On January 15, Wu Yibing returned a shot during a match. On the same day, in the final round of the men's singles qualifying at the 2026 Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia, Chinese player Wu Yibing defeated Maxime Boyé 2-0 to advance to the main draw. Photo: Courtesy of Xinhua News Agency

The main draw of the 2026 Australian Open officially started on Sunday. Despite the withdrawals of Zheng Qinwen and Wang Yafan due to injury, Chinese tennis still made history, as four male players representing the Chinese Tennis Association appeared in the singles main draw of a single Grand Slam event for the first time in the Open Era. Together with four female players, a total of eight Chinese players are competing in the singles main draw at this year's Australian Open.

"The increase in numbers reflects the growing depth of Chinese tennis, but this is only a 'ticket' to the top stage," Guo Ai, a sports commentator based in Beijing told the Global Times on Sunday. "The real test lies in sustaining competitive standards under high-intensity competition and maintaining tactical execution and mental resilience when facing the world's top players."

Among the four female Chinese players competing in the Australian Open main draw, Wang Xinyu, currently ranked No.43 in the world, is the highest-ranked. She has yet to advance beyond the fourth round at a Grand Slam, and will face Ukrainian qualifier Anhelina Kalinina in the first round on Monday. Wang finished runner-up at the WTA 250 event in Auckland last week and entered the tournament in strong form, according to CCTV News.

Veteran Zhang Shuai will open her campaign against Australian wildcard Taylah Preston. Yuan Yue, who advanced through the qualifying rounds, will face the world's No.2 and six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek in the first round. Another qualifier, Bai Zhuoxuan, will take on Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, and could meet Aryna Sabalenka in the second round if she advances, according to Xinhua News Agency.

"The Chinese players who came through qualifying have already made significant progress, but being drawn against opponents such as Swiatek, Pavlyuchenkova, or potentially Sabalenka right away makes these matches more about learning," Guo said. "To pull off an upset, they must deliver extremely high efficiency in both serving and returning; otherwise, it is difficult to disrupt their opponents' rhythm."

On the men's side, Zhang Zhizhen returned to competition at the United Cup mixed team event and showed encouraging signs. However, he was defeated 3-6, 6-7, 3-6 by Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo in the first round of the Australian Open, missing out on a place in the second round. Following an injury-plagued 2025 season, Zhang's world ranking has declined.

Shang Juncheng will face Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut in the opening round. Wu Yibing is set to take on Italy's Luca Nardi. Wu showed strong form in the qualifying rounds, winning all three matches in straight sets to reach the main draw without dropping a set. Bu Yunchaokete will challenge 21st seed Denis Shapovalov of Canada in the first round on Monday, according to Xinhua.

"Wu's three straight-set wins in qualifying indicate that his match sharpness and offensive quality are improving, but in the main draw, maintaining consistency on serve will be crucial when facing opponents with different playing styles," Guo said.

"Overall, Chinese men's tennis is no longer merely making up the numbers, and a genuine breakthrough at the Grand Slam level could be seen very soon," Guo added.

The tournament will run from January 18 to February 1 at Melbourne Park in Australia.