The 2026 Australian Open Women’s Draw intrigue starts immediately in Melbourne, with Aryna Sabalenka chasing a third title in four years.
Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek landed in quarters that offer great opportunity but little room for error, and a field packed with volatile first-round matchups that could reshape the tournament before the second week arrives.
Read on as I break down the 2026 Australian Open Women’s Draw, beginning Sunday, January 17.
2026 Australian Open Women’s Championship Odds (FanDuel)
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Aryna Sabalenka | +180 |
| Iga Swiatek | +550 |
| Elena Rybakina | +750 |
| Coco Gauff | +850 |
| Amanda Anisimova | +900 |
| Mirra Andreeva | +1700 |
| Naomi Osaka | +2700 |
| Marta Kostyuk | +3500 |
| Victoria Mboko | +3500 |
| Jessica Pegula | +4500 |
| Madison Keys | +4500 |
| Karolina Muchova | +4500 |
| Belinda Bencic | +4500 |
| Jasmine Paolini | +7000 |
| Elina Svitolina | +7000 |
| Emma Raducanu | +8000 |
| Leylah Fernandez | +10000 |
| Jelena Ostapenko | +10000 |
| Diana Shnaider | +10000 |
| Linda Noskova | +10000 |
| Clara Tauson | +10000 |
| Paula Badosa | +12500 |
| Anna Kalinskaya | +12500 |
| Emma Navarro | +12500 |
| Ekaterina Alexandrova | +12500 |
| Marketa Vondrousova | +12500 |
| Barbora Krejcikova | +12500 |
| Maria Sakkari | +12500 |
| Alexandra Eala | +12500 |
| Liudmila Samsonova | +12500 |
| Anastasia Potapova | +17500 |
| Donna Vekic | +17500 |
| Daria Kasatkina | +17500 |
Quarter 1: Sabalenka Seeks 3rd Crown in 4 Years
Aryna Sabalenka opens the tournament at the top of a quarter with the draw offering few early complications for the two-time defending champion.
The quarter also includes seeded challengers Emma Raducanu and Victoria Mboko, with the struggling Raducanu a potential third-round opponent if seeds hold.
Sabalenka begins against wildcard Tiana Rakotomanga Rajaonah, with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan lined up next.
Raducanu opens against Mananchaya Sawangkaew, while Mboko starts her campaign against dangerous teenage wildcard Emerson Jones on the opposite side of the quarter.
Elsewhere in the section, Clara Tauson anchors the lower portion as the highest remaining seed, with multiple unseeded players separating her from Sabalenka’s path.
Quarter 2: Gauff Seeks 1st Australian Open Title
Coco Gauff opens the tournament at the top of a quarter that mixes established contenders with several unseeded floaters capable of disrupting early rounds.
The third seed sits in a manageable position, but the draw places multiple seeded players in her path without locking in a single, obvious quarterfinal matchup.
Gauff begins against Kamilla Rakhimova, with Olga Danilović or wildcard Venus Williams lined up next.
Further down her half, Karolina Muchova anchors a dangerous subsection, while dangerous teenager Mirra Andreeva sits in the lower half of the quarter as the highest remaining seed outside Gauff’s immediate path.
Elsewhere in the section, Markéta Vondroušová, Emma Navarro, Maria Sakkari, and Donna Vekić are dangerous floater.
Quarter 3: Anisimova Seeks 1st Grand Slam Title
Amanda Anisimova opens the tournament in a quarter anchored at the top by Jessica Pegula, with Madison Keys also positioned in the upper half, giving this section one of the deepest collections of proven hard-court firepower outside the top three seeds.
Anisimova opens against Simona Waltert, with her first major test likely to come in the third round, where Sofia Kenin or Payton Stearns sits directly in her path.
At the top of the quarter, Pegula begins against Anna Zakharova, with Emiliana Arango or McCartney Kessler lined up next, while defending champion Keys looms as a potential fourth-round opponent.
Elsewhere in the section, Jelena Ostapenko, Linda Nosková, and Paula Badosa are spread across the quarter, leaving little margin for error throughout.
Quarter 4: Swiatek Seeks 1st Australian Open Crown
Iga Swiatek opens the tournament in a quarter that offers early control but limited long-term insulation.
Swiatek begins against Yuan Yue, with Marie Bouzková or Renata Zarazúa lined up next.
Two-time former champ Naomi Osaka could emerge as a fourth-round opponent if she navigates an opening test against Ajla Tomljanović, with proven hardcourt hitters like Eva Lys and Liudmilla Samsonova potential stumbling blocks.
Elsewhere in the quarter, Elena Rybakina anchors the upper portion, opening against Kaja Juvan, with red-hot Belinda Bencic and Maya Joint standing in Rybakina’s path to a QF showdown with Swiatek.
Popcorn Matches
- Victoria Mboko vs Emerson Jones
- Olga Danilović vs Venus Williams
- Hailey Baptiste vs Markéta Vondroušová
- Alycia Parks vs Alexandra Eala
- Magda Linette vs Emma Navarro
- Barbora Krejčíková vs Diana Shnaider
- Donna Vekić vs Mirra Andreeva
- Emiliana Arango vs McCartney Kessler
- Karolína Plíšková vs Sloane Stephens
- Sofia Kenin vs Payton Stearns
For Further Reading
- Which Women Can Actually Win the 2026 Australian Open — 2026 Australian Open Women’s Contenders!
- 2026 Australian Open Women’s Singles Championship Odds
- American Firepower Headlines 2026 Australian Open Women’s Entry List
- Coaches Corner: Five First-Time WTA Grand Slam Champions-in-Waiting
- The 5 Most Over-Hyped WTA “Stars” Heading Into 2026
- 10 Biggest 2025 Australian Open WTA Betting Upsets
Phil Naessens is a tennis betting analyst and former tennis coach with decades of experience in player development and match analysis. He is the founder of Crush Rush News and host of the Crush & Rush Tennis Podcast, focusing on price-first betting strategy, market efficiency, and transparency in sports wagering.
