The Hobart International is due to take place between 12-17 January 2026 and is a stacked field led by two-time champion Elise Mertens in the run-up to the Australian Open.

It is very much one to watch as it includes many top names either returning or on the verge of a breakout return. Emma Raducanu being one while Iva Jovic and Eva Lys have been player of the year candidates in regards to breakout.

While Barbora Krejcikova continues her return. Venus Williams too who has received a late wildcard. Very much most of the field from Auckland are in Hobart so it adds a great dynamic in a week that also sees Adelaide take place on the WTA Circuit.

Schedule/Results Hobart InternationalDate/timeResult12-1 1:40Renata ZarazuavHailey Baptiste6-7, 6-3, 6-312-1 1:40Taylah PrestonvJessica Bouzas Maneiro6-4, 7-612-1 3:20Katie VolynetsvAnn Li6-4, 5-7, 2-612-1 3:20Ayano ShimizuvElisabetta Cocciaretto3-6, 4-612-1 4:10Caty McNallyvSolana Sierra6-1, 4-6, 1-612-1 6:55Olga DanilovicvMcCartney Kessler4-6, 6-4, 6-412-1 9:10Emiliana ArangovAntonia Ruzic5-7, 1-613-1 1:10Anna BondarvElla Seidel6-0, 6-113-1 1:40Rebecca SramkovavVarvara Gracheva6-4, 4-6, 6-213-1 8:20Peyton StearnsvBarbora Krejcikova6-4, 1-6, 7-613-1 3:20Iva JovicvJanice Tjen6-0, 6-113-1 4:10Elsa JacquemotvMagdalena Frech4-6, 0-613-1 5:55Tatjana MariavVenus Williams6-4, 6-313-1 6:40Wang XinyuvTallia Gibson6-2, 6-314-1 3:00Emma RaducanuvCamila Osorio6-3, 2-414-1 2:00Olga SelekhmetovavMagda Linette14-1 1:00Elisabetta CocciarettovAnn Li14-1 2:00Rebecca SramkovavTaylah Preston14-1 4:00Iva JovicvRebecca Sramkova14-1 4:00Tatjana MariavAna Bondar14-1 7:30Antonia RuzicvSolana Sierra14-1 10:00Peyton StearnsvOlga DanilovicEntry List Hobart International WTASeedPlayerEntry Ranking1Elise Mertens202Emma Raducanu293McCartney Kessler314Iva Jovic355Ann Li386Eva Lys407Jessica Bouzas Maneiro418Tatjana Maria45Emiliana Arango49Janice Tjen54Magda Linette55Elsa Jacquemot56Xinyu Wang57Magdalena Frech59Hailey Baptiste61Peyton Stearns63Barbora Krejcikova65Solana Sierra66Olga Danilovic67Sonay Kartal68Antonia Ruzic70When is the draw for Hobart International?

(1) Emma Raducanu v Camila Osorio

Elsa Jacquemot v Magdalena Frech

Rebecca Sramkova v Varvara Gracheva

Taylah Preston v (5) Jessica Bouzas Maneiro

(3) Iva Jovic v Tjen Tjen

Q v Hailey Baptiste

Xinyu Wang v Talia Gibson

Q v (8) Magda Linette

(6) Tatjana Maria v Venus Williams

Anna Bondar v Q

Q v Q

Q v (4) Ann Li

(7) Emiliana Arango v Antonia Ruzic

Q v Solana Sierra

Peyton Stearns v Barbora Krejcikova

Olga Danilovic v (2) McCartney Kessler

Predictions

Samuel Gill, Head Editor for TennisUpToDate.com sees two winners from the field.

Eva Lys for me as a big fan of the German is the obvious pick for this title. She has been so good for the past few months and showed against Iga Swiatek in United Cup that she has the game now to trouble the big names.

Iva Jovic is also for me a big one to watch. Now 18 and performing superbly in the past year, she joins Lys as one to watch in general this year no mind in this event.

Emma Raducanu is also set to play too so that’ll be intriguing to watch.

*** Eva Lys

** Iva Jovic, Emma Raducanu

* Barbora Krejcikova, Elise Mertens

Cristhian Avila, Editor for TennisUpToDate.com sees a strangehold continuing for Elise Mertens.

Two-time champion Elise Mertens has built her career on consistency and taking advantage of opportunities when the top names are absent. A finalist in the last two editions, she is eager for a personal revenge at the start of the year.

It will also be an opportunity for Barbora Krejcikova to recover ranking points and improve her position, currently sitting at a misleading No. 63 – a spot that the Czech does not truly belong to if she is physically fit.

The young Eva Lys and Janice Tjen are two players who showed great level in 2025 and now need to confirm it in this new year. Especially the Indonesian, an interesting talent who can make a lot of noise and whose style of play is reminiscent of Ash Barty – she will have something to prove in Hobart.

***Elise Mertens

**Barbora Krejcikova, Janice Tjen

*Eva Lys, McCartney Kessler, Iva Jovic

Lucas Michael, Editor for TennisUpToDate sees a return to form for Barbora Krejcikova.

The WTA Circuit is set to traverse to Tasmania for the Hobart International, with another intriguing competition set to unfold. As so with many of the WTA tournaments, it is very hard to predict a winner or state a firm claim for a certain player to run away with it.

If pushed for an answer, I will say Barbora Krejcikova will get back to winning ways, starting what she hopes to be a resurgent 2026 with a title. The two-time Grand Slam champion has been plagued with injuries which has seen her drop right down the order, but the class on court is still there waiting to be unlocked at the right time.

A part of me wants to say Emma Raducanu to clinch glory, and I do see her going deep but I do not see the Hobart International being the event where she ends her long-awaited drought for a title to back up the US Open.

Eva Lys has also caught my eye after what seems to be a player on the rise. She could cause some trouble for certain players, with the same being said for 18-year-old Iva Jovic. She already has a WTA 500 title under belt, showing the talent that she holds.

The likes of Elise Mertens and the reigning champion McCartney Kessler will all be in the hunt, but I am predicting triumph for the Czech Republic.

*** Barbora Krejcikova

** Emma Raducanu, Elise Mertens

* Iva Jovic, McCartney Kessler, Eva Lys