Alcaraz, Sinner, Djokovic, Shelton lead the 2026 Australian Open men's field

A look at some of the men to watch at the Australian Open, which starts at Melbourne Park on Sunday (Saturday night EST), with money-line odds via BetMGM Sportsbook:

Seeded: 1

Career-Best Ranking: 1

Country: Spain

Age: 22

Career Titles: 24

Grand Slam Titles: 6 — French Open (2: 2024, 2025), Wimbledon (2: 2023, 2024), U.S. Open (2: 2022, 2025)

Last 5 Australian Opens: 2025-Lost in Quarterfinals, 2024-QF, 2023-Did Not Play, 2022-3rd, 2021-2nd

Aces: Trying to win his first title at Melbourne Park to become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam. ... Has two trophies from each of the other three major tournaments but never past the quarterfinals in Australia. ... Recently split from longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero and is sticking with his other coach, Samuel Lopez, who reconstructed Alcaraz's service motion. ... 6-1 in major finals.

He Said It: “Obviously, it is important to start strong and show all the rest of the players that you are strong and you are playing well and you did an important preseason and that can show them, ‘OK, I’m ready to play a really good season.’”

Read All About It: Carlos Alcaraz's variety allows him to adapt from match to match

Odds Are:+150

Seeded: 2

Career-Best Ranking: 1

Country: Italy

Age: 24

Career Titles: 24

Grand Slam Titles: 4 — Australian Open (2: 2024, 2025), U.S. Open (1: 2024), Wimbledon (1: 2025)

Last 5 Australian Opens: 2025-Won Championship, 2024-W, 2023-4th, 2022-QF, 2021-1st

Aces: Reached the finals at each of the last five Grand Slam tournaments, winning three, including a year ago in Australia, where he was the champion for the second consecutive year. ... Since the start of 2024, Sinner is 2-7 against Alcaraz and 129-5 — a winning percentage of .963 — against everyone else. ... The Australian Open is his first event of 2026.

He Said It: “I’m going to aim to … be a bit more unpredictable as a player, because I think that’s what I have to do.”

Read All About It: Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have split the past eight Grand Slam titles

Odds Are: +100

Seeded: 4

Career-Best Ranking: 1

Country: Serbia

Age: 38

Career Titles: 101

Grand Slam Titles: 24 — Australian Open (10: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023), French Open (3: 2016, 2021, 2023), Wimbledon (7: 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022), U.S. Open (4: 2011, 2015, 2018, 2023)

Last 5 Australian Opens: 2025-SF, 2024-SF, 2023-W, 2022-DNP, 2021-W

Aces: Still seeking to become the first player in tennis history with 25 Grand Slam singles trophies. ... His most recent major title came at the 2023 U.S. Open, the last time a man other than Sinner or Alcaraz won a major. ... In 2025, he reached the semifinals at all four Slams; in Australia, he was booed when he quit after one set in that round because of a torn hamstring. ... Withdrew from a tune-up event in Adelaide this month.

He Said It: “I can do only as much as I can do. Yeah, it will be very difficult for me, in the future, to overcome the hurdle of Sinner-Alcaraz in the best-of-five at the Grand Slams.”

Read All About It: Novak Djokovic vows not to give up on Grand Slam success

Odds Are: +1000

Seeded: 8

Career-Best Ranking: 5

Country: United States

Age: 23

Career Titles: 3

Grand Slam Titles: Zero — Best: Semifinals, Australian Open (2025), U.S. Open (2023)

Last 5 Australian Opens: 2025-SF, 2024-3rd, 2023-QF, 2022-DNP, 2021-DNP

Aces: A big-serving left-hander who is at his most dangerous on hard courts. ... In Australia last year, made it to the semifinals before losing to eventual champion Sinner. ... Shelton criticized some of the questions and comments made by post-match TV interviewers at the Australian Open. Made his top 10 debut last June. ... Stopped playing at the U.S. Open because of an injured left shoulder. ... Reached Week 2 in six of his 13 career Grand Slam tournaments.

He Said It: “The media will keep, probably, asking questions and debating until (an American man wins a major title). I can’t wait for that to happen. Then we can kind of move on to a different question.”

Read All About It: Ben Shelton criticizes TV interviewers at the Australian Open

Odds Are: +1600

Seeded: 9

Career-Best Ranking: 4

Country: United States

Age: 28

Career Titles: 10

Grand Slam Titles: Zero — Best: Runner-Up, U.S. Open (2024)

Last 5 Australian Opens: 2025-3rd, 2024-QF, 2023-2nd, 2022-4th, 2021-3rd

Aces: Still dealing with knee issues that bothered him last season. ... Led the ATP Tour in total aces in 2025 with more than 850 and averaged 11.7 per match. ... Has come the closest of any U.S. man to getting the first Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick's at the 2003 U.S. Open, making it to the final in New York in 2024 before losing to Sinner. ... Reached his second major semifinal at Wimbledon last season before losing to Alcaraz.

He Said It: “Last year was probably my best serving year, for sure. I felt like my serve has kept improving.”

Read All About It: American men have been getting closer to winning a major title

Odds Are: +2200

Ranked: 139 (Not Seeded)

Career-Best Ranking: 3

Country: Switzerland

Age: 40

Career Titles: 16

Grand Slam Titles: 3 — Australian Open (2014), French Open (2015), U.S. Open (2016)

Last 5 Australian Opens: 2025-1st, 2024-1st, 2023-1st, 2022-DNP, 2021-2nd

Aces: Has said this will be his final season before retirement. ... Each of his three Grand Slam titles, including at the 2014 Australian Open, came via victories over the No. 1-ranked player in the final. ... Will be playing in the Australian Open for the 20th time but hasn't won a match there since 2021. ... His career was interrupted by operations on both knees and on his left foot.

He Said It: “After more than 20 years on tour, of course, it’s going to be really special playing all those tournaments that I play so many times for one last time.”

Read All About It: Stan Wawrinka elbowed his way into the top of tennis with 3 Slam titles

Odds Are: Not Listed

Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland hits a forehand to Hubert Hurkacz of Poland during their final match at the United Cup tennis tournament in Sydney, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Taylor Fritz of the U.S. hits a forehand to Hubert Hurkacz of Poland during their semifinal match at the United Cup tennis tournament in Sydney, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

FILE - Ben Shelton of the U.S. plays a forehand return to Jannik Sinner of Italy during their semifinal match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File)

FILE - Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays a shot against Lorenzo Musetti of Italy during the ATP 250 tennis tournament final match, in Athens, Greece, Nov. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis, File)

Italy's Jannik Sinner hits a backhand to Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during an exhibition tennis match in Incheon, South Korea, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Shin Jun-hee/Yonhap via AP)

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz serves to Italy's Jannik Sinner during an exhibition tennis match in Incheon, South Korea, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Shin Jun-hee/Yonhap via AP)

The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting Thursday to discuss Iran's deadly protests at the request of the United States, even as President Donald Trump left unclear what actions he would take against the Islamic state.

Tehran appeared to make conciliatory statements in an effort to defuse the situation after Trump threatened to take action to stop further killing of protesters, including the execution of anyone detained in Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests.

Iran’s crackdown on the demonstrations has killed at least 2,615, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported. The death toll exceeds any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalls the chaos surrounding the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Iran closed its airspace to commercial flights for hours without explanation early Thursday and some personnel at a key U.S. military base in Qatar were advised to evacuate. The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait also ordered its personnel to “temporary halt” travel to the multiple military bases in the small Gulf Arab country.

Iran previously closed its airspace during the 12-day war against Israel in June.

Here is the latest:

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has spoken with his counterpart in Iran, who said the situation was “now stable,” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Abbas Araghchi said “he hoped China will play a greater role in regional peace and stability” during the talks, according to the statement from the ministry.

“China opposes imposing its will on other countries, and opposes a return to the ‘law of the jungle’,” Wang said.

“China believes that the Iranian government and people will unite, overcome difficulties, maintain national stability, and safeguard their legitimate rights and interests,” he added. “China hopes all parties will cherish peace, exercise restraint, and resolve differences through dialogue. China is willing to play a constructive role in this regard.”

“We are against military intervention in Iran,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told journalists in Istanbul on Thursday. “Iran must address its own internal problems… They must address their problems with the region and in global terms through diplomacy so that certain structural problems that cause economic problems can be addressed.”

Ankara and Tehran enjoy warm relations despite often holding divergent interests in the region.

Fidan said the unrest in Iran was rooted in economic conditions caused by sanctions, rather than ideological opposition to the government.

Iranians have been largely absent from an annual pilgrimage to Baghdad, Iraq, to commemorate the death of Imam Musa al-Kadhim, one of the twelve Shiite imams.

Many Iranian pilgrims typically make the journey every year for the annual religious rituals.

Streets across Baghdad were crowded with pilgrims Thursday. Most had arrived on foot from central and southern provinces of Iraq, heading toward the shrine of Imam al-Kadhim in the Kadhimiya district in northern Baghdad,

Adel Zaidan, who owns a hotel near the shrine, said the number of Iranian visitors this year compared to previous years was very small. Other residents agreed.

“This visit is different from previous ones. It lacks the large numbers of Iranian pilgrims, especially in terms of providing food and accommodation,” said Haider Al-Obaidi.

Europe’s largest airline group said Thursday it would halt night flights to and from Tel Aviv and Jordan's capital Amman for five days, citing security concerns as fears grow that unrest in Iran could spiral into wider regional violence.

Lufthansa — which operates Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings — said flights would run only during daytime hours from Thursday through Monday “due to the current situation in the Middle East.” It said the change would ensure its staff — which includes unionized cabin crews and pilots -- would not be required to stay overnight in the region.

The airline group also said its planes would bypass Iranian and Iraqi airspace, key corridors for air travel between the Middle East and Asia.

Iran closed its airspace to commercial flights for several hours early Thursday without explanation.

A spokesperson for Israel’s Airport Authority, which oversees Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, said the airport was operating as usual.

Iranian state media has denied claims that a young man arrested during Iran’s recent protests was condemned to death. The statement from Iran’s judicial authorities on Thursday contradicted what it said were “opposition media abroad” which claimed the young man had been quickly sentenced to death during a violent crackdown on anti-government protests in the country.

State television didn’t immediately give any details beyond his name, Erfan Soltani. Iranian judicial authorities said Soltani was being held in a detention facility outside of the capital. Alongside other protesters, he has been accused of “propaganda activities against the regime,” state media said.

New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters said Thursday that his government was “appalled by the escalation of violence and repression” in Iran.

“We condemn the brutal crackdown being carried out by Iran’s security forces, including the killing of protesters,” Peters posted on X.

“Iranians have the right to peaceful protest, freedom of expression, and access to information – and that right is currently being brutally repressed,” he said.

Peters said his government had expressed serious concerns to the Iranian Embassy in Wellington.

A demonstrator lights a cigarette with a burning poster depicting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a rally in support of Iran's anti-government protests, in Holon, Israel, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Protesters participate in a demonstration in support of the nationwide mass protests in Iran against the government, in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Protesters participate in a demonstration in support of the nationwide mass protests in Iran against the government, in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)