Only two top 100 players from the women’s Tour and one from the men’s are missing from the entry list for next month’s Australian Open.
Organisers of the Grand Slam published the list on Tuesday with the most notable absentee being Holger Rune, who is still recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon injury sustained in October. The Dane has been documenting his recovery on social media, but a return date is yet to be established.
In the women’s event, Danielle Collines hasn’t entered the event where she achieved her best-ever Grand Slam result by reaching the final in 2022 before losing to Ash Barty. According to Wide World of Sports, Tennis Australia is currently unaware of why Collins is missing the tournament. Meanwhile, Ons Jabeur will be absent due to maternity leave.
There is also a group of players entering the tournament with the use of their protected ranking, which allows players returning from long-term injury or maternity leave to enter tournaments using their previous higher ranking. The most high-profile entrant is former world No.1 Karolina Pliskova, who briefly started her comeback in September at two WTA 125 events, where she won one out of three matches played. China’s Wang Yafan and Thailand’s are also using protected rankings.
Home player Thanasi Kokkinakis will also be using the ranking rule after not playing since January, following surgery on a pectoral injury that had been troubling him. It will be his 10th main draw appearance at Melbourne Park. Also using the same entry method are Shang Juncheng, Zhang Zhizhen and Emil Ruusuvuori.
The 2026 Australian Open provides a golden opportunity for world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz to achieve a career grand Slam at the age of 22. He has yet to go beyond the quarter-final stage. Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner is bidding to become only the second man in the Open Era to win the Grand Slam for a third year in a row after Novak Djokovic, who will be making his 21st appearance.
Madison Keys is the defending women’s champion. The American hasn’t played another tour-level final since her triumph and is currently ranked seventh in the world. Aryna Sabalenka is seeking to lift the title for a third time and Poland’s Iga Swiatek will be aiming to collect her first.
A total of 128 players, including eight wildcards and 16 qualifiers, will participate in the men’s and women’s singles tournaments. The main draw will get underway on January 12th.
The full women’s entry list can be viewed HERE, and the men’s draw HERE.
