{"id":94523,"date":"2025-12-24T09:00:52","date_gmt":"2025-12-24T14:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/?p=94523"},"modified":"2025-12-19T23:28:03","modified_gmt":"2025-12-20T04:28:03","slug":"top-wta-players-warm-up-tournaments-ahead-of-the-2026-australian-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2025\/12\/24\/top-wta-players-warm-up-tournaments-ahead-of-the-2026-australian-open\/","title":{"rendered":"Top WTA Players&#8217; Warm-Up Tournaments Ahead Of The 2026 Australian Open"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the 2026 Australian Open approaches (starting January 18 in Melbourne), the world&#8217;s elite women&#8217;s players will be seen fine-tuning their games in key lead-up events. The season is kicking off a week later than usual. The primary warm-up options for WTA stars include the United Cup (a mixed-team event from January 2\u201311 in Perth and Sydney), the Brisbane International (WTA 500, January 4\u201311), and the Adelaide International (WTA 500, January 12\u201317). Smaller events like the ASB Classic in Auckland (WTA 250, January 5-11) and Hobart International (WTA 250, January 12-17) are also an option.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>All top-20 players are competing in at least one warm-up tournament, while a handful of them are competing in two. The field in Brisbane and Adelaide is strong, with multiple top 10 players, while the United Cup draws national-team commitments from several elites.<\/p>\n<h2>Top 20 WTA Players and Their Warm-Up Tournaments<\/h2>\n<h4>Aryna Sabalenka &#8211; Brisbane International<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The world No. 1 and <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2025\/11\/10\/record-riches-aryna-sabalenka-headlines-the-wtas-2025-moneyball-season\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">defending Brisbane champion<\/a> returns to kick off her title defense on familiar hard courts, where she has excelled and has a 9-1 win-loss record.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>Iga Swiatek &#8211; United Cup<\/h4>\n<p>The five-time Grand Slam champion will lead Team Poland in the mixed team event. Iga Swiatek has a brilliant record of 12-2 in this competition and has been a runner-up twice.<\/p>\n<h4>Coco Gauff &#8211; United Cup<\/h4>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/2245917818\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 66.66667% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/2245917818?et=i8uyxrS9TlxxY-mmxrOaUQ&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=yo3rFH0gVwCuDiX02MVu7qJYxahcjXFuWevmew0CP0c=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2025\/11\/17\/coco-gauff-2025-season-recap\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Coco Gauff<\/a> will feature for defending champions USA as their top player, aiming for back-to-back team titles. Gauff is yet to lose a match at this event.<\/p>\n<h4>Amanda Anisimova &#8211; Brisbane International<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The two-time major finalist headlines Brisbane alongside other power hitters. This would be her first appearance at this tournament.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>Elena Rybakina &#8211; Brisbane International<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The WTA <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2025\/11\/13\/wta-end-of-year-power-rankings-rybakina-emerges-on-top\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Finals champion<\/a> and former Brisbane champion seeks to build on her late-2025 momentum. She has won 9 of her last 10 matches.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>Jessica Pegula &#8211; Brisbane International and Adelaide International<\/h4>\n<p>The ever-so consistent American and world No.6 will play the full Australian Swing as her preparation for the Australian Open. She will play the Brisbane International for the first time and is defending finals points in Adelaide.<\/p>\n<h4>Madison Keys &#8211; Brisbane International and Adelaide International<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The reigning Australian Open champion will also play a full schedule. She is going to Brisbane instead of Auckland this time and will then defend her title in Adelaide.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>Jasmine Paolini &#8211; United Cup<\/h4>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/2245356681\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 66.66667% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/2245356681?et=Xog4mm4CTZJ-4KMVMzAGhA&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=RpfoXms6h6DBJVkGXirq6y9TcuU9ruZqnedq4FrBZ1A=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2025\/11\/19\/jasmine-paolini-2025-season-recap\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Italian star<\/a> will represent her country at the United Cup. She has a 3-2 win-loss record in this competition.<\/p>\n<h4>Mirra Andreeva &#8211; Brisbane International and Adelaide International<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The teenage sensation will start her season at the stacked Brisbane International field, where she reached the semifinal last season and is then scheduled to play in Adelaide for the first time.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>Ekaterina Alexandrova &#8211; Brisbane International and Adelaide International<\/h4>\n<p>Ekaterina <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2025\/10\/10\/ekaterina-alexandrova-dedication\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Alexandrova<\/a> had a fantastic 2025 season and will start the new season in Brisbane, where she is yet to win a match in two appearances.<\/p>\n<h4>Belinda Bencic &#8211; United Cup and Adelaide International<\/h4>\n<p>Belinda Bencic is one of the few top 20 players who will play the hectic schedule of the United Cup and another tournament (Adelaide International) before the Australian Open.<\/p>\n<h4>Clara Tauson &#8211; Brisbane International and Adelaide International<\/h4>\n<p>After winning the ASB Classic in Auckland last season, the Denmark player has shifted to the stronger field of Brisbane this time. She is also scheduled to play in Adelaide.<\/p>\n<h4>Linda Noskova &#8211; Brisbane International and Adelaide International<\/h4>\n<p>The promising Czech player will feature in the competitive lineup of Brisbane and Adelaide.<\/p>\n<h4>Elina Svitolina &#8211; Auckland<\/h4>\n<p>Former world No.3 Elina Svitolina will return to the ASB Classic tournament, where she is a former finalist in 2024.<\/p>\n<h4>Emma Navarro &#8211; Auckland<\/h4>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/2239703819\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 66.66667% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/2239703819?et=uoZ8pZicS1pWQNF0_aSvxw&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=VBFiMaiL5EjDvSPqJbYmINHuQApCe6mlgzNPxHwWvk0=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Emma Navarro will join Elina Svitolina as the only other top-20 player to play in the ASB Classic tournament. The American had a subpar 2025 season and will look to start strong.<\/p>\n<h4>Naomi Osaka &#8211; United Cup<\/h4>\n<p>Four-time Grand Slam Champion will add to the star power as she participates in the United Cup for the first time. The former Australian Open champion will be looking to get some good practice before heading to Melbourne.<\/p>\n<h4>Liudmila Samsonova &#8211; Brisbane International and Adelaide International<\/h4>\n<p>Liudmila Samsonova is going with the same schedule for the third time in a row. She will be looking to get her first win at the Brisbane International and will defend semifinal points in Adelaide.<\/p>\n<h4>Victoria Mboko &#8211; United Cup and Adelaide International<\/h4>\n<p>The young Canadian sensation will make her Australian Open debut and has opted to play the United Cup and Adelaide International as the warm-up tournaments.<\/p>\n<h4>Karolina Muchova &#8211; Brisbane International<\/h4>\n<p>Former world No.8 Karolina Muchova has opted not to play the United Cup and has decided to play at the Brisbane International for the first time since 2020.<\/p>\n<h4>Elise Mertens &#8211; United Cup and Hobart International<\/h4>\n<p>Elise Mertens will be the top player for Belgium at the United Cup and then head to Hobart, where she is a two-time champion and also defending finals points. She is the only top-20 player competing at the Hobart International.<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As the 2026 Australian Open approaches (starting January 18 in Melbourne), the world&#8217;s elite women&#8217;s players will be seen fine-tuning their games in key lead-up events. The season is kicking off a week later than usual. The primary warm-up options for WTA stars include the United Cup (a mixed-team event from January 2\u201311 in Perth [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5086,"featured_media":92040,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,2,9],"tags":[2746,1766,266,11133,2747,4184,5595,394,1412,11223,4315,5319,3535,3716,17703,7278,63,18273,476,18059,15,364],"class_list":["post-94523","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wta","category-featured","category-news","tag-amanda-anisimova","tag-aryna-sabalenka","tag-belinda-bencic","tag-clara-tauson","tag-coco-gauff","tag-ekaterina-alexandrova","tag-elena-rybakina","tag-elina-svitolina","tag-elise-mertens","tag-emma-navarro","tag-iga-swiatek","tag-jasmine-paolini","tag-jessica-pegula","tag-karolina-muchova","tag-linda-noskova","tag-liudmila-samsonova","tag-madison-keys","tag-mirra-andreeva","tag-naomi-osaka","tag-victoria-mboko","tag-wta","tag-wta-tour"],"modified_by":"Steen Kirby","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94523","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5086"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94523"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94523\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":94608,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94523\/revisions\/94608"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/92040"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}