Three years after Aryna Sabalenka won her first major singles title at the 2023 Australian Open by defeating Elena Rybakina in the championship, Sabalenka and Rybakina will meet again in Melbourne with the title on the line.

The Australian Open finals between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina -- the first Grand Slam of the season -- will air on ESPN.

Carlos Alcaraz described his five‑set win over Alexander Zverev in the Australian Open semi-finals as one of the most demanding matches of his career, saying he never once thought of quitting even as crippling cramp threatened to stop him in his tracks.

The 2026 Australian Open appeared set to be an all-chalk tournament, as the top four seeds all made it to the semifinals, with No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and No. 2 Jannik Sinner looking destined to meet in the final for the fourth consecutive grand slam.