With the Australian Open now wrapped up, it was Carlos Alcaraz and Elena Rybakina who walked away with the biggest honours.
Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic in the men’s final, while Rybakina came out on top against Aryna Sabalenka to take the women’s title.
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Rybakina’s powerful serve played a major role in her success in Melbourne, a run that has also seen her climb to number three in the world rankings.
Like Rybakina, Alcaraz picked up a huge financial reward for his efforts in Melbourne, where he also completed his career Grand Slam.
But not every player left Australia with the same sense of satisfaction. Several ATP and WTA stars fell short of expectations this time around.
Three players who struggled to get going at the Australian Open
Madison Keys came into the 2026 tournament as the defending champion, but she couldn’t match last year’s run, bowing out in the fourth round.
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With plenty of points to defend, her early exit saw her drop six places in the rankings, slipping down to world number 15.
She wasn’t alone among Americans facing early exits. Fifteenth seed Emma Navarro was knocked out in the opening round by Magda Linette.
The two-time WTA title holder has seen better days in terms of ranking too. Not long ago she was ranked as high as number eight but fell to 17th after this event.
Felix Auger-Aliassime, on the men’s side, had a tough time as well. He retired from his opening match due to injury.
The Canadian had built some momentum with three ATP titles in 2025 and reached a career-high ranking of fifth. Hopes were high heading into Melbourne.
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But cramps forced him to retire while trailing Nuno Borges 6-3, 4-6, 4-6 on one of his rougher outings so far this season.
Who benefited the most from the Australian Open?
Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
While some left Melbourne disappointed, others made the most of their time at the 2026 Australian Open.
And three names in particular stood out across both draws.
With more and more doubting whether he can still compete at this level, Novak Djokovic delivered a clear reminder of his ability during this tournament.
The 38-year-old might have fallen short in the final against Alcaraz, but still showed he’s far from finished and remains a threat every time he steps on court.
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Djokovic’s path to the final included a memorable semifinal win over Jannik Sinner, adding another big moment to his long list of career highlights.
Iva Jovic, just 18 years old, made headlines by knocking out world number six Jasmine Paolini on her way to the quarterfinals, where she lost to eventual winner Aryna Sabalenka.
Learner Tien matched that run on the men’s side. The American made it all the way to the last eight, including an impressive win over Daniil Medvedev before losing to Alexander Zverev.
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