Australian Open
Alcaraz, Zverev headline Day 1 Australian Open schedule
Bublik, Cerundolo also in action
January 16, 2026
Morgan Hancock/Getty Images
Carlos Alcaraz is chasing his maiden Australian Open title.
By ATP Staff
The 2026 Australian Open will kick off Sunday, when No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev will compete in the season’s first major.
Alcaraz will begin his quest for a career Grand Slam against Australian Adam Walton. The Spaniard leads 1-0 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series. Zverev, who finished runner-up last year, will play Canadian Gabriel Diallo.
In other action Sunday, Alexander Bublik meets American Jenson Brooksby, Francisco Cerundolo plays Zhang Zhizhen, Flavio Cobolli faces Arthur Fery and Frances Tiafoe takes on Jason Kubler.
See the order of play below:
Sunday, 18 January
Rod Laver Arena
Day session – from 11:30 a.m. local time
[Q] Aliaksandra Sasnovich vs. [7] Jasmine Paolini
[3] Alexander Zverev vs. Gabriel Diallo
Night session – from 7 p.m. local time
[1] Aryna Sabalenka vs. [WC] Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajanoah
[1] Carlos Alcaraz vs. Adam Walton
Margaret Court Arena
Day session – from 11:30 a.m. local time
Maria Sakkari vs. Leolia Jeanjean
[18] Francisco Cerundolo vs. Zhang Zhizhen
Night session – from 7 p.m. local time
[10] Alexander Bublik vs. Jenson Brooksby
Mananchaya Sawangkaew vs. [28] Emma Raducanu
John Cain Arena
Day session – from 11 a.m. local time
[Q] Arthur Fery vs. [20] Flavio Cobolli
Not before 1:30 p.m.
[12] Elina Svitolina vs. Cristina Bucsa
Not before 5 p.m.
[29] Frances Tiafoe vs. [Q] Jason Kubler
Olga Danilovic vs. [WC] Venus Williams
View the full Day 1 schedule here.
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