sports
January 16, 2026
Alex de Minaur out to break new ground as next generation boost Australia hopes
World No 6 aims to progress past quarter-finals at a grand slam, while Maya Joint is Australia’s first seeded woman at Melbourne Park since 2022
TL;DR
- Alex de Minaur enters the Australian Open as the No. 6 seed, carrying the highest hopes for Australian men in two decades.
- De Minaur has reached the grand slam quarter-finals six times but has yet to advance further, with a consistent winless record against top players like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
- The Australian women's field is strengthened by emerging players Maya Joint (seeded 30th), Talia Gibson, Taylah Preston, and Emerson Jones.
- Daria Kasatkina, originally from Russia, has switched allegiances to Australia and is now the second-highest ranked Australian woman.
- Notable Australian withdrawals include Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis due to surgery.
- The article lists the first-round opponents for both the men's and women's Australian singles draws.
Continue reading the original article