula Badosa
26. Dayana Yastremska
27. Sofia Kenin
28. Emma Raducanu
29. Iva Jovic
30. Maya Joint
31. Anna Kalinskaya
32. Marketa Vondrousova
Australian Open session times 2026
Global Australian Open 2026 start times — Morning & evening sessions
USA (ET/PT): 7 p.m. / 4 p.m. (previous day) & 3 a.m. / 12 a.m.
UK: 12 a.m. & 8 a.m.
Australia (local): 11 a.m. & 7 p.m.
Australian Open schedule 2026
First round: Sun, Jan 18 — Tue, Jan 20
Second round: Wed, Jan 21 — Thu, Jan 22
Third round: Fri, Jan 23 — Sat, Jan 24
Fourth round: Sun, Jan 25 — Mon, Jan 26
Quarter-finals: Tue, Jan 27 — Wed, Jan 28
Women's semi-finals: Thu, Jan 29
Men's semi-finals: Fri, Jan 30
Women's final: Sat, Jan 31 (3:30 a.m. ET)
Men's final: Sun, Feb 1 (3:30 a.m. ET)
More from Tom's Guide
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