Alex de Minaur and Maya Joint spearhead local charge as Australian Open seeds set
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For the first time in over three years, Australia will be led by top-32 seeds in both the men's and women's fields at the Australian Open.
This milestone is anchored by 19-year-old Maya Joint, who secures the No.30 seed to become the first Australian woman to be seeded since three-time major winner Ash Barty claimed the title in 2022.
Ranked No.32 in the world, Joint's seeding is lifted by the absences of 2024 runner-up Zheng Qinwen and Veronika Kudermetova.
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Alex de Minaur and Maya Joint stand for the national anthem at Ken Rosewall Arena ahead of Australia's United Cup quarter-final clash with Poland. Brendon Thorne via Getty Images
On the men's side, Alex de Minaur leads the charge as the No. 6 seed, marking two decades since an Australian man has been seeded so high while also securing his third consecutive year inside the top 10.
On Wednesday, officials confirmed the 32 seeded players for the Australian Open main draw, setting the stage for Thursday's official draw ceremony at Melbourne Park.
Seedings are vital to the tournament structure, as they protect the top-ranked players from facing one another in the early rounds — ensuring the highest-calibre matchups are preserved for the final stages of the championship.
Men's world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz and two-time winner Aryna Sabalenka claim the top billing for the 2026 edition.
Watch the Adelaide International and Australian Open qualifying live and free on 9Now.
Two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner takes the No.2 seed, a placement that puts him and Alcaraz on opposite sides of the bracket and ensures they cannot meet until the final.
Should that blockbuster matchup occur, it would mark their first-ever clash at Melbourne Park and the fourth consecutive grand slam final to feature the legendary Italian-Spaniard rivalry.
Two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner and world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz are locked in as the top two seeds. AP
Rounding out the top three in the women's draw are Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff, marking the second consecutive year the pair has joined Sabalenka to secure the tournament's top three seeds.
Last year, Sabalenka and Swiatek came within a single point of a 1 v 2 showdown in the final — a matchup that remains on the cards for 2026 given their top-two seeding.
Standing in the way of that script in 2025 was Madison Keys, who saved a match point to stun Swiatek in their semi-finals meeting before toppling Sabalenka in the final to complete a fairytale run to her maiden grand slam title.
Keys returns as the defending champion and the No.9 seed, leading a formidable American contingent that features four women inside the tournament's top 10.
Back in the men's field, Alexander Zverev has secured the No.3 seed — marking the second straight year he, Alcaraz, and Sinner have locked out the top three spots.
Ten-time champion Novak Djokovic begins his 21st Australian Open campaign as the No. 4 seed just as newly minted top-five player Lorenzo Musetti rounds out the men's top five, securing a career-high seeding.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia acknowledges the crowd as he leaves the court after retiring from the 2025 Australian Open. Getty
The women's field is further bolstered by a deep list of grand slam champions, led by No.5 seed Elena Rybakina and a resurgent Naomi Osaka, who secured the No.16 seeding following her return to the world's elite.
They are joined by fellow major winners Jelena Ostapenko (24), Sofia Kenin (27), Emma Raducanu (28) and Marketa Vondrousova (32), all of whom arrive as dangerous seeded threats.
On the men's side, 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev enters the tournament fresh off a title in Brisbane, arriving as a three-time finalist and the only seeded player outside the top four to have already claimed a grand slam crown.
The men's and women's singles draws are set to be revealed at 2.30pm AEDT on Thursday, with the main draw beginning on Sunday.
Men's singles seeds:
1. Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)
2. Jannik Sinner (ITA)
3. Alexander Zverev (GER)
4. Novak Djokovic (SRB)
5. Lorenzo Musetti (ITA)
6. Alex de Minaur (AUS)
7. Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN)
8. Ben Shelton (USA)
9. Taylor Fritz (USA)
10. Alexander Bublik (KAZ)
11. Daniil Medvedev
12. Casper Ruud (NOR)
13. Andrey Rublev
14. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP)
15. Karen Khachanov
16. Jakub Mensik (CZE)
17. Jiri Lehecka (CZE)
18. Francisco Cerundolo (ARG)
19. Tommy Paul (USA)
20. Flavio Cobolli (ITA)
21. Denis Shapovalov (CAN)
22. Luciano Darderi (ITA)
23. Tallon Griekspoor (NED)
24. Arthur Rinderknech (FRA)
25. Learner Tien (USA)
26. Cameron Norrie (GBR)
27. Brandon Nakashima (USA)
28. Joao Fonseca (BRA)
29. Frances Tiafoe (USA)
30. Valentin Vacherot (MON)
31. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
32. Corentin Moutet (FRA)
Women's singles seeds:
1. Aryna Sabalenka
2. Iga Swiatek (POL)
3. Coco Gauff (USA)
4. Amanda Anisimova (USA)
5. Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
6. Jessica Pegula (USA)
7. Jasmine Paolini (ITA)
8. Mirra Andreeva
9 Madison Keys (USA)
10. Belinda Bencic (SUI)
11. Ekaterina Alexandrova
12. Elina Svitolina (UKR)
13. Linda Noskova (CZE)
14. Clara Tauson (DEN)
15. Emma Navarro (USA)
16. Naomi Osaka (JPN)
17. Victoria Mboko (CAN)
18. Liudmila Samsonova
19. Karolina Muchova (CZE)
20. Marta Kostyuk (UKR)
21. Elise Mertens (BEL)
22. Leylah Fernandez (CAN)
23. Diana Shnaider
24. Jelena Ostapenko (LAT)
25. Paula Badosa (ESP)
26. Dayana Yastremska (UKR)
27. Sofia Kenin (USA)
28. Emma Raducanu (GBR)
29. Iva Jovic (USA)
30. Maya Joint (AUS)
31. Anna Kalinskaya
32. Marketa Vondrousova (CZE)
