Ranked No. 1097 and working her way back from a long injury layoff, Sloane Stephens reached the 2026 Australian Open main draw by winning three qualifying matches in a row — her first such streak since 2024. The 32-year-old former US Open champion acknowledged the unpredictable nature of a career that has seen clear highs and extended pauses.

“In my career, I’ve had ups and downs that have been exciting, not exciting, anticlimactic, all the things,” Stephens said after sealing her spot in Melbourne. She called the arc of her comeback unusual. “I just told my coach earlier that this whole tennis journey keeps getting weirder and weirder.”

Stephens spent much of the past 12 months off tour while managing a persistent foot injury and played just six matches in 2025. During that time she worked on television as an analyst and used the break to reassess her approach. “When you don’t play a lot, there’s a little lull. You don’t feel as competitive and you don’t feel as attached to the game,” she explained. “So, it was just being able to get back, train really hard, and play and have fun on court at home. Then, I was able to translate that into a match.”

After a three-set loss to open the 2026 season at the ASB Classic, Stephens traveled to Melbourne early with her mom, aunt and coach Kamau Murray to enter qualifying for the first time since 2011. For reference, the last time she did not earn direct acceptance into a Grand Slam main draw, the Harry Potter and Twilight film series were still in theaters.

She recovered quickly in qualies, rallying from a set down to beat Olivia Gadecki and holding off No. 2 seed Lucia Bronzetti to secure a 14th Australian Open main-draw appearance. “I think I was the only Grand Slam champion to be in qualies, which was interesting,” she said. “I was like, ‘Oh God! A lot of pressure.’ I hadn’t won a match since God knows whenever, so I was just like, it’s an opportunity to go and play and try to figure it out.”

Off court, Stephens has begun vlogging parts of her trip and shared a playful detail about her wardrobe. “This was made in my living room, and it took about four fittings,” she said of a lacey yellow Free People Movement dress. “Maria Sakkari asked me if it was even a tennis dress and I was like, ‘Yeah girl. Let me show you!’ Free People Movement, they’re growing and they’re like the cool kids in town.”

Roger Federer will make a planned return to the Australian Open stage as part of the tournament’s inaugural Opening Ceremony ahead of the 2026 event. The six-time champion will partner Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt and Pat Rafter in a doubles match billed as a “Battle of the world No. 1s.” The appearance marks his first time on Rod Laver Arena since 2020 and follows his official retirement at the 2022 Laver Cup.

At a press conference ahead of the ceremony, Federer spoke plainly about the mix of emotion the event brings. “I’m nervous, I’m excited, I’m happy I’m here,” he said, in remarks moderated by former ATP doubles No. 1 Todd Woodbridge. “I’m happy there’s a moment for the crowd, for me personally, but also being on the court with Lleyton that I shared so much with, Pat that I always loved playing against, even though I never beat him. I always loved Pat. He was one of my favorite players. Then Andre, I was fortunate enough to play against him maybe 10 times or so. Just being together with those guys is going to make me feel better, as well.

“I have great memories of just being here,” he added. “It’s been an incredible tournament for me and one of my favorite places to play tennis.”

Now 44, Federer has gradually returned to exhibition-style play, including a celebrity doubles match at last fall’s Rolex Shanghai Masters, and has floated the idea of a possible “Legends” tour with Rafael Nadal. He also stressed that family life constrains his schedule and that doubles fits his current priorities. “It’s hard to make it a priority in the schedule when you have four children and so many other things going on,” he said. “I’m happy I’m super still active, busy, doing loads of sports. Tennis is part of that.”

The appearance is positioned as a farewell to the Australian Open from one of its most celebrated champions, combining nostalgia with a light-competition showcase for fans on the eve of the 2026 tournament.

The 2026 Australian Open men’s draw, revealed Thursday, set up a notable path through the top half of the field and across the bottom. Ten-time champion Novak Djokovic was placed as the No. 4 seed in the third quarter, positioning him as a projected semifinal opponent for defending champion Jannik Sinner.

Sinner arrives at the tournament bidding for a third consecutive Australian Open crown. He captured his first major title at this event in 2024 and will open his title defense against France’s Hugo Gaston. Seeded directly behind world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner’s early section also lists Brazilian Joao Fonseca as his first projected seeded opponent in the third round.

If the seeding holds, American Ben Shelton is slated to meet Sinner in the quarterfinals. That potential quarterfinal pairing reinforces the stacked nature of Sinner’s quarter and the wider implications for the semifinals, where Djokovic’s placement makes for a high-profile projected clash.

Carlos Alcaraz’s position at the top of the draw leaves the defending champion and Djokovic on a collision course in opposite halves until the advanced rounds. The alignment of seeds creates a clear narrative for the tournament: a top seed carrying expectations at the summit, a defending champion aiming for a three-peat, and a multiple-time winner navigating a draw that could pitch him against the current titleholder before the final.

With the draw now public, attention will turn to early matches and how the projected matchups materialize on court. For Sinner, Gaston represents the immediate test. For Djokovic, the third quarter presents a pathway that, if both players advance as seeded, would culminate in a semifinal meeting with the defending champion.