Friday in Melbourne is usually that weird, electric "calm before the storm." The main draw hasn't actually started yet—that's coming Sunday—but if you think nothing is happening with Australian Open matches today, you're kidding yourself. The grounds are buzzing. The practice courts are packed. Today, January 16, 2026, was basically the day the heavyweights decided to show their teeth.
Honestly, the biggest news coming out of the precinct today wasn't even a competitive match. It was the "One Point Slam" exhibition and the pre-tournament pressers that actually gave us the real dirt on what's about to go down.
The Sinner Three-Peat is the Only Thing People Are Talking About
Jannik Sinner is the king of this place. No two ways about it. He won in 2024. He won in 2025. Now he’s back for the hat-trick.
But today was kinda hilarious. During his press conference, someone actually asked him how he expects to win the whole thing if he couldn't even beat an amateur in a one-point exhibition match earlier this week. He laughed it off, obviously. Sinner is chill like that. But you can tell the pressure is there. He’s the -115 favorite for a reason.
If he wins this year, he joins Novak Djokovic as the only man in the Open Era to win three Aussie titles in a row. That is massive.
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Alcaraz and the "Career Slam" Ghost
While Sinner is the favorite, Carlos Alcaraz is the one everyone is watching with a bit of a "will he, won't he" vibe. He’s the World No. 1. He’s got the French, the US, and Wimbledon. Melbourne is the final piece of the puzzle.
He was out on the practice courts today looking scary fast. He plays Adam Walton on Sunday night, but today was all about that transition to the Plexicushion. He’s officially split with Juan Carlos Ferrero, which is still a huge shocker in the tennis world. Seeing him work with a new team on the practice court today felt... different. Not bad, just different.
The Schedule for Day 1 (Sunday, Jan 18) Just Dropped
We finally got the official order of play. If you're looking for Australian Open matches today to plan your weekend, here is the heavy-hitter list for Sunday. It’s a literal gauntlet.
- Rod Laver Arena (Day): Jasmine Paolini vs. Aliaksandra Sasnovich, followed by Alexander Zverev vs. Gabriel Diallo.
- Rod Laver Arena (Night): Aryna Sabalenka (the 1 seed) vs. Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah, followed by Carlos Alcaraz vs. Adam Walton.
- Margaret Court Arena: Maria Sakkari, Francisco Cerundolo, and the return of Emma Raducanu.
Wait, did I mention Venus Williams? Yeah. 45 years old. She’s playing Olga Danilovic on Sunday. The fact that she’s even here, making her first appearance in Melbourne since 2021, is nuts. People were lining up six deep just to watch her hit a few balls on a practice court today.
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Why the Women’s Draw Feels More Chaotic Than Usual
Madison Keys is the defending champ. That still feels wild to say, but she earned it by taking down Sabalenka last year. Keys was in the player tunnel today, apparently taking a photo of her name on the champions wall.
"I wanted a quiet moment when nobody was watching," she told reporters. Good luck with that in Melbourne.
Sabalenka is clearly on a warpath, though. She just won Brisbane. She looks like she wants to eat the yellow ball for breakfast. She’s the +200 favorite, and frankly, it’s hard to bet against her power right now. Then you’ve got Iga Swiatek, who finally won Wimbledon last year and is desperate to prove she can dominate on these faster Aussie hard courts.
The Local Hope: Alex de Minaur
"The Demon" is the No. 6 seed. That’s the highest an Aussie man has been seeded here in twenty years. Not since Lleyton Hewitt has the "Green and Gold" had this much hype.
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He has a nightmare first-round match against Matteo Berrettini. Berrettini isn't seeded because of his ranking dip, but he’s still "The Hammer." If De Minaur loses that, the air is going to go right out of Melbourne Park. They’ve split their last two matches. It’s a coin flip.
Practical Stuff You Actually Need to Know
If you are heading to the park for the matches starting Sunday, or just following from home, here is the deal:
- The Food is Actually Good Now: Shake Shack is making its Aussie debut at the tournament. Also, Hector’s Deli is there. If you’re at the grounds, get the sandwich. Seriously.
- The Weather: It’s Melbourne. It was hot today, it might rain tomorrow. The roofs on Rod Laver, Margaret Court, and John Cain are the only reason the schedule stays on track.
- Start Times: Main draw play starts at 11:00 AM local time on Sunday. The night sessions start at 7:00 PM.
Looking Ahead
The next 48 hours are basically a countdown. While there aren't "main draw" Australian Open matches today, the qualifying rounds just wrapped up, and the lucky losers are being slotted into the brackets.
Keep an eye on the practice schedule tomorrow if you're in the city. Watching Djokovic or Sabalenka from three feet away on Court 10 is often better than being in the nosebleeds at Rod Laver.
Check the official AO app for the "Live Map" of practice courts. It’s the only way to catch the top seeds before the gates truly open and the chaos begins. If you're betting, Sinner looks like a lock for the semis, but that De Minaur vs. Berrettini match is where the real value (and heartbreak) is going to be.