Stephens, Brady, Tagger enter Australian Open qualifying

The 2026 Australian Open qualifying entry list has been released, with 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens and 2021 Australian Open finalist Jennifer Brady among four former major semifinalists to have entered. The qualifying competition begins on 12 January at Melbourne Park.

Stephens was sidelined for seven months this year due to a foot injury, returning to action in September. She has not won a match since Wimbledon 2024. Brady underwent knee surgery in 2024, and has not competed since Beijing 2023. As well as the pair of Americans, the qualifying list also features 2018 US Open semifinalist Anastasija Sevastova and 2021 Roland Garros semifinalist Tamara Zidansek.

Stephens and Brady are two out of eight players who have entered using a special ranking:

• Madison Brengle (SR No. 115)
• Bai Zhuoxuan (SR No. 122)
• Sloane Stephens (SR No. 129)
• Fiona Ferro (SR No. 173)
• Kristina Mladenovic (SR No. 198)
• Alice Tubello (SR No. 221)
• Sachia Vickery (SR No. 221)
• Jennifer Brady (SR No. 222)

Seven up-and-coming teenagers have also gained direct entry to the Australian Open qualifying draw: 19-year-olds Nikola Bartunkova, Kaitlin Quevedo and Luisina Giovannini; 18-year-olds Teodora Kostovic and Alina Korneeva; and 17-year-olds Lilli Tagger and Laura Samson. All except Korneeva will be making their debuts in Melbourne. Tagger, the reigning Roland Garros junior champion, reached the Jiujiang final on her tour-level debut in October.

The initial list is based on the PIF WTA Rankings of the week of 22 December, 2025. The highest-ranked entrant was No. 104 Polina Kudermetova and the last direct acceptance was No. 233 Wei Sijia. Nineteen players ranked between Kudermetova and Wei have not entered. Six of those have been announced as main-draw wild cards: Priscilla Hon, Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah, Talia Gibson, Emerson Jones, Elizabeth Mandlik and Taylah Preston. A seventh main-draw wild card has gone to Asia-Pacific Playoff champion Zarina Diyas, and the eighth has yet to be announced.

The thirteen remaining absentees from the qualifying entry list are Caroline Dolehide, Jil Teichmann, two-time champion Victoria Azarenka, Aoi Ito, Irina-Camelia Begu, Anca Todoni, Rebecca Marino, Daria Saville (who is on maternity leave), Clervie Ngounoue, Petra Martic, Robin Montgomery, 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu and reigning junior champion Wakana Sonobe. Andreescu has entered an ITF W35 event in Bradenton, Florida in the same week as the Australian Open qualifying event.

All nine qualifying wild cards have been announced. Eight will go to Australians -- Destanee Aiava, Lizette Cabrera, Tina Smith, Elena Micic, Storm Hunter, Alana Subasic, Tahlia Kokkinis and 16-year-old Renee Alame, who will be the youngest player in the draw. The ninth has been awarded to France's Ksenia Efremova, the 16-year-old junior No. 9.

The next 15 alternates to the qualifying entry list in case of withdrawals are as follows:

1. Mimi Xu (GBR)
2. Aliona Bolsova (ESP)
3. Tara Wuerth (CRO)
4. Mona Barthel (GER)
5. Tyra Caterina Grant (ITA)
6. Tereza Mrdeza (CRO) (using a special ranking of No. 239)
7. Mai Hontama (JPN)
8. Marina Bassols Ribera (ESP)
9. Chloe Paquet (FRA)
10. Hina Inoue (USA)
11. Carolina Alves (BRA)
12. Yuriko Lily Miyazaki (GBR)
13. Katherine Sebov (CAN)
14. Caroline Werner (GER)
15. Arianne Hartono (NED)