The 2026 Australian Open is into its business end, and that means that the BNP Paribas Open is just four weeks away. Thanks to a plethora of captivating storylines down under, the excitement for this year’s edition of Tennis Paradise is already off the charts. 

Two-time Indian Wells champion Carlos Alcaraz is still in the running in Melbourne, while two-time runner up and resident hard court guru Aryna Sabalenka is one win from reaching her fourth consecutive Australian Open final. Novak Djokovic, a five-time champion in the California desert, is still producing peak tennis at the age of 38, and he’s into the Australian Open semis as well. 

That formidable trio will be making their way to Indian Wells with an eye on setting the tone for the 2026 season, and they’ll be joined by a star-studded cast, every one of them eager to make a splash in Southern California. 

Before we tune in to this weekend’s marquee matchups, let’s take a look at five Australian Open storylines that should have a significant impact on this year’s BNP Paribas Open.

Sinner and Alcaraz Thriving 

Nadal v Djokovic… Azarenka v Williams… Federer v Djokovic… Rybakina v Sabalenka. We’ve been blessed with a multitude of incredible finals at the BNP Paribas Open in recent years, but one matchup has been notably missing on championship Sunday: Alcaraz vs Sinner. 2026 could be the year, as the two-headed tour de force at the top of the ATP rankings look destined to continue their domination. 

Not since the 2024 Australian Open has a player other than Alcaraz or Sinner won a major men’s singles title. It’s going to take a Herculean effort to stop these two in 2026. 

American Woman Crushing It 

2026 has already been a banner year for the American women, with four players reaching the quarterfinals in Melbourne, and Jessica Pegula leading the way by powering into the final four for the first time at the Australian Open. 

Pegula, 31, has become the first woman in Open Era history to reach her first three major semifinals after turning 30. If the Buffalo, NY native reaches the final that will be six consecutive Grand Slams in which an American has participated in the final. 

The next mission for Team USA? To make their mark in Tennis Paradise, where an American women’s singles champion has not emerged since Serena Williams in 2001.

Aryna on a Mission 

Bold tennis, big personality, irresistible aura – two-time runner-up Aryna Sabalenka checks all the boxes. After running the table at the top of the WTA rankings in 2025, the 27-year-old  has started the season by continuing her domination at the hard court majors. Sabalenka has reached the final at each of the last six hard court majors she has played, and she’ll bid to make it seven against Elina Svitolina in the semifinals in Melbourne. 

Sabalenka, who lost last year’s final to Mirra Andreeva in three heartbreaking sets, will be back in the California desert in March, bidding for the title that slipped from her grasp at the eleventh hour last year.

Novak On The Attack 

Age is just a number! Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic continues to be a formidable force on tour, and he is still in the running in Australia, two wins away from winning a record 25th major title. Every time the 38-year-old steps on the court, a new chapter of tennis history is written.  Just this week in Australia, the Serbian icon set the all-time record for most Australian Open match wins with 103, four days after becoming the first player in history to record 400 Grand Slam victories. 

Djokovic is not the only “golden oldie” that is putting smiles on the faces of fans these days. 40-year-old Stan Wawrinka was pure inspiration in Melbourne as he became the oldest player to reach the third round at a major since 1978, and 39-year-old Gael Monfils is still a marvel on court, running circles around players that are nearly half his age.

The Kids Are Alright 

Based on the performance of the next generation of young talent at this year’s Australian Open, the sport is in good hands. Two Southern California natives – 18-year-old Jovic, from Torrance, and 20-year-old Learner Tien, from Irvine – made history when they reached the quarterfinals in Australia. Jovic, who made her debut in the California desert last year, became the youngest American to reach a major quarterfinal since Venus Williams in 1998. Tien, who also debuted last year in the California desert, became the youngest American to reach a major quarterfinal since Andy Roddick in 2002. 

Throw in rising stars like Victoria Mboko of Canada (19), Jakub Mensik of Czechia (20), Alexandra Eala of the Philippines (20) and Joao Fonseca (19) and one begins to feel tremors of excitement about this year’s player field!