Alex de Minaur and Maya Joint are locked in as Australia’s two seeded players for the 2026 Australian Open.
Monday’s weekly release of the ATP and WTA rankings means the top 32 seeds are locked in for the season’s first grand slam. The seeded players are placed throughout the draw and cannot face each other until at least the third round.
N. Tszyu vs Zerafa | Friday 16 Jan from 7pm AEDT | The trash talk and bitterness come to a head when Nikita Tszyu steps into the ring to face Michael Zerafa in one of the most anticipated fights in Australian boxing history. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
De Minaur will enter his home tournament at an equal-career high No.6 in the world, with Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti narrowly pipping him for the last spot in the top five.
While de Minaur appeared to have done enough to rank fifth by winning two matches in Sydney at the United Cup, his points from that event are not counted towards his rolling total due to the number of tournaments which can be counted for each player.
From a draw perspective there is no difference between ranking fifth and sixth.
As the No.6 seed De Minaur cannot face a higher seed until the quarter-finals, when he will be drawn to face a top-four player (should they advance) – one of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Alex Zverev or Novak Djokovic.
Meanwhile Joint, the 19-year-old who enjoyed a breakout 2025 campaign, will be seeded 30th in just her second Australian Open main draw appearance.
Joint is ranked No.32 in the world but moves up two spots due to the absences of world No.25 Qinwen Zheng, China’s 2024 Melbourne Park finalist, and No.31 Veronika Kudermetova.
She is the first Australian woman to be seeded at the tournament since Ash Barty, who was the No.1 seed when she won the 2022 title before retiring.
Joint has never won a main draw match at the Australian Open but cannot face a woman ranked higher than her until the third round when she will be likely to face a top-eight seed – one of Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Jasmine Paolini or Mirra Andreeva.
Reigning women’s champion Madison Keys is seeded ninth while reigning men’s champion Jannik Sinner is second, behind his rival Carlos Alcaraz.
Alcaraz, who has never made it past the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park, can become the youngest man to complete the career slam (aged just 22) if he wins the title.
The list of seeds will be confirmed by the Australian Open this week before the tournament draw is held on Thursday afternoon.
Qualifiers for AO under way in Melbourne | 11:22
AUSTRALIAN OPEN SEEDS
Men’s Singles
1. Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)
2. Jannik Sinner (ITA)
3. Alexander Zverev (GER)
4. Novak Djokovic (SRB)
5. Lorenzo Musetti (ITA)
6. Alex de Minaur (AUS)
7. Félix Auger-Aliassime (CAN)
8. Ben Shelton (USA)
9. Taylor Fritz (USA)
10. Alexander Bublik (KAZ)
11. Daniil Medvedev (RUS)
12. Casper Ruud (NOR)
13. Andrey Rublev (RUS)
14. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP)
15. Karen Khachanov (RUS)
16. Jakub Mensik (CZE)
17. Jiri Lehecka (CZE)
18. Francisco Cerúndolo (ARG)
19. Tommy Paul (USA)
20. Flavio Cobolli (ITA)
21. Denis Shapovalov (CAN)
22. Luciano Darderi (ITA)
23. Tallon Griekspoor (NED)
24. Arthur Rinderknech (FRA)
25. Learner Tien (USA)
26. Cameron Norrie (GBR)
27. Brandon Nakashima (USA)
28. Joao Fonseca (BRA)
29. Frances Tiafoe (USA)
30. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
31. Valentin Vacherot (MON)
32. Corentin Moutet (FRA)
Next in line: Tomas Machac (CZE)
Women’s Singles
1. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR)
2. Iga Swiatek (POL)
3. Coco Gauff (USA)
4. Amanda Anisimova (USA)
5. Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
6. Jessica Pegula (USA)
7. Jasmine Paolini (ITA)
8. Mirra Andreeva (RUS)
9. Madison Keys (USA)
10. Belinda Bencic (SUI)
11. Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS)
12. Elina Svitolina (UKR)
13. Linda Noskova (CZE)
14. Clara Tauson (DEN)
15. Emma Navarro (USA)
16. Naomi Osaka (JPN)
17. Victoria Mboko (CAN)
18. Liudmila Samsonova (RUS)
19. Karolina Muchova (CZE)
20. Marta Kostyuk (UKR)
21. Elise Mertens (BEL)
22. Leylah Fernández (CAN)
23. Diana Shnaider (RUS)
24. Jelena Ostapenko (LAT)
25. Paula Badosa (ESP)
26. Dayana Yastremska (UKR)
27. Sofia Kenin (USA)
28. Emma Raducanu (GBR)
29. Iva Jovic (USA)
30. Maya Joint (AUS)
31. Anna Kalinskaya (RUS)
32. Marketa Vondrousova (CZE)
Next in line: Lois Boisson (FRA)
Popyrin cops another first round defeat | 01:04
AUSSIES IN THE 2026 AUSTRALIAN OPEN DRAW
Men
No.6 Alex de Minaur
Alexei Popyrin
Adam Walton
Aleksandar Vukic
Thanasi Kokkinakis
Tristan Schoolkate
[WC] James Duckworth
[WC] Jordan Thompson
[WC] Christopher O’Connell
[WC] Rinky Hijikata
Women
No.30 Maya Joint
Daria Kasatkina
Ajla Tomljanovic
Kim Birrell
[WC] Priscilla Hon
[WC] Talia Gibson
[WC] Emerson Jones
[WC] Taylah Preston
Discussion about this post