There’s plenty for home fans to savour on Day 3 of Australian Open 2026, with a strong local presence spread across Melbourne Park.
Aussie No.1 Maya Joint gets the ball rolling on John Cain Arena, where the No.30 seed faces rising Czech talent Tereza Valentova. Seeded for the first time at a Grand Slam, the 19-year-old continues a rapid ascent that has seen her climb from world No.119 at the end of 2024 to a career-high No.31 entering the Australian Open.
Joint compiled an impressive 48–26 match-winning record in 2025, claiming WTA 250 titles in Rabat and Eastbourne, reaching the semifinals of the WTA 500 event in Seoul, and making further last-four appearances in Hobart and Hong Kong.
She meets Valentova for the first time, with the Czech also enjoying a breakout 2025 season that included her top-100 debut. It shapes as an intriguing clash between two players very much on the rise.
The night session on John Cain Arena delivers an all-Australian contest, with Kimberly Birrell taking on qualifier Maddison Inglis. Birrell arrives with confidence after a career-best run to the semifinals at the Adelaide International, while Inglis is back in the AO main draw for the first time since 2022, when she reached the third round.
Birrell holds a 5–2 edge in their head-to-head, though local derbies rarely follow form. Close friends off court, the pair will set familiarity aside once the first ball is struck.
Wildcard Taylah Preston will look to extend her strong summer when she faces China’s Zhang Shuai on KIA Arena. The 20-year-old enjoyed the best tour-level run of her career in Hobart, highlighted by a quarterfinal upset of former US Open champion Emma Raducanu.
Preston will be chasing a measure of revenge after Zhang defeated her in qualifying at the Brisbane International earlier this month. Zhang brings plenty of experience, having reached the AO quarterfinals in 2016, but Preston will be keen to ride the momentum generated in Hobart.
Aussie battler Dane Sweeny faces a stern challenge in the afternoon session on KIA Arena against popular Frenchman Gael Monfils. Making just his second Grand Slam main-draw appearance, Sweeny is chasing a maiden Australian Open win.
Monfils, meanwhile, will be aiming to enjoy one last deep run in Melbourne after announcing 2026 will be his final season on tour. The charismatic 39-year-old has been a crowd favourite at Melbourne Park since lifting the boys’ trophy here in 2004.
Another wildcard, Chris O’Connell, opens his campaign against American qualifier Nishesh Basavareddy. O’Connell is seeking to reach the second round at AO for the fourth time, while the 20-year-old Basavareddy is hunting his first main-draw win at a major.
Daria Kasatkina features in the final Day 3 match on ANZ Arena against Czech qualifier Nikola Bartunkova. After producing her best Melbourne Park result last year, Kasatkina will be eager to build again, while Bartunkova makes her first Grand Slam main-draw appearance since turning pro in 2021.
Now a permanent Australian resident – and happily answering to the nickname ‘Dasha’ – Kasatkina plays her first Australian Open as an Aussie, hoping to draw extra energy from the home crowd.
James Duckworth also returns to familiar territory, contesting his 13th Australian Open after receiving a wildcard into the main draw. He takes on Croatian lucky loser Dino Prizmic, with Duckworth chasing a fourth second-round appearance at his home major.
The experienced campaigner arrives fresh from tying the record for most ATP Challenger titles among active players, lifting his 17th trophy at the Sydney Challenger last year. Prizmic, meanwhile, will be aiming to secure his first main-draw win at a Grand Slam.
COMING UP
Women’s singles – first round
[30] Maya Joint (AUS) v Tereza Valentova (CZE) – First match, John Cain Arena
[WC] Taylah Preston (AUS) v Zhang Shuai (CHN) – First match, Kia Arena
[Q] Maddison Inglis (AUS) v Kimberly Birrell (AUS) – Fourth match, John Cain Arena
Daria Kasatkina (AUS) v [Q] Nikola Bartunkova (CZE) – Fourth match, ANZ Arena
Men’s singles – first round
[WC] Christopher O’Connell (AUS) v [Q] Nishesh Basavareddy (USA) – Second match, ANZ Arena
[Q] Dane Sweeny (AUS) v Gael Monfils (FRA) – Third match, Kia Arena
[WC] James Duckworth (AUS) v [LL] Dino Prizmic (CRO) – Third match, Court 6