The Australian Open is underway, and all of the top four female seeds have advanced to the second round.
On Sunday, top seed Aryna Sabalenka used an unpredictable tactic to defeat Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah in straight sets.
On Monday morning, Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova followed suit, defeating Kamilla Rakhimova and Simona Waltert respectively.
Iga Swiatek, who is aiming to complete the career Grand Slam in Melbourne, joined her peers in the second round after defeating Yue Yuan 7-6, 6-3.
These four players, along with fifth seed Elena Rybakina, are the clear favourites for the 2026 Australian Open title.
Tim Henman, the former British number one, has predicted who he thinks will lift the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup on January 31.
Who are your favourites for the 2026 Australian Open title?
Credit: Sofascore
Tim Henman predicts Amanda Anisimova will win the 2026 Australian Open
In a post published by TNT Sports, Henman picked Jannik Sinner to win the Australian Open Men’s Singles title over Carlos Alcaraz.
Sinner is the two-time defending champion in Melbourne. Alcaraz, who has never won the title, is chasing the career Grand Slam in Australia.
For the women’s singles, Henman selected Amanda Anisimova; a player who is yet to win a Grand Slam title.
Anisimova enjoyed a breakout year on the Tour in 2025, reaching two Grand Slam finals in London and New York.
The American was unable to win either of those finals, and she will be motivated to right those wrongs in 2026.
Tim Henman’s completed Grand Slam predictions for 2026
Henman went on to predict the winners of the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open.
Henman predicts that Iga Swiatek will win her fifth French Open title, and that Jannik Sinner will complete the career Grand Slam in Paris.
The Brit believes Aryna Sabalenka will end her Wimbledon drought in July, and that Carlos Alcaraz will win his third Wimbledon title.
Sabalenka is Henman’s pick for US Open glory; as is Jannik Sinner.
Henman also believes that Sinner and Alcaraz will contest all four Grand Slam finals. The pair contested three major finals in 2025: the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open finals.
Continuing, when 2026 concludes, Henman believes Sinner and Sabalenka will be sitting on top of the rankings.
As for the young player to watch, Henman said: “Joao Fonseca. I really want to see him make a big breakthrough, certainly in one of the majors, one of the Grand Slams.”
