Top five title favourites in women's singles at Australian Open 2026
Aryna Sabalenka is the top contender to reclaim her Australian Open title.
The Australian Open 2026 women’s singles draw promises one of the most competitive fields in recent years, with multiple Grand Slam champions and in-form contenders arriving in Melbourne with genuine title ambitions and contrasting playing styles.
On the fast hard courts of Melbourne Park, power, movement, and mental strength will be decisive. From dominant hard-court specialists to all-surface champions chasing milestones, several elite players stand out as serious threats to claim the season’s first major.
WTA, unlike ATP, has incredible depth and vastness. In 2025, Madison Key stunned everyone by taking out a top pool of players to lift her first Grand Slam trophy. Today, we look at the five women who are likely to create history in Melbourne 2026.
Women’s singles title contenders at Australian Open 2026
5. Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff stands out as one of the top contenders for the Australian Open 2026 as the World No. 3 seed boasting a mid 2025 season with a 48-16 win-loss record, her second Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, a WTA 1000 triumph in Wuhan, runner-up finishes at Madrid and Rome, and strong showings like leading Team USA in the United Cup.
Her elite speed, defensive prowess, baseline power, improved serve, and exceptional mental toughness evident in big-match wins over top players including Sabalenka and Swiatek make her ideally suited to the hard courts of Melbourne Park, where she has reached the semifinals in 2024 and quarterfinals in 2025.
With a favorable draw featuring advantageous head-to-heads, and at just 21 years old with two majors already the American could be slated to claim her maiden Australian Open title.
4. Elena Rybakina
Elena Rybakina emerges as one of the top favorites for the Australian Open 2026 as the World No. 5 seed, bolstered by her dominant late-season surge that included winning the WTA Finals in Riyadh with an undefeated run.
She capped off the season by defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the final along with titles in Ningbo and strong showings in Tokyo, finishing 2025 with a career-high 59 wins, 516 aces and an impressive 11-match winning streak into the new year.
The Kazakh thrives on the fast hard courts of Melbourne Park, where she reached the 2023 final and boasts an unreadable, powerful serve, arguably the best in women’s tennis, complemented by a complete arsenal of shots when confident.
With proven big-match prowess (10 of her last 12 wins against top-10 opponents), a history of success against elites like Swiatek at Melbourne, and the ability to dominate when her serve clicks, Rybakina stands as a serious threat to add to her exisiting SW19 title.
Also Read: Australian Open 2026: Updated schedule, fixtures, results, live streaming details
3. Amanda Anisimova
Amanda Anisimova emerges as one of the leading favorites for the Australian Open 2026 as the World No. 4 riding the wave of a spectacular breakout 2025 season where she jumped from No. 36 to a career-high top-5 ranking, captured her first two WTA 1000 titles in Doha and Beijing, and reached back-to-back Grand Slam finals at Wimbledon and the US Open,
Her devastating baseline power, particularly her world-class backhand, has been elevated by improved movement, a sharper serve, refined tactical discipline, and newfound mental resilience following her comeback from a mental health break, allowing her to thrive on the fast hard courts of Melbourne Park.
2. Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek stands as one of the top favorites for the Australian Open 2026 as the World No. 2, armed with six Grand Slam titles across all surfaces including her breakthrough Wimbledon triumph in 2025, plus hard-court titles in Cincinnati and Seoul and a remarkable 90% win rate (27-3) in the latter half of 2025 following Roland Garros.
Her improved serve and enhanced comfort on faster hard courts under coach Wim Fissette have addressed previous limitations, allowing her to thrive on both slow and quick surfaces.
Despite some recent struggles against top-10 players including losses to Sabalenka, Gauff, and Bencic, her elite 83% Grand Slam win record, perfect 6-0 in major finals, and motivation to complete the career Grand Slam at Melbourne Park where she has reached two semifinals and pushed close in 2025—make her a perennial threat.
1. Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka enters the Australian Open 2026 as the clear favorite due to her status as the World No. 1, her exceptional hard-court prowess, and a dominant record at Melbourne Park, where she has won 20 of her past 21 matches and claimed the title in 2023 and 2024.
Her recent form remains strong, highlighted by successfully defending her Brisbane International title in January 2026 and a stellar 2025 season that included retaining her U.S. Open title, reaching the French Open final, and finishing as the year-end No. 1 for the second straight year.
Sabalenka’s powerful, hard-hitting game thrives on the fast Australian hardcourts, giving her a clear edge over the remaining field.
Who is the favorite to win the Australian Open 2026 women’s singles title?
Aryna Sabalenka is the clear favorite, entering the tournament as World No. 1 and a two-time defending champion at Melbourne Park.
Which players are considered the biggest challengers to Sabalenka?
The biggest threats include Iga Swiatek, Amanda Anisimova, Elena Rybakina, and Coco Gauff, all of whom arrive in strong form and have proven success on hard courts.
What makes Coco Gauff a serious contender at Australian Open 2026?
Gauff’s speed, defensive skills, improved serve, and big-match experience, along with strong past performances in Melbourne, make her a leading title challenger.
How has Elena Rybakina’s recent form boosted her chances?
Rybakina ended 2025 on an 11-match winning streak, won the WTA Finals, and defeated Sabalenka in the final, highlighting her threat level in Melbourne.
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Aniruddh Seshadri Iyer is a passionate sports journalist at Khel Now, specializing in tennis and Olympic sports. An engineer by training, he found his storytelling passion through iconic Grand Slam and Olympic moments. Known for sharp analysis and insightful coverage, he draws inspiration from Novak Djokovic’s resilience. Outside journalism, he enjoys reading, traveling, and playing the guitar.