Polina Kudermetova took Zheng’s place at the Australian Open. The younger sister of Veronika has made two previous main draw appearances in Melbourne, losing in the opening round both times. Her latest chance to reach the second round will occur against Guiomar Maristany, who qualified for the main draw of a Grand Slam for the first time.
Kaja Juvan entered the draw because of Collins’s decision to withdraw. The Slovenian, a close friend of Iga Swiatek, reached the third round of the event in 2021. She almost certainly will require an excellent performance against the WTA Finals champion Elena Rybakina to have any chance of progressing through the opening round.
Leolia Jeanjean is another player with a chance to win her first main draw match at the Australian Open. She replaced Jabeur, and it will be her fourth opening round contest in Melbourne. Although the Frenchman starts as the underdog against Maria Sakkari, her chances of causing an upset should not be ruled out.
Katie Boulter, Anastasia Zakharova, and Veronika Erjavec are the other players now in the main draw. Boulter will try to find her form from 2024, when she claimed two titles, after an underwhelming 2025 season.
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
