by Max Goren
It’s the beginning of the most wonderful time of the year for tennis fans like myself: Grand Slam season. One hundred and thirty-three days ago, Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner in New York to win the US Open. It marked the sixth slam title for Alcaraz, and the third straight slam final between Alcaraz and Sinner. Now that the calendar has turned to 2026, will we see these rivals matched up in yet another final at the Australian Open?
I believe we will, indeed, see another edition of “Sincaraz” in Melbourne this year. The dominance by these two players is undeniable- Sinner posted a 58-6 record in 2025, winning six titles including two slams and the ATP Finals. Alcaraz went 71-9, won eight titles, and secured the other two slams. These two are the top dogs in the tennis world, and they are on a collision course to face off in a fourth consecutive Grand Slam final at Melbourne Park.
It’s worth mentioning that Sinner also has quite a favorable draw in this tournament (not that he particularly needs it): he’s unlikely to face a top-10 ranked player until the quarterfinals, and that opponent would be American Ben Shelton, whom Sinner has beaten eight straight times in straight sets. Couple this draw with the fact that hard court is Sinner’s best surface, and his trip to the final looks rather likely. Alcaraz’s draw is not terribly daunting either, though he does have world number three Alexander Zverev potentially lurking in the semifinals.
An additional point of intrigue for Alcaraz: an Australian Open title would clinch the career grand slam for the Spaniard. Only eight other men have ever won all four slams.
I’m sure there will be many similar predictions of these top two players facing off in the final, but if you want to root for an underdog (of sorts) to make a deep run, I like Felix Auger-Aliassime. The Canadian is the seventh-seeded player in the tournament, and is known as a powerful server. The draw is tough for FAA, but if he can get past a difficult first-round matchup with Portugal’s Nuno Borges, I could see him making a run to the semifinal to face Alcaraz, whom he is 3-3 against on hard courts.
Final Prediction: Jannik Sinner defeats Carlos Alcaraz 6-4, 6-7, 7-6, 6-3
The women’s side is similarly top-heavy, although not quite to the extent of the men. The two favorites are Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek. Sabalenka is the better hard court player, and the world number one is the favorite to win her third Aussie Open title. She has reached the final of this tournament in the past three years. Sabalenka’s draw could prove difficult, with top American Coco Gauff, who is 6-6 against Sabalenka and defeated her in the 2025 Roland Garros final, looming in later rounds.
Swiatek’s road to the final, and a potential career grand slam of her own, appears a bit easier on paper. Naomi Osaka and Elena Rybakina are both featured in Swiatek’s quarter of the draw, but she boasts winning records against both.
Final Prediction: Iga Swiatek defeats Coco Gauff 6-4, 4-6, 7-5