Australian Open 2026 Women's Singles Schedule: Sabalenka and Swiatek to compete.
Get the latest updates on the 2026 Australian Open women's singles schedule. Experience the thrilling matchups of Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and other top stars in Melbourne.
The first Grand Slam of the 2026 season, the Australian Open, will officially take place from January 18th to February 1st at Melbourne Park, Australia. This is where the world's best female tennis players gather, from seasoned champions to rising young talents, promising two weeks of explosive and dramatic competition.
The spotlight is on the bust: Sabalenka and other stars make their appearance.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka will begin her campaign in Melbourne on January 18th against Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah. This is considered a relatively easy challenge for the Belarusian player to regain her court form. Meanwhile, second seed Iga Swiatek will compete on January 19th against Yue Yuan in a match promising many long rallies.
Notably, the opening round also featured legend Venus Williams in a match against Olga Danilovic and former champion Emma Raducanu against Mananchaya Sawangkaew. The return of Naomi Osaka against Antonia Ruzic was also a highlight attracting the attention of experts and fans alike.
Detailed match schedule for January 18, 2026
The first day of competition saw many seeded players take to the field. Here are some of the highlights:
| Time | Match pair |
|---|---|
| 07:30 | Aliaksandra Sasnovich - Jasmine Paolini |
| 07:30 | Maria Sakkari - Leolia Jeanjean |
| 09:30 | Elina Svitolina - Cristina Bucsa |
| 10:00 | Hailey Baptiste - Marketa Vondrousova |
| 15:00 | Aryna Sabalenka - Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah |
| 15:00 | Olga Danilovic - Venus Williams |
| 17:00 | Mananchaya Sawangkaew - Emma Raducanu |
Detailed match schedule for January 19, 2026
The second day of competition featured an incredible lineup of stars, including Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, and Naomi Osaka:
| Time | Match pair |
|---|---|
| 07:00 | Coco Gauff - Kamilla Rakhimova |
| 07:00 | Barbora Krejcikova - Diana Shnaider |
| 07:00 | Donna Vekic - Mirra Andreeva |
| 07:00 | Jessica Pegula - Anastasia Zakharova |
| 07:00 | Karolina Pliskova - Sloane Stephens |
| 07:00 | Elena Rybakina - Kaja Juvan |
| 07:00 | Naomi Osaka - Antonia Ruzic |
| 07:00 | Yue Yuan - Iga Swiatek |
After the first round, the winning players will advance to the second round, scheduled for January 21st. Given Sabalenka and Swiatek's strong current WTA rankings, experts expect a two-way race for the championship, although names like Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina are always ready to spring surprises.
