Not only are we seeing a historic rematch in the singles, but the prize money has reached staggering new heights, ensuring that every player—from the qualifiers to the champions—leaves Melbourne with a significant payday.
What is the focus for the singles and doubles competitions next:
📅 Australian Open 2026 Finals Schedule
The final stages of the tournament are set. All times are listed in Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT).
Women’s Singles Final | Saturday, Jan 31 | 7:30 PM | Rod Laver Arena |
Women’s Doubles Final | Saturday, Jan 31 | 12:00 PM (Approx) | Rod Laver Arena |
Men’s Singles Final | Sunday, Feb 1 | 7:30 PM | Rod Laver Arena |
Elena Rybakina
🏆 Singles Final: The Heavyweight Rematch
The women’s singles final features a dream matchup: World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka vs. World No. 5 Elena Rybakina. This is a direct rematch of their epic 2023 final, and remarkably, both women reached the final without dropping a single set.
The Favorite: Aryna Sabalenka
Sabalenka has been an absolute “force of nature” in Melbourne. After losing her title to Madison Keys in 2025, she has returned with a vengeance. Her 6-2, 6-3 demolition of Elina Svitolina in the semifinals proved she is the woman to beat.
* Key Strength: Explosive power and a vastly improved mental game.
* History: Aiming for her 3rd Australian Open title and 5th career Grand Slam.
The Challenger: Elena Rybakina
Rybakina edged out Jessica Pegula in a high-quality semifinal (6-3, 7-6) to secure her spot. As the tour’s best server, the faster court conditions at Rod Laver Arena suit her game perfectly.
* Key Strength: The most reliable serve in women’s tennis and flat, deep groundstrokes.
* Head-to-Head: Sabalenka leads the series 8-6, but Rybakina won their most recent clash at the WTA Finals.
Iva Jovic
🎾 Highlights from the Women’s Tournament
The 2026 edition has been defined by two things: extreme heat and youthful breakthroughs.
* The “Heat Rule”: Temperatures hitting 42°C forced several matches to be played under closed roofs.
* The Giant Killer: 18-year-old American Iva Jovic was the story of the first week, reaching the quarterfinals before being halted by Sabalenka.
* Svitolina’s Resurgence: Elina Svitolina reached her first Australian Open semifinal, notably “marmalising” Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals (6-1, 6-2).
* Upsets: Defending champion Madison Keys fell to her close friend Jessica Pegula in the Round of 16, while Iga Swiatek was eliminated by Rybakina in a dominant straight-sets quarterfinal.
🌟 What to Expect: The Future of Women’s Tennis
As the tournament concludes, several trends are emerging for the rest of the 2026 season:
* The Power Era: The dominance of Sabalenka and Rybakina suggests that “First Strike” tennis—winning points in under four shots—is currently the most effective strategy on hard courts.
* Depth of Field: Players like Mirra Andreeva and Iva Jovic have proven that the gap between the veterans and the teenagers is closing rapidly.
* Physicality: With Melbourne’s extreme weather, the players who invested most in their fitness (like Svitolina and Pegula) are the ones who survived the grueling two-week stretch.
> Expert Prediction: While Rybakina has the serve to dictate play, Sabalenka’s “Tiger spirit” and experience in her fourth consecutive Melbourne final make her the slight favorite to lift the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup once again.
Here is the deep dive into the Women’s Doubles final and the financial stakes of this year’s tournament.
👯 Women’s Doubles Final: The Seeds vs. The Underdogs
While the singles final is a clash of titans, the doubles final is a fascinating battle between veteran consistency and a breakout partnership.
The Finalists
* [4] Elise Mertens & Shuai Zhang: This powerhouse duo advanced with a commanding straight-sets victory in the semifinals. Mertens is chasing her third Australian Open doubles title, bringing veteran poise to the court.
* [7] Aleksandra Krunić & Anna Danilina: The “giant killers” of the draw. They earned their spot by knocking out the world-ranked No. 1 and No. 2 players (Siniakova and Townsend) in a thrilling three-set quarterfinal.
The Favorites
Mertens and Zhang enter as the slight favorites due to their combined experience in Grand Slam finals. However, Krunić and Danilina have shown incredible “clutch” tennis throughout the fortnight, winning multiple tiebreaks to reach this stage. Expect a high-tactical battle with plenty of net play.
💰 2026 Prize Money Breakdown (Record AUD 111.5M)
Tennis Australia has increased the total prize pool by 16% this year, making the 2026 Australian Open the second-richest Grand Slam in history.
Women’s Singles Prize Money
Champion | $4,150,000
Runner-up | $2,150,000
Semifinalists | $1,250,000
Quarterfinalists | $750,000
Round of 16 | $480,000
First Round Exit | $150,000
Women’s Doubles Prize Money (Per Team)
Champions | $900,000
Runners-up | $485,000
Semifinalists | $275,000
Quarterfinalists | $158,000
> Note: Even players who fell in the first round of qualifying walked away with $40,500, reflecting a tournament-wide push to support lower-ranked players.
Mixed Doubles Result: Aussie Victory!
In a feel-good moment for the home crowd, the Australian duo Olivia Gadecki and John Peers successfully defended their title on Friday. They defeated the French pair Mladenovic and Guinard in a nail-biting match tiebreak (10\text{–}8), becoming the first pair to go back-to-back in Melbourne since 1989.
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