Two-time Major singles champion Barbora Krejčíková will begin her 2026 Australian Open campaign against 23rd-seeded Diana Shnaider. Krejčíková is one of the most dangerous unseeded players in the draw, as she has the potential of defeating anyone on her day, whereas Shnaider will look to make her first deep run at a Major.
Barbora Krejčíková vs Diana Shnaider Details
Date: Jan. 19, 2026 (Jan. 18 in ET)
Tournament: Australian Open 2026
Round: First Round (Round of 128)
Venue: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia
Surface: Outdoor Hard
Category: Grand Slam
Live Telecast: Tennis Channel, TSN, RDS, Sky Sports
Krejčíková vs Shnaider Head-to-Head
The head-to-head between the two players is 0-0 as they have yet to play each other on the WTA Tour.
Krejčíková began her 2026 season at the United Cup, where she won her matches against Malene Helgø and Maya Joint in the group fixtures but lost 7-5, 1-6, 5-7 against Elise Mertens in the quarterfinals. The Czech then played the Hobart International, where she made a first-round exit, losing 4-6, 6-1, 6-7 (4) against Peyton Stearns.
Shnaider started her season with a dominant 6-1, 6-3 win against Anastasia Potapova in Brisbane. She faced off against defending champion Madison Keys in the next round, losing after a tough three-set battle 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 6-7 (4). The Russian player then had a semifinal run in Adelaide, with wins over Leylah Fernandez, Kateřina Siniaková, and Emma Navarro, before losing 3-6, 2-6 against compatriot Mirra Andreeva.
Krejčíková vs Shnaider Prediction
Injuries did not allow Krejčíková to play more than 26 matches in 2025. However, even in that small sample size, the Czech player put together some nice hard-court runs, notably reaching the quarterfinals at the US Open, where she lost 3-6, 3-6 against Jessica Pegula. On her way to the last eight, she beat Taylor Townsend after saving eight match points.
Meanwhile, Shnaider had a 50 percent win rate on hard courts last year, but the Russian did win a title at the Monterrey Open, winning against Ekaterina Alexandrova in the final. She also reached the semifinal at the Ningbo Open, losing to Alexandrova on that occasion.
More: Mirra Andreeva vs Diana Shnaider Preview: Head-to-Head, Prediction for Adelaide International 2026
Krejčíková has five hard-court titles, and Shnaider has three to her name. However, the Czech is a Grand Slam champion and has reached the last eight here in Melbourne twice before. On the other hand, Shnaider’s titles have come at a lower level, and the Russian player has struggled to make deep runs at the bigger events, with one exception being a semifinal run at the 2024 Canadian Open.
Experience and raw tennis talent should give Krejčíková the edge in the upcoming match, as seen on the PFSN Simulator, which shows a 53 percent chance for the Czech to win.
However, fitness issues persist with the Czech player, and that plays in favor of Shnaider, who reached the semifinal in Adelaide last week, where the conditions are similar. The match should be a tight one, but the Russian should be able to get it done in three sets.
Pick– Shnaider to in three sets
