World No.6 Alex de Minaur will face Matteo Berrettini in the first round of Australian Open 2026, as he leads the 11-strong Australian men’s singles contingent who today learned their potential pathways through the tournament.
Despite the world No.56 Italian leading the head-to-head record 3-2 against Australia’s No.1, De Minaur arrives in Melbourne Park full of confidence. He remains at a career high ranking after a superb 2025 where he made two Grand Slam quarterfinals, including at his home major for the first time.
The 26-year-old also notched a 10th singles title in Washington last year and reached the semifinals of the season-ending ATP Finals.
If victorious over Berrettini, a semifinalist at Melbourne Park in 2022, De Minaur ‘s Australian Open path could include world No. 31 Frances Tiafoe in the third round and world No.10 Alexander Bublik in the fourth round.
Should he progress to the quarterfinals, a potential blockbuster clash with world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz awaits. He would avoid a matchup with two-time AO champion Jannik Sinner until the final.
Seeded sixth, De Minaur is the highest-seeded Australian in the AO men’s singles since Lleyton Hewitt in 2006.
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Adam Walton, meanwhile, has the unenviable task of facing world No.1 and six-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz in the first round.
Should the world No.79 cause an almighty upset, he would earn his inaugural AO main-draw singles victory, after failing to progress past the opening round in each of the past two years.
The 26-year-old earned a career-high ranking of world No.74 last year, enjoying a final-16 appearance at the Miami Masters, a semifinal berth in Los Cabos and a Challenger title in Brisbane.
Australian No.2 Alexei Popyrin has drawn world No.50 Frenchman Alexandre Muller in the opening round and should he progress, could face AO 2025 finalist Alexander Zverev in the second round.
Popyrin enjoyed a strong season last year particularly on clay, reaching the fourth round at Roland Garros and quarterfinals in Monte Carlo and Geneva, as well as on the hardcourts of Toronto.
Having exited in the AO third round three times, the world No.49 will be hoping to go one better this year and reach the final 16.
James Duckworth will kick off the year full of confidence – having last week been named in Australia’s Davis Cup side ahead of a first-round tie against Ecuador – and will face a qualifier in the first round.
The AO main draw was revealed as Aleksandar Vukic was preparing to face American Tommy Paul in the quarterfinals of the Adelaide International. The 29-year-old will face Argentine world No.102 Thiago Agustin Tirante in his first AO 2026 match.
Tristan Schoolkate, who starts the year inside the top-100 for the first time after a breakout 2025, meets French 32nd-seed Corentin Moutet.
Wildcard recipient and former world No.26 Jordan Thompson has also drawn an Argentine, scheduled to do battle with Juan Manuel Cerundolo in what will be his 13th appearance at Melbourne Park.
Looking to Australia’s other wildcards, rising star Rinky Hijikata will compete against veteran Frenchman Adrian Mannarino, while Christopher O'Connell’s eighth AO appearance sees him come up against a yet-to-be-determined qualifier.
Successful Australian qualifier Dane Sweeny will learn his spot in his second AO main draw after the completion of qualifiers, having today bested Italian Stefano Travaglia in straight sets 7-6 (5) 7-6(3) in the final round.
Jason Kubler added to the Australian contingent after forcing a deciding third set against No.7 seed Alexander. Blockx, before the Belgian retired in the third set to deliver the local with a 3-6 6-3 1-0 victory.
Australian Open 2026 | ||||
| Player | Rank | Player | Rank | |
| [6] Alex de Minaur (AUS) | 6 | v | Matteo Berrettini (ITA) | 56 |
| Alexei Popyrin (AUS) | 49 | v | Alexandre Muller (FRA) | 50 |
| Adam Walton (AUS) | 79 | v | [1] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) | 1 |
| [WC] James Duckworth (AUS) | 86 | v | Qualifier | |
| Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) | 87 | v | Thiago Agustin Tirante (ARG) | 102 |
| Tristan Schoolkate (AUS) | 97 | v | [32] Corentin Moutet (FRA) | 34 |
| [WC] Jordan Thompson (AUS) | 111 | v | Juan Manuel Cerundolo (ARG) | 83 |
| [WC] Rinky Hijikata (AUS) | 115 | v | Adrian Mannarino (FRA) | 69 |
| [WC] Christopher O'Connell (AUS) | 118 | v | Qualifier | |
| [Q] Dane Sweeny | 182 | v | TBC | |
| [Q] Jason Kubler | 192 | v | TBC | |