Australian Open Preview Time. Qualifying Starts, Storylines Are Loud, and the Watch List Is Stacked
The Australian Open always sneaks up on me. One minute it’s “happy new year,” and the next minute qualifying is on and I’m trying to remember what day it is in Melbourne. This year, we’re leaning into it and going early with a special Ground Pass Australian Open Preview episode, because AO 2026 is not waiting for anyone. Singles play begins Sunday, January 18, with the tournament running through February 1.
We brought in Lucy Deuce of Black Spin Global for this one, and the vibe is exactly what you want heading into a Slam. A little orientation for newer fans, a little table-setting for the storylines that actually matter, and a whole lot of “wait… that happened already?” because the first week of the season delivered way more than it usually does.
We open with Ground Pass Hotline, answering a question that I genuinely love because it reminds me to stop assuming everyone has the same tournament context. The question is about watching player practices. The short version is: if you have a ticket into the tournament grounds, you can usually access practice court viewing, and the experience changes wildly depending on the event. Indian Wells is the gold standard for practice court viewing. Wimbledon is a totally different beast, with lines, standing room, and limited sightlines. Challenger events can actually give you shockingly good access because players are practicing on the same courts they compete on. If you’ve never built a day around practice courts, consider this your nudge. It’s one of the best ways to see top players up close without needing a stadium seat.
Then we jump into one of my favorite kinds of community moments. We share a listener voice memo from the United Cup in Sydney, and I love these because they capture the stuff you can’t get from a scoreboard. What it feels like in the stands. What surprises you. What you’d do differently the next time. If you’re going to a tournament this year, send us your voice note. It helps other people figure out what kind of trip they want to plan.
From there, we get into the first-week tennis. The big headline is the same one everywhere: Poland wins the United Cup, and Belinda Bencic delivers a major statement by beating Iga Swiatek in the final tie. Even if you only half-watched the early events, you could feel the energy shift. Some players look like they are already in second-week-of-a-Slam mode. Others look like they are still unpacking their bags.
This is where we talk about the difference between “playing well” and “winning when it gets uncomfortable.” Bencic has always had the talent, but that gritty, locked-in edge is what makes a run feel real. On the flip side, we talk about players who might just need more match reps. It’s not a panic button. It’s January. But the early tape matters, especially heading into a hard-court Slam.
One of the most fun themes in this episode is the idea that the WTA next wave is not coming. It’s already here. We’re seeing younger players show up with real belief, and it changes the shape of draws. It also changes expectations. You can’t autopilot your way through early rounds anymore, even as a seeded player. There’s a level of depth right now that makes almost every round feel watchable, and that’s exactly why this season already feels like it has momentum.
We also take a quick detour into something that I hope becomes a real conversation this year: how tennis treats coaches.The Australian Open has a reputation for trying things first, and there are real signs that they’re continuing to push the sport forward. If you listened to our Brad Stine episode, you know why I care about this. Coaches shape careers, and tennis still hasn’t fully figured out how to make them visible in a way that matches their impact.
Then it’s time for the practical AO stuff. We explain qualifying in a simple way, because qualifying is one of the best parts of a Slam and one of the most misunderstood. It’s also already underway, with AO qualifying running Jan 12–17 ahead of the main draw. Opening Week is also a real event now, with public access to qualifying, practice sessions, and more.
We share our qualifying names to watch, including a mix of rising prospects, fan favorites, and “wait, they’re playing qualies?” surprises. And then we close with what’s next on the calendar this week, plus our Players of the Fortnightpicks, which are designed to help you find someone to follow outside the obvious Top 20 names.
This episode is your guidepost. It’s your “get oriented” button. It’s your reminder that tennis seasons start fast now, and if you want to enjoy the sport without doom-scrolling match score apps at 2 a.m., you need a watch list and a plan.
We’ll be back through the Australian Open with recaps and storylines as the draw unfolds. And on the Ground Pass side of things, Off Season is almost here too. January is busy, but honestly, this is the good kind of busy.
