The first Grand Slam of the 2026 tennis season is upon us, with the Australian Open set to serve up two weeks of high-stakes drama in Melbourne. Defending champions Jannik Sinner and Madison Keys return, aiming to hold off a star-studded field hungry for glory.
Historic Pursuits and Title Defences
Jannik Sinner begins his campaign for a remarkable third consecutive Australian Open crown. Having defeated Alexander Zverev in last year's final, the Italian is now chasing history. Only Novak Djokovic, who is also in the draw, has won three men's singles titles in a row at Melbourne Park in the Open Era.
Carlos Alcaraz arrives with his own monumental opportunity. A victory would see the Spanish sensation become the youngest male player ever to complete a career Grand Slam. On the women's side, world number one Iga Swiatek can also achieve the career Slam if she triumphs, having added Wimbledon to her collection last summer.
Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka is strongly fancied to reclaim the title she lost to Keys in 2025. The powerful Belarusian, a two-time champion, arrives in formidable form after winning the Brisbane International warm-up event.
How to Watch in the UK: TV and Streaming Details
For tennis fans in the United Kingdom, TNT Sports holds the exclusive broadcast rights for the Australian Open. Comprehensive live coverage will be available on their linear TV channels.
Every match can also be live-streamed online via the Discovery+ platform, which includes TNT Sports content in its premium package. This provides flexibility to watch on smart TVs, computers, tablets, and mobile devices.
Daily Schedule and Key Timings
TNT Sports' coverage begins each day at midnight UK time. Play on the main show courts typically gets underway at 1:00 AM UK time.
For those preferring to watch in the morning, the evening session from Melbourne starts at 8:00 AM UK time. The tournament concludes with the women's and men's singles finals, which are scheduled to begin at approximately 8:30 AM UK time on Saturday, January 31 and Sunday, February 1, respectively.
The full round-by-round schedule is as follows:
- January 18-20: Men’s and Women’s Singles First Round
- January 21-22: Second Round
- January 23-24: Third Round
- January 25-26: Fourth Round
- January 27-28: Quarter-finals
- January 29: Women’s Semi-finals
- January 30: Men’s Semi-finals
- January 31: Women’s Singles Final
- February 1: Men’s Singles Final
Expert Commentary Line-Up
Viewers will be guided through the action by an illustrious team of presenters and pundits. Laura Robson, the Olympic silver medallist, will lead the on-site coverage from Melbourne Park.
She will be joined by legends including John McEnroe, Jim Courier, Mats Wilander, Tim Henman, and Justine Henin. Further analysis will come from Barbara Schett, Alex Corretja, Anne Keothavong, and CoCo Vandeweghe. Studio presentation from London will be handled by Rachel Stringer.
With historic milestones on the line and the world's best players competing, the 2026 Australian Open promises to be an unmissable spectacle for sports fans across the UK.
