The 2026 Australian Open has officially announced its singles seeds, with Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus taking the top spots in the men's and women's draws, respectively. This confirmation comes ahead of the tournament's main draw, scheduled to begin on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at Melbourne Park, running until February 1, 2026, with preliminary rounds concluding on January 15. Carlos Alcaraz, the current World No. 1, aims for his maiden Australian Open title, potentially completing a Career Grand Slam if successful. He is followed by two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner of Italy as the second seed, ensuring a potential final clash should both progress. Alexander Zverev is seeded third, and ten-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic is the fourth seed. On the women's side, reigning champion Aryna Sabalenka holds the top seed, with Poland's Iga Świątek as the second seed and Coco Gauff of the United States as the third. Madison Keys, who won the 2025 Australian Open, returns as the ninth seed. The official announcement of these seeds was made on January 14, 2026, by authoritative sources including ATP Tour and the Australian Open's official website. The singles draws are set to be revealed on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. AEDT, marking a crucial step before the year's first Grand Slam officially commences. This news is highly relevant for a global audience, including tennis enthusiasts in India, as it details the competitive landscape for one of the sport's premier events.