Image Source: Charlie Eccleshare,Matthew Futterman
Key Takeaways:
- The 2026 Australian Open promises to be an exciting tournament with several key storylines to follow, including the pursuit of a career Grand Slam by Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Świątek.
- The women’s draw will feature a battle between consistency and clutchness, with players like Aryna Sabalenka and Świątek vying for the top spot.
- American stars like Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, and Coco Gauff will look to prove themselves in the face of adversity.
- The rivalry between Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will continue to evolve, with both players making adjustments to their games.
- Emerging talents like Joāo Fonseca and Victoria Mboko will look to make a statement at the tournament.
- Player pressure on the Grand Slams may come to a head, with leading players pushing for reforms on prize money, consultation, and player welfare.
Introduction to the Australian Open
The 2026 Australian Open is set to be a thrilling tournament, with several key storylines to follow over the next fortnight. As Matt Futterman notes, "Career Grand Slams are unsurprisingly rare in tennis. On the men’s side, no one has done it since Novak Djokovic finally won the French Open in 2016. Maria Sharapova was the last woman to pull off the feat, in 2012." This year, two players have the chance to complete the set of all four majors: Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Świątek. Alcaraz is having his second go, having gotten to three out of four titles in 2024, when he won his first French Open title. If he does it this year, he will become the youngest man in history to have won all four Grand Slams.
The Pursuit of a Career Grand Slam
As Futterman reports, Świątek is keeping things as similar to any other Grand Slam as they can be — a very different approach to Alcaraz. "Since the beginning of the year, there are many people coming to me and talking to me about it. I’m really just focusing on, like, day-by-day work. This is how it’s always been for me. This is how I actually was able to achieve the success that I already have, just focusing really on grinding, match by match," she said during a news conference. Meanwhile, Alcaraz has been working on his serve, saying in a news conference that "For me, the serve is something that I really want to be better every year, in every tournament… I’m just putting constant work on the serve." Alcaraz’s dedication to improving his serve is evident, and it will be interesting to see how this adjustment affects his game.
The Battle for Consistency and Clutchness
The women’s draw will feature a battle between consistency and clutchness, with players like Aryna Sabalenka and Świątek vying for the top spot. As Charlie Eccleshare notes, "World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has no trouble reaching finals, but she can find it difficult to play her best tennis when she does. In 2025, she made nine finals and lost five; in Grand Slams overall, she is 4-3." Świątek, on the other hand, has a remarkable record in finals, having won all six of her Grand Slam finals. The way the draw has come out, Sabalenka and Świątek are more likely to need each other’s skill to get what they want, with Świątek facing a tough road to the final, including potential matches against Naomi Osaka, Elena Rybakina, and Amanda Anisimova.
American Stars Face Adversity
American stars like Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, and Coco Gauff will look to prove themselves in the face of adversity. As Futterman reports, Fritz is managing chronic tendonitis in his knee, while Paul has been fighting injuries since the French Open. Gauff, meanwhile, is retooling her serve and forehand in real time. Despite these challenges, the Americans are optimistic, with defending champion Madison Keys saying in a news conference that she has figured out how to keep things in perspective. "Even though I’ve been on tour for a long time, this is also still my first experience," she said. "I’m really trying to just kind of embrace that and take it in and soak it in, because I feel like so often we look back and we regret that, even in the hard moments that were stressful and pressure and all that, we didn’t find all the fun parts of it."
The Evolution of Alcaraz and Sinner’s Rivalry
The rivalry between Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will continue to evolve, with both players making adjustments to their games. As Eccleshare notes, "The beauty of a rivalry like Sinner and Alcaraz is that they make each other better." Alcaraz has been working on his serve, while Sinner has been trying to make the transition to the net. Their meetings have become more about serve and return as they optimize their playstyles. This rivalry is sure to be one of the most exciting aspects of the tournament, with both players pushing each other to new heights.
Emerging Talents Look to Make a Statement
Emerging talents like Joāo Fonseca and Victoria Mboko will look to make a statement at the tournament. As Futterman reports, Fonseca wowed the Australian Open crowds with his opening-round demolition of Andrey Rublev last year, while Mboko blasted to a WTA 1000 title at the Canadian Open. These young players will be looking to build on their previous successes and make a name for themselves on the big stage. With the support of their fans and their own determination, they may be able to pull off some upsets and make a deep run in the tournament.
Player Pressure on the Grand Slams
Player pressure on the Grand Slams may come to a head, with leading players pushing for reforms on prize money, consultation, and player welfare. As Eccleshare notes, the players are pushing for prize money to be a greater proportion of tournament revenues, with a goal of reaching 22 percent by 2030. The Grand Slams generally pay around 16 to 20 percent of their revenues in prize money, but the players argue that this figure should be higher. The players are also seeking greater consultation on tournament matters and additional contributions to player welfare. With the support of top players like Sabalenka, Gauff, and Świątek, this movement may gain momentum and lead to significant changes in the tennis world.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6975514/2026/01/17/tennis-australian-open-what-to-know/
