The entry lists for the Australian Open 2026 have been published. This doesn’t promise anything new at the top, but a few old names are making a comeback.
by Florian Goosmann
last edited: December 16, 2025, 10:55 a.m
The official participation list for the Australian Open was published a few days ago. What this means specifically is that the players who are ranked high in the world rankings six weeks before the start of the tournament are directly qualified for the main draw at the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. However, the list does not match the official ranking. Reason: It was rather quietly and secretly planned to use the ranking after the ATP Finals this year, so Challenger points won after that only count for the world ranking, no longer for the AO direct qualification.
No matter how: All the top people are there, with the top 4 around Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic at the forefront. The only absentee from the top division: Holger Rune, who is struggling in rehab after tearing his Achilles tendon. The remaining 99 players in the top 100 are at the start.
From a German perspective, in addition to Zverev, there are also Daniel Altmaier and Jan-Lennard Struff. Filip Misolic qualified directly for Austria for the first time as number 79.
Exciting: Participants who were injured and use their protected ranking. On the men’s side these are Shang Juncheng, Zhang Zhizhen, Emil Ruusuvuori and Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Thiago Agustin Tirante, number 101 in the ATP rankings, is the last directly qualified player among the men.
As number 104 (from November 17th), Yannick Hanfmann has to hope for three cancellations.
Wildcards confirmed so far: James Duckworth, Patrick Kypson and Yunchaokete Bu.
Karolina Pliskova makes her comeback
For the women, the top four are also waving happily from above: Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova. 98 players from the top 100 are registered here. Absent: Danielle Collins and Ons Jabeur. Their protected rankings use former number 1 Karolina Pliskova, Wang Yafan and Mananchaya Sawangkaew.
Leolia Jeanjean is the last player to qualify directly as number 103. First wildcards: Emerson Jones, Elisabeth Mandlik and Zarina Diyas.
From a German perspective, right in the main field: Eva Lys, Tatjana Maria, Laura Siegemund and Ella Seidel.
