Tuesday sees the completion of first round singles action.
Going into last summer’s US Open, Jannik Sinner had won three consecutive hard court Majors. But in his third consecutive Major final against Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner was defeated in four sets. During this coming fortnight, Sinner will look to reinstate his hard court dominance, coming off a fall season where he did not lose a completed match on this surface. On Tuesday, the Italian begins his 2026 Aussie Open campaign against France’s Hugo Gaston.
Day 3 also features the women’s singles defending champion, Madison Keys, who arrives in Melbourne with much less momentum than Sinner, as she looks to defend the biggest title of her career. Plus, two-time champion Naomi Osaka takes to the court, as does Gael Monfils, who will be playing his last Australian Open.
Here’s a rundown of the most notable matches on Day 3 (in chronological order, all times local):
Oleksandra Oliynykova vs. Madison Keys (9) – 11:30am on Rod Laver Arena
Keys comes into this tournament having lost six of her last nine matches, and appeared to be less 100% physically healthy last week in Adelaide. Madison hasn’t won a title, or even reached a final, since her triumph here a year ago. Oliynykova is a 25-year-old Ukrainian who claimed 57 match wins last season at all levels, though almost all of them came on clay. This will be her Major debut.
Ben Shelton (8) vs. Ugo Humbert – Not Before 1:30pm on Rod Laver Arena
Like fellow American Keys, Shelton has struggled since the US Open, with a record of only 4-7 since retiring in New York due to a shoulder injury. Ben is defending semifinalist points from a year ago, and Humbert is a tough first round draw. The Frenchman just missed being seeded for this event, and advanced to the final in Adelaide this past week. This is a first-time meeting between these two big-serving lefties.
Dane Sweeny (Q) vs. Gael Monfils – Third on Kia Arena
Monfils has announced 2026 will be his last season on tour. The 39-year-old has only won two matches since last April, and this is only his second match since rolling his ankle four months ago in Chengdu. Gael is a two-time quarterfinalist in Melbourne, most recently achieving that feat in 2022. Sweeny is a 24-year-old Australian qualifier who has never won a main draw match at a Major, but he did claim 73 victories last year at all levels.
Hugo Gaston vs. Jannik Sinner (2) – Not Before 7:00pm on Rod Laver Arena
Sinner went 39-3 last season on hard courts, with two losses to Alcaraz, and a mid-match retirement against Tallon Griekspoor. Jannik hasn’t lost a match at a hard court Major to anyone not named Alcaraz since the 2023 US Open. Gaston notably reached the round of 16 at his home Slam back in 2020, but he won only eight tour-level matches during 2025. Sinner is 2-0 against Gaston, with a pair of straight-set victories on hard courts, both in March of 2021.
Naomi Osaka (16) vs. Antonia Ruzic – Last on Rod Laver Arena
Osaka’s Australian Open titles came in 2019 and 2021, and she has failed to return to the second week in her three most recent appearances. After a strong summer, Naomi has underperformed since the fall, with a record of only 4-3. Ruzic is a 22-year-old making just her second appearance at a Slam.
Tuesday’s full Order of Play is here.
