Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are set to resume their rivalry in 2026, starting with the Australian Open, as the new tennis season gets underway with expectations of further dominance from the sport’s leading stars. Aryna Sabalenka also begins the year full of confidence as she targets more Grand Slam success.
The season opens on Friday with the United Cup in Perth and Sydney, featuring top players such as Iga Swiatek and Alexander Zverev.
World number one Sabalenka begins her campaign at the Brisbane International in early January, where she will face strong competition including Madison Keys and Amanda Anisimova.
Alcaraz and Sinner will meet in an exhibition match in South Korea on January 10, their only warm-up before the Australian Open begins eight days later. While Alcaraz ended the season as world number one, Sinner finished strongly by retaining his ATP Finals title in Turin after an outstanding year that included Australian Open and Wimbledon victories.
Novak Djokovic, now 38, starts what could be his final season at the Adelaide International as he continues his pursuit of a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title. On the women’s side, Sabalenka heads into 2026 as the clear player to beat, with Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina among those hoping to challenge her supremacy.
With major tournaments approaching and rivalries intensifying, the 2026 tennis season promises another year of high-quality competition at the top of the game.
