The main draw of the Australian Open kicks off on Sunday, with the qualifying tournament taking centre stage at Melbourne Park.
Sixteen men and women will reach the main draw singles via qualifying - earning their shot at grand slam glory.
However, there will be no Indian representation in the singles events at the AO 2026.
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India's highest-ranked singles player, Sumit Nagal, participated in the regional play-off, but crashed and burned in the quarterfinals of the competition.
Will Indians compete in the Australian Open Doubles qualifiers 2026?
Indian ace Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha got entry to the qualifiers of the Grand Slam after he won the Asia-Pacific Wildcard Playoff alongside Thailand's Pruchya Isaro.
They vanquished Japan's duo Seita Kusuhara and Katsuki Nakagawa 6-4, 6-3 in the final to get the opportunity to fly to Melbourne.
Poonacha broke into the Top 100 doubles rankings in 2025 and boasts of having six Challenger doubles titles.
MORE: Australian Open qualifying LIVE 2026: Scores, schedule, draw, results, bracket
Australian Open qualifying schedule: When does it finish?
The 2026 qualifying tournament for the Australian Open is taking place over four days.
MORE: Watch Australian Open qualifying 2026: TV channel, live stream for AO tennis
Beginning on Monday, January 12, it wraps up on Thursday, January 15.
| Qualifying Round 1 | Jan. 12-13 |
| Qualifying Round 2 | Jan. 14 |
| Qualifying Round 3 | Jan. 15 |
Where is Australian Open qualifying held?
Qualifying for the Australian Open was held at the same venue as the main tournament – Melbourne Park.
With 33 hard courts, the venue comfortably boasts the capacity to host qualifying.
How many players can make the Australian Open via qualifying?
A total of 16 players – in both the women's and men's singles – can claim a spot in the Australian Open main draw through the qualification tournament.
A full singles draw comprises 128 players – 104 through rankings, 16 qualifiers and eight wildcards.
Related links:
- India's sports calendar 2026
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- Australian Open prize money 2026: Winnings breakdown for AO singles by round
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