It’s time to start the professional tennis season anew with the first major of the year — the Australian Open — when hundreds of the world’s top tennis players will gather in Melbourne to test their chances on the hard courts (and in the Aussie summer heat).

The main draw kicks off at 7:00 pm ET on Saturday, January 17, 2026. The tournament will close with the men’s singles final and women’s doubles final on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at 3:30 am ET.

Here’s a preview of this year’s Australian Open, with a look at some of the big questions and fine details so you can get the most out of the next two weeks of action at Melbourne Park.

In the U.S., ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN+ are the main avenues for catching matches throughout the next two weeks of the Australian Open. ABC will pick up a pocket or two of coverage, and Tennis Channel will host a program before coverage begins each day, as well as show replays.

For more details, consult Tennis Watchers and the Australian Open for its list of global broadcast partners.

1) Will anybody win the career slam? Well, not just anybody. We have two players chasing the career slam in Melbourne: Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek. Most of us figured Alcaraz would get there sooner rather than later. With Swiatek, it was reasonable to assume that Wimbledon would be the sticking point, not the Australian Open. But here we are — a year when not one — but two! — great champions have a shot at making history. Let’s hope they both get it!