Venus Williams remains the story of the opening round as she searches for her first victory since July 2025. The seven-time Grand Slam champion will open against a qualifier, with a high-profile second-round clash against American star Emma Navarro looming if she can snap her eight-match losing streak.
Women’s Draw: The Sabalenka Path
World No. 1 and top seed Aryna Sabalenka leads the field, seeking redemption after her heartbreaking three-set loss in the 2025 final.
- The Seeds: All 32 seeds receive a first-round bye.
- The Gauntlet: Sabalenka’s quarter is stacked with former champion Naomi Osaka and 18-year-old Canadian sensation Victoria Mboko, who has rocketed into the world’s top 10 this season.
- Defending Champ: Mirra Andreeva, who became the youngest winner since Serena Williams last year at age 17, is back to defend her title. She is projected to meet Leylah Fernandez and Elina Svitolina in a difficult bottom-half run.
Men’s Draw: The Alcaraz-Djokovic Collision
On the men’s side, World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and No. 3 seed Novak Djokovic are on a collision course for a blockbuster semi-final, a rematch of their January Australian Open final.
| Seed | Player | Projected Quarter-Final |
| 1 | Carlos Alcaraz | vs. Alex De Minaur |
| 2 | Jannik Sinner | vs. Ben Shelton |
| 3 | Novak Djokovic | vs. Taylor Fritz |
| 14 | Jack Draper | vs. Novak Djokovic (Potential 4th Round) |
Defending Champion Jack Draper: The British No. 1, who stunned Alcaraz and Holger Rune to win his maiden Masters 1000 here in 2025, faces a tricky path. After an injury-plagued second half of last season, the 14th seed will open against either Fabian Marozsan or Roberto Bautista Agut.
