Story byAlex de MinaurKieran FrancisThu, January 15, 2026 at 11:46 PM UTC·2 min readAustralian Open draw blockbusters: Matches to look forward to at Melbourne Park originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. With the Australian Open 2026 draw now being released, there is a plethora of quality matches to look forward to in the opening round. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAustralia's own Alex de Minaur features in one of the best opening matches, taking on Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini. On the women's side of the draw, two-time major winner Barbora Krejcikova squares off against world no.11 Diana Shnaider. The Sporting News looks at the blockbuster men's and women's matches in the first round. Australian Open matches to watch - First RoundMen's singlesAlex de Minaur vs. Matteo BerrettiniBerrettini has a 3-2 record against the sixth-seeded Australian, including a straight sets win at Wimbledon 2023. Alexander Bublik vs.