The 2026 Australian Open main draw begins on Sunday, Jan. 18, and there are already a number of marquee matchups followers are clamoring for.
Within the males’s quarterfinals, defending champion Jannik Sinner may face top-ranked American Ben Shelton, whereas Carlos Alcaraz is on monitor to interrupt Australian hearts in opposition to sixth-seeded Alex de Minaur.
In the meantime, on the ladies’s facet, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is in the identical quarter as British celebrity Emma Raducanu, and Iga Swiatek might must undergo four-time main winner Naomi Osaka within the Spherical of 16.
Nonetheless, the early potential matchup that is getting essentially the most headlines facilities on two American legends who have not performed one another in six years.
Coco Gauff may face Venus Williams in second spherical of Australian Open
Coco Gauff enters Melbourne because the No. 3 seed, trying to enhance on her quarterfinal look from final season. The 21-year-old is a longtime celebrity on the WTA Tour with two Grand Slams to her title in singles, including last year’s French Open.
Seven years in the past, nevertheless, Gauff was a rising junior participant six months away from surprising the world. The Delray Seashore, Fla., native’s main debut got here in opposition to her idol Venus Williams within the first spherical of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships. Gauff, who was the youngest participant to qualify for Wimbledon within the Open Period at age 15, received the match in straight units, 6-4, 6-4, changing into a family title within the course of.
The present world No. 3 is now the face of American tennis and can play Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova within the first spherical. In the meantime, Williams will search for her first main victory since 2020 in opposition to unranked Olga Danilovic on Saturday.
The 45-year-old is in strong kind and have become the second-oldest girl to win a tour-level singles match on the 2025 Citi Open. Williams has misplaced 5 straight singles matches since, however she undoubtedly has greater than a preventing probability to advance in opposition to the younger Serbian.
If the 2 Individuals handle enterprise, they may play one another subsequent for the third time of their careers. This is able to be a full-circle second for each Williams and Gauff on one of many sport’s grandest phases. And in contrast to their previous conferences, the stress can be squarely on Gauff’s shoulders.
