Overview
- Qualifying runs January 12–15 at Melbourne Park with 16 men and 16 women earning main-draw spots ahead of the tournament start on January 18.
- Singles play is scheduled through February 1, with Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz as top seeds and Madison Keys and Jannik Sinner returning as defending champions.
- Prize money rises to a record A$111.5 million, including A$4.15 million for each singles champion, alongside open practice sessions, nightly music and an expanded 1 Point Slam during opening week.
- In the U.S., coverage airs on ESPN and Tennis Channel, with the full event—including qualifying—available to stream for ESPN+ (ESPN Unlimited) subscribers; in Australia, qualifying streams on 9NOW, while the Adelaide International is on 9GEM/9NOW and Stan Sport.
- Sloane Stephens enters qualifying via a protected ranking as the only Grand Slam singles champion in the field, while players fine-tune at lead-up events in Adelaide, Auckland and Hobart with marquee early matchups such as Sebastian Korda vs Thanasi Kokkinakis and Cameron Norrie vs Hugo Gaston.