2026 WTA News & Gossip

[PhiEaglesfan712]

Happy New Year everyone. It's time to start a thread for 2026.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Venus Williams has received a wild card into the AO 2026
BTW Venus will be playing at the ASB Classic in Auckland in a few days, she also received a wild card

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I will repost the Australian Wild Cards for 2026.
V. Williams (USA)
P. Hon ( Aus)
T. Gibson (Aus)
T. Preston (Aus)
E. Jones (Aus)
E.Mandlik ( USA) reciprocal
T. Rakotomanga Rajaonah (FRA) reciprocal
Z.Diyas (KAZ)

NOTE:
At age 45, Venus Williams will become the oldest woman to compete in the AO main draw, after receiving a wild card

 

[Hoergren]

Doubles draw in Brisbane - Clara teams up with Noskova

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Katie Boulter ( GBR) has appointed Michael Joyce (former coach of Maria Sharapova) as her new coach for 2026 season

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I have done the projected QFs for the WTA500 Brisbane International.
7 of the top Tens players are competing in a very strong competition. Play begins January 4 - January 11

Sabalenka (1) vs Keys (5)
Rybakina (3) vs Alexandrova (7)
Pegula (4) vs Tauson (8)
Anisimova (2) vs Andreeva (6)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Jennifer Brady has withdrawn from the AO qualifying event next week, Jen had knee surgery 2 years ago and hasnt been able to get back to tennis

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Maria Sakkari and long time partner Konstantinos Mitsotakis, son of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, got engaged during the Christmas holidays with their wedding planned for 2027. Maria confirmed the news at the United Cup.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In Perth at the United Cup
Emma Raducanu GBR withdraws, she was due to play Osaka, Katie Swan will replace Raducanu
Trying to get details of the withdrawal, no luck at present
I just tuned into United Cup in Perth where GBR are playing Japan, mens singles match on presently
Tim Henman GBR Captain needs to take a ' breath' saying the same thing over and over, Emma and her coach Roig sitting in the players box, and then Roig decides to give Billy Harris (GBR) his thoughts.......If I hear a coach saying ' play one point at a time' I will throw my coffee cup at the TV set, then again I will go back and watch the action at the Brisbane International.
Raducanu's has a foot injury reason for her withdrawal for GBR at the United Cup

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Best friends Sabalenka and Badosa playing doubles in Brisbane against S.Zhang/ L. Samsonova
A fun doubles match Sabalenka/Badosa through 76(2) 76 (3)

Singles results so far today in Brisbane,
Cirstea, Potapova, Tomljanovic( WC), Kenin move into the 2nd round.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Danielle Collins wont be at the AO in 2026, Tennis Channel revealed that Collins will be doing commentary for them next week

 

[kskate2]

In Perth at the United Cup
Emma Raducanu GBR withdraws, she was due to play Osaka, Katie Swan will replace Raducanu
Trying to get details of the withdrawal, no luck at present
I just tuned into United Cup in Perth where GBR are playing Japan, mens singles match on presently
Tim Henman GBR Captain needs to take a ' breath' saying the same thing over and over, Emma and her coach Roig sitting in the players box, and then Roig decides to give Billy Harris (GBR) his thoughts.......If I hear a coach saying ' play one point at a time' I will throw my coffee cup at the TV set, then again I will go back and watch the action at the Brisbane International.
Raducanu's has a foot injury reason for her withdrawal for GBR at the United Cup

Same ole Emma. All that time in the off-season and she's still not ready to play? Why even travel down to Oz if not 100%?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Same ole Emma. All that time in the off-season and she's still not ready to play? Why even travel down to Oz if not 100%?

More information coming from Tim Henman, Emma had this foot problem late last year? Tim Henman hopes she still maybe able to play, Emma has said she wont be playing a full tour in 2026, deciding to concentrate on her physical fitness? I wonder how long Roig will hang around quite frankly.

 

[kskate2]

If she doesn't intend to play a full year, where does she expect ranking points to come from? She will lose whatever ground she gained last year and be begging for WC's again. Nothing about this strategy makes any sense. She's content on being a part-time player.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

If she doesn't intend to play a full year, where does she expect ranking points to come from? She will lose whatever ground she gained last year and be begging for WC's again. Nothing about this strategy makes any sense. She's content on being a part-time player.

Agree, Emma Played 22 tournaments in 2025, Win/Loss record 28/22 end of season ranking of 29, she has had a history of various injuries, and a couple of surgeries,and of course going through coaches, Roig is her 9th coach since turning pro.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In Perth at the United Cup
Defending champions USA
Ladies Singles match
Spain's Bouzas Maneiro serving for the match against Gauff 5-0
Bouzas Maneiro d Gauff 61 67(3) 60, first time Bouzas Maniero has defeated a Top 5 player
Coco struggled on her serve for most of the match
In a match that went for over 3 hours long Fritz d Munar 76(4) 36 76(4) to keep the tie alive for the USA
The doubles will decide if USA the defending champions move through or Spain.
USA won the mixed doubles Gauff/Christian Harrison d Cervantes/Yvone Cavalle-Reimers 76(5) 60
USA has advanced to the QFs at the United Cup

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Amanda Anisimova moves up to new career high ranking of No 3 on WTA rankings, she is also the new American No 1 now.
Even though there were no points on offer last week, the flip-flop comes after points from week 1 of 2025 drop off the WTA rankings this week.
Anismova, who fell in the first round of Auckland a year ago, stays at 6,287 ranking points, while Gauff, who led Team USA to the United Cup a year ago, sees her points drop from 6,763 to 6,273.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

WTA 500 Brisbane
Order of Play
Tuesday January 6th
Starts at 11pm local time,

Keys (5) vs Kessler
Sabalenka (10 vs Busca
Muchova (11) vs Tomljanovic (WC)
Shnaider (12) vs Potapova
Alexandrova (7) vs Kenin
Ostapenko (140 vs Cirstea

Not before 8pm local time
Rybakina (30 vs Shaui Zhang (Q)

Leif
Court 10 starting at 11pm local time
Doubles match,
Tauson/Noskova vs Panova/Khromacheva (4)

Results,
Keys d Kessler 64 63
Sabalenka defending champion put on a 'clinic' 60 61 against Busca
Muchova d Tomljanovic 46 61 76(5)
Badosa d Bouzkova 67 (40 64 62
Shnaider d Potapova 61 63
Alexandrova d Kenin 76(2) 63
Rybakina d Shaui Zhang 63 75

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

WTA500 Brisbane
Wednesday January 7th
Starts at 11am local time,

Pegula (4) vs Kalinskaya
Anisimova (2) vs Birrell
Samsonova (10) vs Jones
Noskova (9) vs Frech
Andreeva (6) vs Gadecki
Fernandez (13) vs Yastremska
Tauson (8) vs Sasnovich
Kostyuk (16) vs Putintseva

Results,
Pegula (4) d Kalinskaya Kalinskaya had a break in the 3rd set, as usual when she feels pressure she folds like a tent. Pegula 62 26 64
Samsonova (10) d Jones WC
Noskova (9) had her left thigh heavily bandaged, to me if she didnt win the 2nd set, I would not have been surprised if she withdrew, she d Frech
67(5) 64 64
Yastremska d Fernandez (13) 61 62
Sasnovich d Tauson (8) 62 63
Anisimova (2) d Birrell WC 61 63
Andreeva (6) d Gadecki WC 46 61 62
Kostyuk (16) d Putintseva 67(5) 61 60

Sabalenka/Badosa withdrew from the doubles after winning 1 match, Badosa is the worst culprit on tour when it comes to this

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

The AO draw will be conducted from 2.30pm AEDT on Thursday January 15th