The Australian Open 2026 is done and dusted, so it’s time for our Tennis Weekly Australian Open Wrap Up Show. After two weeks of daily pods, early mornings and late nights, Joel, Kim and Chris sit down to relive the tournament in all its glory — the good, the bad and the downright bizarre.

We look back on Melbourne through our patented Peak, Pit & Pleasant Surprise scorecard, debating everything from Rafa watching Carlos complete the set, to crowd controversies, fashion moments, and why lights on the net were actually… kind of brilliant? We hand out our picks for best match, biggest upset, biggest surprise and one to watch across both the men’s and women’s draws — with plenty of disagreement along the way.

There’s also a full prediction post-mortem. Who nailed their Australian Open champion picks? Who absolutely did not? From Alcaraz and Rybakina lifting trophies to bold calls involving Bublik, Jovic and Medvedev (honestly, what were Joel and Kim thinking), nothing is swept under the carpet including the ceremonious dishing out of the Slam of Spoon of Shame.

Support the podcast by donating to our Tennis Weekly 2026 Crowdfund. Your support no matter how large or small is hugely appreciated, from listening to donating we couldn’t be more thankful to our audience! Click the link above or go to gofundme.com/tennis-weekly-2026

AO Travel & Experiences

Learn more and book your tickets through AO Travel & Experiences at ausopentravel.com

SOCIALS

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show tennisweeklypod@gmail.com.

MERCH

Purchase Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!

REVIEWS

***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!***

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

And that’s a wrap on Melbourne! Carlos Alcaraz is your Australian Open champion who becomes the youngest men’s player ever to complete the Career Grand Slam. In doing so, he handed Novak Djokovic his first-ever defeat in an Australian Open final, snapping the Serb’s perfect 10–0 record on Rod Laver Arena and sending the wait for Grand Slam title number 25 on.

We break down exactly how Alcaraz turned the match after a nervy start, why that pivotal 4–4 game in the fourth set changed everything, and what truly separates Carlos from Jannik Sinner when facing Djokovic on the biggest stages. And yes, we tackle the elephant in the room — what does King Carlos’s win mean for his relationship with former coach Juan Carlos Ferrero…

For Djokovic, it was a sobering comedown after a blockbuster semi-final win over Sinner. Was this his last genuine shot at Slam 25? And will we see him back at Melbourne Park next year? Plus, Chris gives his verdict on the women’s final, we go full Rafa-watch as Nadal looks on from the stands, and we reveal the winner of our exclusive Australian Open competition.

Support the podcast by donating to our Tennis Weekly 2026 Crowdfund. Your support no matter how large or small is hugely appreciated, from listening to donating we couldn’t be more thankful to our audience! Click the link above or go to gofundme.com/tennis-weekly-2026

AO Travel & Experiences

Learn more and book your tickets through AO Travel & Experiences at ausopentravel.com

SOCIALS

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show tennisweeklypod@gmail.com.

MERCH

Purchase Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!

REVIEWS

***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!***

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elena Rybakina has won the Australian Open! It looked like it was heading for a repeat of the 2023 Final where Sabalenka came back to win in three sets but Rybakina had a comeback of her own from 3-0 down in the Final set, storming back to close out the match 6-4 4-6 6-4. It was a long wait for a second major for Rybakina who triumphed at Wimbledon in 2022 but has had ups and downs professionally and personally but managed to set all of that aside to win in Melbourne. She moves up to number three in the ranking and adds the trophy to her recently won WTA Finals title to establish herself as the form player on the WTA Tour.

Joel and Kim ask how high can Rybakina go and question why Sabalenka isn’t able to close out major finals despite being the dominant force on the tour. Sabalenka is now 4-4 in grand slam finals and has won just 1 of her last 4 since her 2024 US Open triumph. They also announce the winner of collect a set and who is taking home the official AO cap and they wrap-up the doubles where Zhang and Mertens and Harrison and Skupski came out on top.

They also make their last observations ahead of the Men’s Finals the day after the semi-final epics in Melbourne Park.

AO Travel & Experiences

Learn more and book your tickets through AO Travel & Experiences at ausopentravel.com

SOCIALS

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show tennisweeklypod@gmail.com.

MERCH

Purchase Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!

REVIEWS

***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!***

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.