It began with a familiar December anticipation – the kind that sweeps through the tennis world every year as fans wait to learn who will light up Melbourne Park. But this time, the buzz carried an extra layer of intrigue. The AO 2026 entry lists had dropped, and while the tournament promised star power in abundance, it also revealed a handful of surprising voids. At the top of the men’s list stood Carlos Alcaraz, seeking his career Grand Slam, while on the women’s side, 2x champ Aryna Sabalenka leads the pack. But who all are missing in that list this time?

99 of the world’s top 100 men and 98 of the top 100 women are set to take part in the first Grand Slam tournament of the 2026 season at Melbourne Park. For Alcaraz, it’ll be a challenge to go past the QFs; for Jannik Sinner,

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