2026 Australian Open Women's Singles: The Year’s First Battle Begins, Can Świątek Achieve the “Career Grand Slam”?

As the off-season sun of the Southern Hemisphere breaks through the clouds, Melbourne Park’s courts have come alive. Serving as the season’s inaugural Grand Slam event, the 2026 Australian Open women’s singles draw gathers the brightest stars of tennis: the defending champion returns to defend her title and extend her legacy; rising young talents are eager to overthrow the throne; legendary veterans, fueled by passion, vow to shine once more on this familiar stage…

Rod Laver Arena

©Rolex/Jon Buckle

Since 2008, the renowned Swiss watchmaker Rolex has been the official timekeeper of the Australian Open, with its iconic golden crown-adorned clocks and timers becoming a striking feature inside and outside the venue. This year marks the tenth anniversary of Rolex ambassador Angelique Kerber’s first Grand Slam victory at the Australian Open, where she triumphed over top contenders to claim the prestigious title. As the crisp sound of ball strikes echoes again through Rod Laver Arena, the epic clash of glory, breakthroughs, dreams, and futures is set to commence.

Rolex Ambassador Angelique Kerber

Photo: ©Rolex/Thomas Lovelock

World No.1 and two-time champion Sabalenka leads the top quarter of the women’s singles draw. Her opening match is against French wildcard entrant Rachona, with the first seeded opponent she may face being 28th seed Raducanu. If she advances smoothly, Sabalenka could face 14th seed Townsend and 7th seed Paolini in succession. Also notable contenders in this section include 17th seed Mboko, 20th seed Kostyuk, and 29th seed Jovic.

Rolex Ambassador Coco Gauff

Photo: ©Rolex/Jon Buckle

The second quarter is guarded by two Rolex ambassadors: No.3 seed Gauff and No.8 seed Andreescu, who will compete for a spot in the semifinals. Gauff reached the Australian Open quarterfinals last year and is expected to face American legend Venus Williams in a marquee second-round match. Her first seeded opponent is 32nd seed Van Uytvanck, and in the fourth round, she might confront the winner between 15th seed Navarro and 19th seed Muchova.

Rolex Ambassador Bianca Andreescu

Photo: ©Rolex/Antoine Couvercelle

Rolex Ambassador Maria Sakkari

Photo: ©Rolex/Antoine Couvercelle

Andreescu draws Croatian star Vekić in the first round. If she progresses, she could face Sakkari in the second round, setting up a “Rolex ambassador derby.” Sakkari’s first opponent is French player Jorj. In the third round, Andreescu might meet 26th seed Yastremska, followed by a fourth-round challenge against either 12th seed Svitolina or 23rd seed Schneider. Two-time Grand Slam champion Krejcikova, competing unseeded, is also a key player to watch in this section.

Rolex Ambassador Sloane Stephens

Photo: ©Rolex/Jon Buckle

The third quarter features No.4 seed Anisimova and No.6 seed Pegula, with No.9 seed Keys also beginning her title defense here. Anisimova, who was runner-up twice in Grand Slams last season, faces seeded players including former champion Kenin, last year’s China Open finalist Noskova, and Ostapenko on her way. Whether Pegula and Keys can meet in the fourth round is one of the opening week’s highlights, though it will be challenging for Keys to repeat last year’s championship success. Rolex ambassador Stephens, having qualified through the qualifiers, will face the returning former world No.1 Karolína Plíšková in a high-profile opening match.

Rolex Ambassador Iga Świątek

Photo: ©Rolex/Jon Buckle

Rolex ambassador Świątek leads the bottom quarter as the No.2 seed. After winning Wimbledon last year, she aims to join Rolex predecessors such as Evert, Agassi, and Federer in achieving the “Career Grand Slam.” Świątek’s first-round opponent is Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue, with the first seeded player she may face being 31st seed Kalinskaya. In the fourth round, she could face a strong challenge from two-time champion Naomi Osaka.

Rolex Ambassador Belinda Bencic

Photo: ©Rolex/Jon Buckle

Rolex ambassador Bencic returns to the Australian Open as the 10th seed, placed in the bottom quarter. She opens against British player Bolt, faces 21st seed Mertens in the third round, and is likely to meet 5th seed Rybakina across the net in the fourth round. If she advances, Bencic has a chance to stage a “Rolex derby” against Świątek in the quarterfinals.

Rolex Ambassador Zhang Qinwen

Photo: ©Rolex/Antoine Couvercelle

Rolex ambassador Zhang Qinwen has announced her withdrawal from this year’s Australian Open, feeling she has not yet reached the 100% condition required for Grand Slam competition. In 2024, Zhang made a strong run in Melbourne to claim her first Grand Slam women’s singles runner-up title and has since established herself among the top players, achieving significant milestones including the women’s singles gold at the Paris Olympics. We wish Zhang a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing her fighting spirit on court again soon.

This Australian Open features four Chinese players in the women’s singles main draw: Wang Xinyu and Zhang Shuai qualified by ranking, both in the third quarter; Wang faces qualifier Karolina in the first round, while Zhang meets wildcard Preston. Qualifier Yuan Yue faces Świątek in the first round; Bai Zhuoxuan also qualified and will play Pavlyuchenkova initially, with a potential second-round clash against world No.1 Sabalenka.

Rolex clock at Melbourne Park

Photo: ©Rolex/Antoine Couvercelle

The 2026 season’s first Grand Slam—the Australian Open—officially kicks off this Sunday. Every serve arc embodies the determination to win; every baseline rally hides the secret to breaking through. Over the next two weeks, the passion and intensity at Melbourne Park will ignite once again. Who will lift the Daphne Akhurst Trophy under the Southern Hemisphere sun? Rolex will witness it all with you!