The fight for the Australian Open Women’s Singles title is set to begin on Sunday.
Madison Keys is the defending champion, having defeated two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka in the 2025 final.
This year, there are a host of players who have a legitimate shot at lifting the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup on January 31.
Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek – all having won multiple Grand Slam singles titles – will be the favourites coming into the tournament.
Who are your favourites for the 2026 Australian Open title?
Credit: Sofascore
Amanda Anisimova and Elena Rybakina will also be strong contenders, having enjoyed impressive 2025 campaigns.
Brad Gilbert, Coco Gauff’s former coach, has stated his favourite for the Melbourne title.
Brad Gilbert names Aryna Sabalenka as his favourite for the Australian Open women’s title
Gilbert, who has also coached Andy Murray and Andre Agassi, discussed the contenders for the Australian Open Women’s Singles title on the Tennis Channel’s Big T Podcast.
“I do think on the women’s side, Sabalenka is a huge favourite,” Gilbert said.
“She’s played very well in Australia the last three years, and been the most consistent woman. In the last 12 majors, she’s been in the semis or better in 11.
“I do think that Coco played a little bit better in her last match, I would like to see her make a deep run.
“But I still think, unlike the men’s, you could have a surprise semifinalist, surprise finalist, wouldn’t even be shocked if we had somebody out of nowhere win the tournament.
“I’m still sticking to, in 2026, four Slams for the women, four different women.”
It is difficult to disagree with Gilbert in this instance. Sabalenka, who was recently praised for improving a key area of her game, will be the favourite to win her third title in Melbourne.
As for Gilbert’s latter prediction, there were four different Grand Slam champions at women’s singles events in 2025. Madison Keys won the Australian Open, Coco Gauff triumphed in Paris, Iga Swiatek captured her first Wimbledon title and Aryna Sabalenka won the US Open.
Aryna Sabalenka could play Emma Raducanu in the third round
On Thursday, the Australian Open draw was released, and Emma Raducanu has been handed yet another tough Grand Slam path.
The British star is slated to face Aryna Sabalenka in the third round, as she did at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships.
How will Emma Raducanu fare at the Australian Open after receiving this draw?
In that contest, Raducanu fought valiantly, but ultimately fell to a 7-6, 6-4 loss.
A month later, the pair met again in Cincinnati. Again Sabalenka triumphed, this time by a scoreline of 7-6, 4-6, 7-6.
Raducanu, who was recently snubbed for a British tennis award, will hope she can turn the tide against Sabalenka if she faces the Belarusian in Melbourne.
Raducanu reached the Australian Open third round in 2025 after defeating Maria Lourdes Carle and Amanda Anisimova. In the third round, she was defeated by Iga Swiatek: 6-1, 6-0.
Raducanu’s 2025 run was her best performance at the tournament to date.
