The 2026 tennis season is about to go into overdrive as the Australian Open is all set to start from January 17. While the top players in both the men’s and women’s draws are included in debates about who would win the crown in two weeks, some other players can be considered “dark horses” who could surprise everyone.
Let’s look at some of the players who have an outside but decent chance of causing a surprise or two in Melbourne.
Hubert Hurkacz Is a Dark Horse at the Australian Open, Along With Alexander Bublik and Tommy Paul
One of the former Top-10 players, and a former Wimbledon semifinalist, Hubert Hurkacz is one of the dark horses at this year’s Australian Open.
The Polish player played an instrumental role in Poland’s win at the United Cup, defeating the likes of Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, and Stan Wawrinka. His best showing in Melbourne was reaching the quarterfinal in 2024, where he lost to Daniil Medvedev.
However, being unseeded, the Pole has been handed a tough draw, as he could face Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals, against whom he has a 0-8 head-to-head record.
Alexander Bublik has been in tremendous form in the last year or so. The Kazakh had one of his best years on Tour in 2025, winning four titles, including one on hard courts in Hangzhou.
He has started this year with a bang, winning the Hong Kong Open, and has reached the Top 10 on the ATP rankings. The higher ranking will ensure that if the Kazakh plays to his potential, he should at least get the fourth round, where he will potentially face Alex de Minaur.
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Bublik trails 2-3 in the head-to-head record against the Australian, but won his last two matches at the French Open and at the Paris Masters last year. A potential quarterfinal match against Carlos Alcaraz awaits the tenth seed should he win.
Tommy Paul did not have a good season last year. The American, however, loves playing in Melbourne, having reached the semifinals in 2023 and also advancing to the quarterfinals here last year. The American has got a tough draw as the 18th seed, potentially facing top seed Alcaraz in the fourth round.
Paul has won a couple of matches against Alcaraz in their head-to-head. Still, the Spaniard has dominated the overall rivalry, beating the American player on the Grand Slam stage at Wimbledon in 2024 and at the French Open last year.
Victoria Mboko Will Be Looking To Take the Next Big Step at the Australian Open
Victoria Mboko already showed that she belongs at the highest level in the WTA when she won the WTA 1000 event in Montreal last year, defeating the likes of Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, and Naomi Osaka.
She has started well this season, reaching the final in Adelaide, where she lost to Mirra Andreeva. The draw, however, makes it tricky for the Canadian, as she could face top seed Aryna Sabalenka in the fourth round. They have never played each other before, but beating the Belarusian will take a massive effort from the Canadian.
Elina Svitolina is one of the most experienced players on Tour, with a real hard-court pedigree, having 11 titles on the surface, including two WTA 1000 titles.
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She is a three-time quarterfinalist at the Australian Open, and will be keen to improve that record as she’s in good form, having won the ASB Classic last week. However, her draw will potentially pit her against Mirra Andreeva in the fourth round, against whom she has a 0-1 head-to-head record.
One of the most in-form players currently, and the 10th seed at the Australian Open, Belinda Bencic, could surprise everyone in Melbourne. The Swiss player won all five of her singles matches at the United Cup, which included a victory over Iga Świątek in the final.
Her draw at the Australian Open will see her play a potential fourth-round match against Elena Rybakina, against whom she has a 2-1 head-to-head record. Her probable quarterfinal opponent will be Świątek, and the United Cup victory will keep the Swiss in good standing before the match.
If she plays at the level she played at the United Cup, she has a real chance of winning the biggest prize of her career.
