How to watch 2026 Australian Open tennis: TV, times, stream, schedule
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The best tennis players in the world have returned Down Under for the first Grand Slam of the 2026 season, and this year's Australian Open offers plenty of opportunities to further existing storylines and create fresh ones when singles action begins on Saturday, Jan. 17.
Jannik Sinner is the defending Australian Open champion on the men's side, but will be the No. 2 seed in Melbourne this year. He's playing in the same half of the draw as No. 4 seed Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion who recently said "a cloud will follow" Sinner throughout his career due to a positive steroids test in 2024.
No. 1 seed Carlos Alcaraz, meanwhile, is attempting to become the youngest person to complete a career Grand Slam by winning the Australian Open for the first time, but will do so playing in his first major event since splitting with longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero. Alcaraz beat Sinner in the French Open and U.S. Open finals in 2025, while Sinner beat Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final and the ATP Finals. No. 8 seed Ben Shelton and No. 9 seed Taylor Fritz lurk as the top American men's singles contenders, though the U.S. hasn't won a men's singles Grand Slam since 2003.
Aryna Sabalenka is the No. 1 seed again in the women's singles draw and the favorite to win her third Australian Open in four years coming off a second consecutive U.S. Open title in 2025. But No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek, Americans Coco Gauff (No. 3 seed) and Amanda Anisimova (No. 4 seed), and No. 6 seed Elena Rybakina are all considered contenders by oddsmakers. American Madison Keys is the defending women's singles champion in Melbourne after upsetting Sabalenka in the final last year and enters her title defense as the No. 9 seed in the draw.
Here's how to watch the 2026 Australian Open, which will take place at odd hours in the United States because of the significant time difference with Melbourne, Australia:
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When is the Australian Open? Dates and scheduleThe 2026 Australian Open is scheduled to begin with Round 1 action starting on Sunday, Jan. 18, with the women's final set for Saturday, Jan. 31 and the men's singles final slated to take place on Sunday, Feb. 1. Here's how the schedule looks for the remainder of the tournament:
Jan. 17-20: Round 1
Jan. 21-22: Round 2
Jan. 23-24: Round 3
Jan. 25-26: Round 4 (Round of 16)
Jan. 27-28: Quarterfinals
Jan. 29: Women's semifinals
Jan. 30: Men's semifinals
Jan. 31: Women’s final
Feb. 1: Men’s final
How to watch 2026 Australian Open: Full TV, streaming scheduleThe Australian Open will be broadcast nationally on ESPN and ESPN2 throughout the tournament. Live streaming coverage is also available through ESPN Unlimited, ESPN+ and Fubo. Here's a look at the full broadcast schedule for the 2026 Australian Open:
All times Eastern
Saturday, Jan. 17 – Round 110 p.m.-3 a.m. on ESPN2
7 p.m.-7 a.m. on ESPN Unlimited, ESPN+
Sunday, Jan. 18 – Round 13-10 a.m. on ESPN2
7 p.m.-3 a.m. on ESPN2
7 p.m.-7 a.m. (Monday) on ESPN Unlimited, ESPN+
Monday, Jan. 19 – Round 13-7 a.m. on ESPN2
8-11 a.m. on ESPN2 (encore)
7 p.m.-7 a.m. on ESPN Unlimited, ESPN+
11:15 p.m.-3 a.m. (Tuesday) on ESPN2
Tuesday, Jan. 20 – Rounds 1 and 23-7 a.m. on ESPN2
12-3 p.m. on ESPN2 (encore)
9 p.m.-3 a.m. on ESPN2
7 p.m.-7 a.m. on ESPN Unlimited, ESPN+
Wednesday, Jan. 21 – Round 23-7 a.m. on ESPN2
2-5 p.m. on ESPN2 (encore)
9 p.m.-3 a.m. on ESPN2
7 p.m.-7 a.m. on ESPN Unlimited, ESPN+
Thursday, Jan. 22 – Rounds 2 and 33-7 a.m. on ESPN2
2-5 p.m. on ESPN2 (encore)
9 p.m.-3 a.m. on ESPN2
7 p.m.-7 a.m. on ESPN Unlimited, ESPN+
Friday, Jan. 23 – Round 33-7 a.m. on ESPN2
2-5 p.m. on ESPN2 (encore)
9 p.m.-3 a.m. on ESPN2
7 p.m.-7 a.m. on ESPN Unlimited, ESPN+
Saturday, Jan. 24 – Rounds 3 and 43-10 a.m. on ESPN2
8 p.m.-3 a.m. on ESPN2
7 p.m.-7 a.m. on ESPN Unlimited, ESPN+
Sunday, Jan. 25 – Round 43-10:30 a.m. on ESPN2
4-5 p.m. on ABC
8 p.m.-3 a.m. on ESPN2
7 p.m.-7 a.m. on ESPN Unlimited, ESPN+
Monday, Jan. 26 – Round 4 and quarterfinals3-7 a.m. on ESPN2
12-3 p.m. on ESPN2 (encore)
9 p.m.-1 a.m. on ESPN2 (quarterfinals)
7:30 p.m.-1 a.m. on ESPN Unlimited (quarterfinals)
7 p.m.-5 a.m. on ESPN+
Tuesday, Jan. 27 – Quarterfinals3-7 a.m. on ESPN
1-4 p.m. on ESPN2 (encore)
9 p.m.-1 a.m. on ESPN2
7:30 p.m. - 1 a.m. on ESPN Unlimited
7 p.m.-5 a.m. on ESPN+
Wednesday, Jan. 28 – Quarterfinals3-7 a.m. on ESPN
11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on ESPN2 (encore)
7 p.m.-5 a.m. on ESPN+
Thursday, Jan. 29 – Semifinals3:30-7:30 a.m. on ESPN (women's)
10:30 p.m.-1 a.m. on ESPN (men's)
7 p.m.-5 a.m. on ESPN Unlimited, ESPN+
Friday, Jan. 30 – Men's semifinals3:30-6 a.m. on ESPN (men's)
2-5 p.m. on ESPN2 (encore)
8 p.m.-2 a.m. on ESPN Unlimited, ESPN+
Saturday, Jan. 31 – Women's championship3:30-5:30 a.m. on ESPN, ESPN Unlimited
9 a.m.-noon on ESPN2 (encore)
12-1 p.m. on ABC
Sunday, Feb. 1 – Men's championship3:30-6:30 a.m. on ESPN, ESPN Unlimited
9 a.m.-1 p.m. on ESPN2 (encore)
9:30 p.m.-1 a.m. on ESPN2 (encore)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Australian Open 2026: Dates, times for draw, TV and streaming schedule
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