Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka, Emma Raducanu, and More: Australian Open Day 1 Schedule for January 18

The Australian Open gets underway with an action-packed Day 1 in store for fans. Here is all you need to know about the day's order of play.

The 2026 Australian Open kicks off on Sunday with a flurry of exciting matches. Fans will get to see the top seeds in both the men’s and women’s singles in action at Melbourne Park.

With Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka, and Alexander Zverev all playing, the Australian Open is all set to begin with a bang. Here is the full Day 1 schedule for the Australian Open.

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Australian Open Day 1 Schedule

First up at the Rod Laver Arena will be seventh seed Jasmine Paolini. The Italian will face Aliaksandra Sasnovich in her first round match. Next up, Alexander Zverev will begin his bid to end his Grand Slam drought with a potentially tricky test against Gabriel Diallo.

The night session at the Rod Laver Arena will start with women’s World No. 1 Sabalenka taking on Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah. The Belarusian narrowly missed out on winning the Australian Open last year and will be determined to add to her 2023 and 2024 titles at the event.

Alcaraz only needs to win the Australian Open to complete his career Grand Slam. He will begin his campaign Down Under against Australian Adam Walton. The Spaniard has yet to make it past the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park, and he will be keen to change that this year.

MORE: 6 Dark Horses Who Could Wreak Havoc at Australian Open, Including Hubert Hurkacz and Victoria Mboko

Other top players who will be in action on Sunday include Elina Svitolina, Emma Raducanu, Frances Tiafoe, and Alexander Bublik.

Australian Open 2026 Schedule

Rod Laver Arena

  • Aliaksandra Sasnovich vs Jasmine Paolini (Starts at 11:30 am local time, 7:30 pm EST (January 17))
  • Followed by Alexander Zverev vs. Gabriel Diallo
  • Aryna Sabalenka vs. Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah (Starts at 7 pm local time, 3 am EST)
  • Followed by Carlos Alcaraz vs. Adam Walton

Margaret Court Arena

  • Maria Sakkari vs Leolia Jeanjean (Starts at 11:30 am local time, 7:30 pm EST (January 17))
  • Followed by Francisco Cerundolo vs. Zhang Zhizhen
  • Alexander Bublik vs. Jenson Brooksby (Starts at 7 pm local time, 3 am EST)
  • Followed by Mananchaya Sawangkaew vs. Emma Raducanu

John Cain Arena

  • Arthur Fery vs Flavio Cobolli (Starts at 11 am local time, 7 pm EST (January 17))
  • Followed by Elina Svitolina vs. Cristina BucÈ™a
  • Followed by Frances Tiafoe vs. Jason Kubler
  • Followed by Olga Danilović vs. Venus Williams

Kia Arena

  • Talia Gibson vs. Anna Blinkova (Starts at 11 am local time, 7 pm EST (January 17))
  • Followed by Tristan Schoolkate vs. Corentin Moutet
  • Followed by Michael Zheng vs. Sebastian Korda
  • Followed by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova vs. Zhuoxuan Bai

1573 Arena

  • Miomir Kecmanović vs. Tomás Martín Etcheverry (Starts at 11 am local time, 7 pm EST (January 17))
  • Followed by Ekaterina Alexandrova vs. Zeynep Sönmez
  • Followed by Benjamin Bonzi vs. Cameron Norrie

ANZ Arena

  • Dayana Yastremska vs. Elena-Gabriela Ruse (Starts at 11 am local time, 7 pm EST (January 17))
  • Followed by Elsa Jacquemot vs. Marta Kostyuk
  • Followed by Camilo Ugo Carabelli vs. Márton Fucsovics
  • Followed by Suzan Lamens vs. Anastasia Potapova

Court 6

  • Yulia Putintseva vs. Beatriz Haddad Maia (Starts at 11 am local time, 7 pm EST (January 17))
  • Followed by Emilio Nava vs. Kyrian Jacquet
  • Followed by Yannick Hanfmann vs. Zachary Svajda

Court 7

  • Patrick Kypson vs. Francisco Comesana (Starts at 2 pm local time, 10 pm EST (January 17))
  • Followed by Polina Kudermetova vs. Guiomar Maristany

Court 8

  • Caty McNally vs. Himeno Sakatsume (Starts at 1 pm local time, 9 pm EST (January 17))
  • Followed by Liam Draxl vs. Damir Džumhur

Court 13

  • Hailey Baptiste vs. Markéta VondrouÅ¡ová (Starts at 2 pm local time, 10 pm EST (January 17))
  • Followed by Alexander Blockx vs. Jaime Faria

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