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By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, January 14, 2026Photo credit score: Clive Brunskill/Getty
The second quarter of the Australian Open ladies’s draw provides some first-rate opening-round showdowns.
The draw for the 2026 Australian Open was carried out at Melbourne Park at the moment.
Reigning champion Madison Keys opens towards Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova with a possible second-round assembly with American Ashlyn Krueger or Czechia’s Sara Bejlek.
Two-time AO champion Aryna Sabalenka, the robust favourite to reclaim the Melbourne main title, will face French wild card Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah.
Some intriguing first-round matches within the second quarter embody:
*(8) Mirra Andreeva v. Donna Vekic
* (23) Diana Schnaider v. Barbora Krejcikova
*(15) Emma Navarro v. Magda Linette
*(3) Coco Gauff v. Kamilla Rakhimova
2026 Australian Open Ladies’s Draw
Two-time main finalist Amanda Anisimova, who anchors the third quarter, ought to take pleasure in a good draw.
The fourth-seeded Anisimova joins (6) Jessica Pegula, (9) Madison Keys and former AO champion Sofia Kenin as considered one of 4 seeded American ladies in that inviting third quarter, which additionally consists of Thirteenth-seeded Linda Noskova, 2025 AO semifinalist Paula Badosa and former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez.
No. 2-seeded Iga Swiatek, who’s taking part in for her first AO crown in her bid to finish the profession Grand Slam, opens towards a qualifier. Swiatek, who suffered her fourth consecutive straight-sets loss to Coco Gauff at United Cup final week, resides in the identical fourth quarter of the draw alongside reigning WTA Finals champion Elena Rybakina, former gold-medal champion and United Cup MVP Belinda Bencic, former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka and Thirty first-seeded Anna Kalinskaya, who has a profession win over the highly effective Pole.
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