Southern California Players to Watch
at the 2026 Australian Open

A new year brings fresh opportunities, and for tennis fans, that means heading Down Under for the “Happy Slam” in Melbourne. The 2026 Australian Open kicks off the first Grand Slam of the season, welcoming both familiar competitors and exciting new faces.

With singles qualifying wrapped, the stage is set for a tournament filled with blockbuster rivalries, historic milestones, and rising stars. Team SoCal boasts ten players in singles, led by Rancho Santa Fe’s Taylor Fritz.

Qualifying Recap: Zach Svajda Leads the Way

Pacific Beach’s Zach Svajda, the No. 29 seed, was the lone Team SoCal player to advance from qualifying, cruising without dropping a set: 6-1, 6-3 over Hady Habib; 6-1, 6-4 against Jurij Rodionov; and 7-6, 6-2 over Kimmer Coppejans.

Now ranked No. 143, Svajda’s 2025 included two Challenger titles at Newport’s Hall of Fame Open and in Lexington. At the US Open, he qualified and upset Zsombor Piros before falling to Novak Djokovic in the second round in four sets, firing 14 aces along the way.

Off the court, Svajda endured the loss of his father, Tom, a beloved SoCal tennis coach who passed away from cancer in October 2025, with the tennis community, including Bob Bryan and Brandon Nakashima, rallying around him.

This marks his first main draw appearance in Melbourne, a step up from past exits in the second round of qualifying, hinting at a growing mental edge fueled by family and ambition. He will face former USC Trojan Yannick Hanfmann of Germany, whose best Australian Open result was a second-round finish in 2022.

“Being in the main draw of the Australian Open means everything to me,” explained Svajda. “Last year I stepped away from tennis for five months after losing my dad, and it was the hardest period of my life. This is my first tournament back, and I know my dad would be proud of me. I just want to keep going.”

Other SoCal men came close. UCLA’s Mackenzie McDonald reached the final round of qualifying, beating Dmitry Popko, 6-7(7), 6-4, 7-5, and Hugo Grenier, 7-6(4), 6-1, before losing to Liam Draxl, 6-3, 6-7(7), 6-2. Altadena’s Tristan Boyer, a 2025 Australian Open debutant, won matches against Alex Barrena, 6-2, 6-7(7), 6-2, and Francesco Passaro, 6-7(7), 6-4, 6-2, but fell to Yibing Wu, 6-3, 6-2. Rolling Hills Estates’ Brandon Holt, who broke into the top 100 last June and won two Challenger titles in 2025, defeated Lukas Neumayer, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 before a tight loss to Giulio Zeppieri, 7-6(4), 5-7, 4-6. Fans can catch McDonald, Boyer, and Holt back in action at the San Diego Open starting January 26.

On the women’s side, Orange’s Carson Branstine, competing for Canada, had a breakout 2025 — making her first WTA 125 final, playing her first major main draw at Wimbledon, and representing her country in the Billie Jean King Cup. The 2017 Australian Open girls’ doubles champion won her opening 2026 Australian Open qualifying match against Astra Sharma, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3, before retiring in the second round with a shoulder injury. Thousand Oaks’ Claire Liu advanced to the second round as well, defeating Tara Wuerth, 6-3, 6-4, before a loss to Maddison Inglis, 6-7(8), 6-2, 4-6.

Meanwhile, SoCal college alums Mayar Sherif (Pepperdine), August Holmgren (USD), Edward Winter (Pepperdine), and Nicolas Moreno De Alboran (UCSB) all saw early exits in qualifying, as did Rancho Palos Verdes’ Ena Shibahara (UCLA).

Taylor Fritz Back in the Spotlight

Taylor Fritz opens the 2026 season as the No. 2 American behind Ben Shelton and the No. 9 seed at the Australian Open. After reaching a career-high No. 4 in early 2025, Fritz enjoyed a stellar season last year. He helped the U.S. capture their second United Cup in three years, and entered the 2025 Australian Open as the fourth seed, cruising through the first two rounds while dropping just eight games combined against Jenson Brooksby and Christian Garin. His run ended in the third round after four sets against Gaël Monfils, marking his earliest Grand Slam exit since Wimbledon 2023.

Fritz rebounded on the ATP Tour with consistent results, making the fourth round at Indian Wells for the fifth straight year and reaching the semifinals in Miami after defeating Matteo Berrettini in a thrilling three-set quarterfinal. On grass, he captured two titles: the BOSS Open, where he beat Alexander Zverev for the fifth consecutive time, and the Eastbourne International, topping Brooksby in the final. At Wimbledon, Fritz reached the semifinals for the first time, defeating Karen Khachanov before falling to two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in four sets. He closed out the year with a quarterfinal at the US Open, a runner-up finish in Tokyo to Alcaraz, and recorded his 50th win of the season at the Shanghai Masters, becoming the first American to reach 50 wins in three consecutive seasons since Andy Roddick.

Entering 2026, Fritz has battled a knee injury at the United Cup, which he said could require a mid-season break. Still, he faces Valentin Royer in the first round, focused on a deep run in Melbourne.

Learner Tien Returns As a Seeded Player

Irvine’s Learner Tien, 20, arrives at the Australian Open as a seeded player for the first time, entering the draw at No. 25 after a breakthrough 2025 season. His rise began in Melbourne a year ago, when he stunned three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev in five sets and followed it with a fourth round run that included a win over Corentin Moutet before falling to Lorenzo Sonego, becoming the youngest American to reach that stage in 35 years.

Tien backed up that momentum throughout the season, reaching tour-level quarterfinals in Acapulco, Mallorca, and Hangzhou before making his first tour final at the ATP 500 China Open in Beijing with four straight wins over top-25 opponents. He later captured his first ATP Tour title at the Moselle Open, climbed to a career-high world No. 28, and capped the year by winning the Next Gen ATP Finals, finishing the season with a 5-2 record against top-10 players — more wins against that group than any man in 2025 besides Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Among his most notable victories, Tien defeated world No. 2 Zverev at the ATP 500 Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco, becoming the youngest American to beat a top-three player since Roddick in 2001. He reached the round of 16 at the National Bank Open in Toronto with a win over Denis Shapovalov, becoming the youngest American to reach that stage at a Masters 1000 since Frances Tiafoe in 2017. He also knocked out top-seed Shelton in Mallorca, then added another top-10 win over Andrey Rublev at the Rolex Paris Masters.

Now working under the guidance of new coach Michael Chang, Tien has continued refining his serve, which currently sits around 110-114 mph, and court management as he prepares for his return to Melbourne.

Tien opens his 2026 Australian Open campaign against fellow Southern California native Marcos Giron, marking their second ATP Tour meeting after Giron edged him in three sets on clay at the Madrid Masters last summer. With his seeding providing early protection, Tien enters Melbourne poised to build on a breakout season and continue his rise on the sport’s biggest stage.

Experience Meets Momentum for Marcos Giron

Marcos Giron, the Thousand Oaks native and world No. 60, reached the third round of the 2025 Australian Open for the first time, defeating Tomas Martin Etcheverry in five sets. At the BNP Paribas Open, he claimed his first career top-5 win over Casper Ruud and followed that with a victory over 26th seed Alexei Popyrin to reach a Masters 1000 fourth round for the first time. Giron started 2026 strong, reaching back-to-back ATP 250 semifinals at the Hong Kong Open and ASB Classic in Auckland, including wins over Alex Michelsen and Luciano Darderi.

Young Guns on the Rise: Alex Michelsen and Iva Jovic

21-year-old Alex Michelsen, world No. 37 from Aliso Viejo, is another youngster to watch. At the 2025 Australian Open, he scored his first top-15 Grand Slam win over 11th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and reached the fourth round, also defeating James McCabe and 19th seed Khachanov. He reached the third round of a Masters 1000 for the first time at BNP Paribas Open before retiring against Medvedev. In July, Michelsen cracked the top 30 following Wimbledon. At the 2025 National Bank Open, he reached his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal, defeating world No. 10 Lorenzo Musetti and his close friend Learner Tien, becoming the youngest American to reach that stage at the Canada Masters since Roddick in 2001. He will once again face Khachanov, this time in the first round.

Speaking of America’s brightest starlets, Torrance’s Iva Jovic looks poised for a big year. Last September, at just 17, she became the youngest American to win a WTA title since Coco Gauff in 2021, capturing her first crown in Guadalajara. That victory propelled her into the top 40, and consistent results since have vaulted her into the top 30, cementing her status as one of the tour’s rising stars.

Jovic made her Grand Slam main draw debut at the 2025 Australian Open and, after a breakthrough year, will be seeded in Melbourne for the first time. After falling in the second round to Elena Rybakina last year, the 29th seed is primed to reach the third round for the first time at a major. In the first round, she will face fellow American Katie Volynets.

She carried her momentum into 2026 with a semifinal run at Auckland, reaching a career-high No. 30, and followed that with her second WTA final at Hobart International in Australia, highlighted by a three-set comeback over Australian wildcard Taylah Preston.

In Hobart, she faces Italian qualifier Elisabetta Cocciaretto for the first time. Cocciaretto thrives on rhythm, meaning Jovic will need to blend defense with well-timed aggression. Despite her opponent’s experience, Jovic enters as the favorite, aiming for a second WTA title before turning 19 and continuing her rapid ascent on the tour.

Brandon Nakashima Fresh Off a Final

San Diego’s Brandon Nakashima opened his 2026 season in impressive fashion, reaching his fourth tour-level final at the ATP 250 Brisbane International, setting a confident tone for the year. 

Last year, Nakashima enjoyed a strong 2025 campaign, reaching the semifinals in Acapulco with upset wins over fourth seed Holger Rune and David Goffin, and advancing to the fourth round at Indian Wells. His consistent results helped him achieve a career-high ranking of No. 29 on May 5, marking the first time he cracked the top 30.

Now Nakashima turns his attention to Melbourne, where he will face Botic van de Zandschulp in the opening round of the Australian Open. Despite success on hard courts, including a fourth-round run at the 2024 US Open, the Australian Open has remained a hurdle. He has yet to advance past the first round in Melbourne, making this year’s tournament a prime opportunity to convert recent form into a long-awaited breakthrough on the season’s first Grand Slam stage.

Emilio Nava’s Main Draw Debut

West Hills native Emilio Nava arrives at the Australian Open following a stellar 2025. He won three consecutive ATP Challenger titles — Asunción, Concepción, and Sarasota — becoming just the second American to claim three clay-court Challenger trophies in a single year, after Tristan Boyer in 2024. He reached a fourth straight final in Tallahassee, falling to Chris Rodesch.

Nava notched his first Grand Slam main draw win at the 2025 Roland Garros over van de Zandschulp before losing to 10th seed Rune in the second round. He continued to make strides on the ATP Tour, reaching his first ATP quarterfinal at Los Cabos with wins over Aleksandar Vukic and Bu Yunchaokete, and making his Masters 1000 appearance at the National Bank Open, where he qualified with a win over Southern California Open champion Mitchell Krueger and reached the third round with victories over Zizou Bergs and Térence Atmane. These results propelled him into the top 100 in September, marking a career milestone.

This year marks Nava’s Australian Open main draw debut, after reaching the third round of qualifying in both 2023 and 2024. He faces wildcard Kyrian Jacquet in the first round, aiming to build on his rise and establish himself on the Grand Slam stage.

Janice Tjen Making History in Melbourne

Pepperdine’s Janice Tjen of Indonesia makes her first showing in the Australian Open main draw after a breakout US Open, where she qualified for her first major main draw and upset 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova in three sets — the first Indonesian woman to win a Grand Slam match since Angelique Widjaja in 2003.

In September, she reached the final of her WTA 250 debut at the São Paulo Open, becoming the first Indonesian woman to reach a WTA final since 2002. She also won her first WTA 125 singles title at the Jinan Open and captured her first WTA 125 doubles crown in Suzhou. Later in the year, Tjen claimed her maiden WTA Tour singles title at the Chennai Open, defeating Kimberly Birrell in the final, and teamed with Aldila Sutjiadi to win the doubles title, including a win over former world No. 1 in women’s doubles, Storm Hunter. Those results propelled her to a career-high ranking of No. 53 in November, making her the sixth Indonesian to crack the top 100.

Tjen is competing in the Hobart International women’s doubles final with Katarzyna Piter tonight. She will take on Leylah Fernandez, ready to continue her historic rise.

SoCal Veteran Venus Williams

Compton’s Venus Williams returns to the Australian Open, a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion and former world No. 1. Williams had a shortened 2025 season but made strong progress following a challenging 2023 and 2024. She received a wildcard into the Washington Open, defeating Peyton Stearns in the first round and reaching the doubles quarterfinal with Hailey Baptiste. At the US Open, she reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since 2017 in women’s doubles, teaming with Leylah Fernandez. At 45, she continues competing in singles and doubles, mentoring rising stars while showcasing her enduring athleticism. She opens against Olga Danilović.