The Australian Open rarely lies about the state of the women’s game, and the 2026 entry list offers a clear snapshot of where the tour now stands. The hierarchy at the top remains largely intact, but beneath it lies a depth that promises discomfort rather than certainty.

With established champions anchoring the seeds, former finalists and title contenders drifting outside them, and a familiar mix of protected rankings and wildcards adding further unpredictability, Melbourne is once again shaping up as a tournament where reputations may matter less than readiness. For those hoping the draw will be kind, the list suggests otherwise.

AO 2026 Women’s Singles – Seeds

The seeding list reflects a tour that has settled into a familiar hierarchy at the very top, with Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek again setting the pace. Beneath them, the picture is less rigid. Coco Gauff remains entrenched in the elite, but the presence of Amanda Anisimova and Mirra Andreeva inside the top ten underlines how quickly the balance can shift.

Further down the seeds, there is experience in abundance. Naomi Osaka returns as a protected contender rather than a dominant force, while Elina Svitolina and Karolina Muchova bring reliability without guarantees. The lower seeds are a mix of stability and risk: players good enough to punish a poor draw, yet rarely comfortable favourites in the second week.

Seed	Player	Nation
1	Aryna Sabalenka	BLR
2	Iga Swiatek	POL
3	Coco Gauff	USA
4	Amanda Anisimova	USA
5	Elena Rybakina	KAZ
6	Jessica Pegula	USA
7	Madison Keys	USA
8	Jasmine Paolini	ITA
9	Mirra Andreeva	RUS
10	Ekaterina Alexandrova	RUS
11	Belinda Bencic	SUI
12	Clara Tauson	DEN
13	Linda Noskova	CZE
14	Elina Svitolina	UKR
15	Emma Navarro	USA
16	Naomi Osaka	JPN
17	Liudmila Samsonova	RUS
18	Victoria Mboko	CAN
19	Karolina Muchova	CZE
20	Elise Mertens	BEL
21	Diana Shnaider	RUS
22	Leylah Fernandez	CAN
23	Jelena Ostapenko	LAT
24	Qinwen Zheng	CHN
25	Paula Badosa	ESP
26	Marta Kostyuk	UKR
27	Dayana Yastremska	UKR
28	Sofia Kenin	USA
29	Emma Raducanu	GBR
30	Veronika Kudermetova	RUS
31	McCartney Kessler	USA
32	Maya Joint	AUS

Direct Acceptances

The non-seeded direct acceptances are where the draw begins to feel uncomfortable. This is a group heavy with players who have either been seeded recently or expect to be again. Marketa Vondrousova, Daria Kasatkina, Maria Sakkari and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova all sit outside the seeds but well inside the danger zone for anyone hoping for an easy first round.

It is also a section that rewards form rather than reputation. Several names here have fluctuated sharply over the past year, and the Australian Open has a habit of exposing that. For seeded players, this is where the draw can quietly turn hostile long before the second week comes into view.

AO 2026 Women’s Singles – Direct Acceptances

Rank	Player	Nation
33	Anna Kalinskaya	RUS
34	Marketa Vondrousova	CZE
35	Iva Jovic	USA
36	Lois Boisson	FRA
37	Daria Kasatkina	AUS
38	Ann Li	USA
39	Jaqueline Cristian	ROU
40	Eva Lys	GER
41	Jessica Bouzas Maneiro	ESP
42	Marie Bouzkova	CZE
43	Sorana Cirstea	ROU
44	Ashlyn Krueger	USA
45	Tatjana Maria	GER
46	Laura Siegemund	GER
47	Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova	RUS
48	Katerina Siniakova	CZE
49	Emiliana Arango	COL
50	Anastasia Potapova	AUT
51	Maria Sakkari	GRE
52–103	All remaining non-SR, non-WC players	—

Special Ranking (SR)

The Special Ranking entries bring a different sort of tension. Karolina Pliskova is the headline name, her ranking disguising a pedigree that still commands respect on hard courts. She is the kind of player no one wants to see early, particularly in Melbourne where first-strike tennis can still be rewarded.

Yafan Wang and Mananchaya Sawangkaew complete the SR list, both returning from absence rather than decline. Their inclusion is a reminder that ranking numbers can lag behind reality, and that protected entries often arrive with something to prove rather than something to protect.

AO 2026 Women’s Singles – Special Ranking (SR)

Entry	Player	Nation
40 SR	Karolina Pliskova	CZE
71 SR	Yafan Wang	CHN
100 SR	Mananchaya Sawangkaew	THA

Wildcards

The wildcard list follows a familiar Australian Open pattern: domestic investment, a nod to future promise, and one or two names that raise an eyebrow. Priscilla Hon, Talia Gibson, Emerson Jones and Taylah Preston give the home crowd plenty to engage with, while Elizabeth Mandlik offers a more international edge.

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The standout curiosity is Zarina Diyas, whose ranking tells only part of the story. On her day, she remains capable of disrupting rhythm and patience — two qualities often in short supply during the opening rounds. Wildcards rarely shape tournaments, but they frequently shape early narratives, and Melbourne is rarely short of those.

AO 2026 Women’s Singles – Wildcards

Rank	Player	Nation
119	Priscilla Hon	AUS
121	Rakotomanga Rajaonah, T.	FRA
122	Talia Gibson	AUS
150	Emerson Jones	AUS
182	Elizabeth Mandlik	USA
195	Taylah Preston	AUS
283	Zarina Diyas	KAZ

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