Two-time Australian Open women’s singles champion Aryna Sabalenka and men’s top seed Carlos Alcaraz headline the action for the night session of Day 1 of Australian Open 2026 on Sunday, according to ausopen.com.
Sabalenka, winner of the Australian Open in 2023 and 2024 before going down to American Madison Keys in the final last year, begins her quest for a fifth career major against French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah, while Alcaraz – chasing victory at the only major he’s yet to win – steps out against Australia’s Adam Walton in the second night match at Rod Laver Arena.
The day session begins with women’s seventh seed Jasmine Paolini against qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich, with an intriguing first-round men’s match between last year’s runner-up Alexander Zverev and Canadian Gabriel Diallo to follow.
Men’s 18th seed Francisco Cerundolo takes on China’s Zhizhen Zhang on a Sunday slate at Margaret Court Arena that also features 2021 US Open champion and 28th seed Emma Raducanu and men’s 10th seed Alexander Bublik.
At John Cain Arena (not before 5 pm), American 29th seed Frances Tiafoe meets Australian qualifier Jason Kubler before 45-year-old Venus Williams, making her first Melbourne Park appearance since 2021, plays Serbia’s Olga Danilovic.
