We’re almost at the end of the year and a full season of tennis is waiting for us beyond 31st December. Plenty of stars, including Novak Djokovic, Naomi Osaka, and Aryna Sabalenka, will be in action in the first week of the 2026 season.
All of them will be taking these tournaments in Australia and New Zealand as preparation for the 2026 Australian Open in Melbourne. Here are the four must-watch tournaments that one should not miss out:
1. United Cup (Jan 2-11) ft. Naomi Osaka
The 2026 season kicks off with the United Cup, featuring top players from ATP and WTA in a team format tournament. The tournament will be divided across venue from Perth and Sydney.
Naomi Osaka will play for Japan for the first time in the United Cup. After enjoying a satisfying season in 2025, Osaka aims to be even better in 2026. Talking about her participation in the tournament, Osaka said:
“I’ll tell you after my first matches, but I think so. I feel like I’m improving every year, so I hope to be even better next year. Obviously, I’ve never played the United Cup before, but I think I’ll try to approach it like the Billie Jean King Cup. Honestly, it’s to be able to play a few matches against excellent players. When I look at the United Cup, I see very high-level matches and I’ve always wanted to participate, so I’m thrilled to be here.”
2. Adelaide International (Jan 12-17) ft. Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic is the biggest headliner in the Adelaide International as he aims to win the 2026 Australian Open, and take her record breaking Grand Slam to 25. Interestingly, the last time the Serbian played in this tournament was in 2023, and he went on to win that year’s Australian Open.
Apart from the 24-time Grand Slam champion, the tournament will also feature Jack Draper, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Tommy Paul, Francisco Cerundolo, Joao Fonseca, Alexei Popyrin and Stefanos Tsitsipas in the men’s field. On the women’s side, Madison Keys will look forward to defending her title against a strong draw, including Jessica Pegula, Mirra Andreeva, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Belinda Bencic, Clara Tauson, Emma Navarro and Paula Badosa.
3. Auckland ASB Classic (Jan 5-11) ft. Ben Shelton
The second country in the Australian continent, New Zealand, will also see some tennis action get underway in Auckland to begin the 2026 season. The women’s event runs Jan. 5-11, with the men’s tournament immediately afterward from Jan. 12-17.
The men’s draw will contain No. 1-seeded Ben Shelton, along with stars like Casper Ruud, Jakub Mensik, Cameron Norrie, and Alex Michelsen. Meanwhile, the women’s draw includes stars like Elina Svitolina, Emma Navarro, Iva Jovic and others.
4. Brisbane International (Jan 4-11) ft. Aryna Sabalenka
Fresh off competing in the controversial Battle of the Sexes against Nick Kyrgios, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has confirmed her participation in the WTA 500 event. Last year, the Belarusian made a strong debut in the tournament before losing to Elina Rybakina
“Hi guys, I’m super excited to come back to Brisbane. Australia always feels like home and I’m super excited to come back to the Queensland Tennis Center,” she said in a video message.
Several top-ranked stars not featuring in the United Cup will use this tournament to kick off the season. Along with Sabalenka, Amanda Anisimova, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys and others.
