It’s that time of the year again. Summer is in full swing and one of the country’s most-celebrated sporting events returns: the Australian Open.
Once again held at its iconic home destination of Melbourne Park, the coveted Australian Open 2026 tournament runs from Monday 12 January 2026 to Sunday 1 February 2026. Tennis champs from around the world will hit the court across singles and doubles matches.
Here at Missing Perspectives, we’re not only huge advocates of female athletes in the game, but advocates of women in sport receiving the attention and coverage that they deserve – especially in a media landscape that still often underrepresents them.
From the US to China, France, Australia and of course many more countries, today we round up some of the incredibly talented women who will be serving up some ace action on the court during the Australian Open this year.
Maya Joint (Australia)
Maya Joint has been one of the most-talked-about names in women’s tennis over the last year, especially considering she’s Australia’s top-ranked female singles player. The 19-year-old Queenslander, who was born in America, captured her first two WTA titles on the WTA Tour in 2025 in Rabat and Eastbourne, and reached the second round at the US Open for the second year in a row. Joint was also nominated for the coveted Newcombe Medal, which is awarded every year to Australia’s most outstanding player and ambassador for tennis.
Reflecting on her breakout season in 2025, Joint told Wide World of Sports in December: “It’s been a great year, a crazy year. I did not think at the beginning of the year that I would get this far.
“I mean, I worked really hard, and I had some really great tournaments and results, so it’s been crazy.”
Emerson Jones (Australia)
Imagine playing professional tennis at the top level in front of the whole world at just 17?! This is actually the life of Emerson Jones, who in December secured a main draw women’s wildcard, making her one of the youngest Australians to earn an AO main draw wildcard. The Queenslander blew everyone away in November when she participated in the Australian Pro Tour Wildcard Points Race held in Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide. But making her second singles main draw appearance in 2026 at the AO is definitely a big career highlight she’s “super excited” for.
“It feels great, I’m going to have such a great time playing it and I’m really excited,” she said in an official press release. “I played it last year and it was so fun. It was such a great experience for me to get to know the level. So definitely having another crack at it, I’m super excited.”
Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah (France)
At just 20 years of age, Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah is kicking (or should we say serving?!) some serious goals. Shecently broke through for her first WTA title in Sao Paulo and is nearing the top 100 after beginning 2025 outside the top 350. Now we’ll see the AO 2026 women’s singles main draw do what she does best on the court once again.
Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)
Aryna Sabalenka appeared in the past three Australian Open finals, and was announced in the women’s singles entry list that released in December. The 27-year-old nabbed the Australian Open women’s singles titles in both 2023 and 2024, but unfortunately wasn’t able to achieve a three-year streak when US player Madison Keys claimed victory in 2025. The 2025 US Open winner predicts Keys will be her opponent if she get to the final at the AO in 2025.
“Twelve months ago, I wasn’t really clear in my head after that loss, but honestly, she just overhit me, overplayed,” she said, reports Tennis Australia. “She played incredible tennis, and I have to say that loss really pushed me so hard to keep working, make sure it’s not going to happen again.
“If it’s going to be her [that I’m facing], I’m so excited to face her again in Australia.”
Daria Kasatkina (Australia)
The 2026 Australian Open is historic in Daria Kasatkina’s career as it will mark her first time competing as an Australian. The big move for the the 28-year-old from Russia comes after “changing her nationality after opposing the war in Ukraine and coming out as gay”, reports ABC.
“I can finally say it’s a fresh start and I’m ready to go completely,” she recently told The Sit-Down podcast of being on the court repping Australia in 2026. “I’m super proud to represent the country which accepted me so easily.”
Before the AO, Daria’s competing in the Adelaide and Brisbane International tournaments.
Zheng Qinwen (China)
So far, we know that Zheng Qinwen will definitely be playing at the AO 1 Point Slam main draw on Wednesday 14 January. In 2025, she was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon early to prioritise healing after a right elbow surgery. Her focus on recovery continues, as she’s made the decision to not play any WTA tournaments in the first two weeks of 2026 .
“I need to extend my recovery period … and only resume extensive playing training once I’m fully recovered,” she told Vogue China in November 2025.
Talia Gibson (Australia)
Hailing from Western Australia, Talia Gibson is a player to watch after she won her first Grand Slam main-draw match at the Australian Open 2025. The 21-year-old is a wildcard in the 2026 women’s singles main draw at the AO, and confirmation of this comes off the back of an eventful few months. Not only was selected in the Australian Billie Jean King Cup team for the first time as part of Australia’s Play-off campaign in Hobart, but she travelled to Sydney the following week and won the Australian Pro Tour title there. As you do!
Gibson also qualified for Wimbledon, reached the second round of the WTA Cleveland tournament, scored several impressive results at WTA 125 level and peaked at world No.105 in August.
“I’m extremely thrilled to receive a main draw wildcard into the Australian Open and am very grateful to Tennis Australia for giving me this wonderful opportunity,” said Gibson in an official press statement provided to Missing Perspectives. She said she “had the best experience winning my first main-draw match at AO” in 2025, and “can’t wait to experience the home crowd’s amazing atmosphere again in January”.
Madison Keys (USA)
Defending champion Madison Keys will be competing in the women’s singles off the back of an absolute career high last year. The 30-year-old won her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open 2025, defeating world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka. Also playing at the Brisbane and Adelaide Internationals in January 2026 before the AO, Keys hinted in an official press statement that if history is to go by, warming up in South Australia again will be the ultimate prep before the Aus Open.
“Adelaide was ideal preparation for me heading into the Australian Open and I’m looking forward to coming back again,” she said.
Coco Gauff (USA)
Coco Gauff is the reigning Roland Garros champion who beat Aryna Sabalenka in the French final. She’s also one of only four Americans to claim a Grand Slam before the age of 21, and proves an incredible work ethic – determined in improving her performance any chance she gets.
“I feel like I’m constantly trying to evolve and get better,” Gauff told wtatennis.com in October 2025. “It’s not anything against the coaches I worked with – I can still be at the top and want to get better. Sometimes, a new perspective helps. It’s not always about what they say – maybe they’re saying similar things – but maybe the approach is a little bit different and I’m able to receive it better.”
Taylah Preston (Australia)
Taylah Preston has been named an Aussie wildcard for the women’s singles main draw, making it her third Grand Slam main-draw appearance after competing at the Australian Open and US Open in 2024.
Taylah is ready to be back on court after a very eventful 2025. The 20-year-old has won 31 of her last 37 matches since the beginning of September. During that time, she also improved her ranking from No.259 to No.199 after collecting three Australian Pro Tour singles titles – in Wagga Wagga, Dawin and Brisbane – from four finals appearances. Just casually!
“I’m extremely grateful and excited for the opportunity to play main draw in Melbourne again,” Preston said in an official press statement provided to Missing Perspectives. “It means so much and I can’t wait to get out there and compete.”
Iga Swiatek (Poland)
World No. 2 Iga Swiatek is targeting a career slam in Melbourne after her 2025 Wimbledon victory. She also won her 25th career singles title in Seoul in September 2025.
In October last year, the 24-year-old spoke about her connection with Polish fans in Australia.
“They’re the best because they’re literally everywhere,” she said in an official press release. “In any country that we go, there are many Polish people and in Australia, there’s a big Polish community. I think they’re really committed and really believe in us, and that’s what’s most important.”
Mananchaya Sawangkaew (Thailand)
Hailing from Singburi City, Thailand, Mananchaya Sawangkaew was included in Australian Open 2026 women’s singles entry list, having entered using protected rankings. The 23-year-old rising talent started playing tennis at age 4, and then moved to Bangkok at 12 for school and tennis.
“I started playing when I was four,” Sawangkaew told Cowgirl Tennis in 2021. “I started playing tennis because my dad and sister played and I started watching them. I really liked it after watching them play.”
Priscilla Hon (Australia)
In December, Priscilla Hon was announced as a wildcard for the women’s singles. The 27-year-old from Queensland has just enjoyed a career-best season, where she reached the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time at the US Open, shortly before making her top-100 debut. She also qualified for Wimbledon, advanced to the third round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing, and won two ITF W75 titles, in Brisbane and Romania.
“I’m so incredibly grateful to Tennis Australia for the wildcard,” Hon said in an official press statement provided to Missing Perspectives. “I pushed my body hard to try and avoid needing one, but I’m very thankful for their continued support. I’m proud to represent Australia and can’t wait to see how far I can go!”
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