Iga Świątek’s opponent Maddison Inglis is assured the biggest payday of her tennis career at the 2026 Australian Open. She had already won over the home crowd with her performances in qualifying and the early rounds. However, it was Naomi Osaka’s late withdrawal from their third-round match that completely changed Inglis’ tournament and her career earnings.
Maddison Inglis’ Breakthrough Payday at the Australian Open
After making headlines with her entrance look and raising fans’ hopes, Osaka unfortunately withdrew from the Grand Slam due to an abdominal issue that is related to her post-pregnancy physical changes. The two-time Australian Open champion said that the pain got worse during her warm-up and needed more medical checks.
Inglis has now become the first Australian woman to reach the fourth round at her home Grand Slam since Ashleigh Barty did it in 2022. That achievement alone guarantees her at least AUD 480,000 (USD 331,866 approx.) in prize money. It is way more than what she earned in her last three tournaments combined, which is under AUD 10,000 (USD 6,912 approx.) in total.
Her most recent prize checks before AO were AUD 868, AUD 1,356 AUD, and AUD 7,086, which came from the Japan Women’s Open, Japan Open and Hong Kong Open. It just shows how significant this result could be for her, both career-wise and financially.
Inglis had to fight her way through the qualifying rounds at the AO. One of those wins came against compatriot Kimberly Birrell in a hard-fought three-set battle. She then followed it up with another long match, where she defeated Laura Siegemund in the second round.
Inglis’ Family Background, Career, and Personal Life
Inglis was born on January 14, 1998, in Perth, Australia. Her parents actually met on a tennis court, which feels like a perfect beginning for someone who would grow up to play the sport professionally.
Her elder sister, Georgia, has also played for the women’s national wheelchair basketball team. Georgia met with an accident with a lawnmower, which caused a permanent back injury.
Inglis is engaged to fellow Australian tennis pro Jason Kubler. They’ve trained together, traveled to tournaments, and even played mixed doubles at times.
Inglis started playing tennis when she was just four years old and turned professional in 2013. She trained at Tennis Australia’s National Academy in Brisbane during her early days. There, she worked with top coaches and practiced alongside other Australian players like Kim Birrell, Lizette Cabrera, and Priscilla Hon.
Over the years, she has won nine singles and eight ITF doubles titles, but until this current Australian Open run, her results at Grand Slams had not been highlight-worthy. Her career-high singles ranking of No. 112 came in March 2020, and as of January 2026, she is ranked 168.
