2026 Australian Open: How to watch on TV and the schedule

Singles play at the 2026 Australian Open begins next Sunday at 11 a.m. local time, with U.S. TV coverage on ESPN and Tennis Channel.

The 2026 Australian Open is set to begin next week with singles play scheduled to start next Sunday at 11 a.m. local time and the first match in Rod Laver Arena at 11:30 a.m. U.S. television coverage is being provided by ESPN and Tennis Channel. Madison Keys and Jannick Sinner are the reigning 2025 singles champions. Seedings list Aryna Sabalenka as the top-seeded woman and Carlos Alcaraz as the top-seeded man. Key details: - Broadcasters: In the U.S., ESPN and Tennis Channel carry coverage; the article notes international broadcasters are listed as well. - Schedule highlights: Qualifying and main-draw rounds run through late January, with women's and men's finals scheduled for Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 respectively. - Venue and format: The tournament is played on outdoor hard courts at Melbourne Park, with retractable roofs at Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena and John Cain Arena. - Match rules: Women play best-of-three sets with a first-to-10 tiebreak at 6-all in the third; men play best-of-five sets with a tiebreak at 6-all in the fifth. - Event features and prize money: Organizers are adding an "opening week" with live music and expanded public access during qualifying, and prize money has risen to 111.5 million Australian dollars, with the singles champions set to receive 4.15 million AUD each. Summary: The tournament opens next Sunday and will run through the scheduled finals at the end of January and start of February. Broadcast arrangements and the match schedule are confirmed in the report, and organizers have highlighted expanded public events and increased prize money as part of this year's edition.