Adelaide International WTA 2026: Schedule, Entry List, Draw and Predictions

The Adelaide International is a WTA 500 prior to the Australian Open that always attracts top names and this year is no different between January 12-17.

Madison Keys is defending champion and returns to defend her title. While Jessica Pegula is top seed. They are joined by Mirra Andreeva, Ekaterina Alexandrova and Belinda Bencic among others in a highly competitive field.

It is a combined tournament but only in name with the men's tournament being the lesser ATP 250 billing so the women's tournament takes top billing. It is played at Memorial Drive Tennis Centre, Adelaide, Australia and is the precursor to the first major of the new season.

The draw will be confirmed over the weekend before the tournament starts on January 12.

The schedule for the opening day will be confirmed on January 10-11 before the tournament begins on January 12.

Samuel Gill, Head Editor for TennisUpToDate.com sees Mirra Andreeva sealing the title.

Hard to gauge but Mirra Andreeva comes into this next week off a week of play. While Jessica Pegula is similar.

Madison Keys is defending champion so has to be considered but whether she was a flash in the pan last season remains to be seen. While I see Ekaterina Alexandrova again causing problems.

Apart from those, I see Belinda Bencic being the leading light. She's been in super form over the past season and will be bang up for it after a great week in the United Cup.

*** Mirra Andreeva

** Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys

* Ekaterina Alexandrova, Belinda Bencic

Lucas Michael, Editor for TennisUpToDate.com sees Bencic leading the way with Pegula being the leading threat.

The WTA Adelaide International has a very open lineup, with the winner quite possibly coming from anywhere. To narrow it down, you have to start with the top players. This includes the defending champion Madison Keys, who is under the cosh to defend the points from this and the Australian Open. This could spur her on after a poor end to 2025.

Jessica Pegula will always be a threat. No matter how tight the match is, she normally tends to find a way out of it. Along with the Americans, Mirra Andreeva should be highlighted. If she is able to return to the form of about 10 months ago, then it is hard to look past her for the title.

The Canadian pair of Victoria Mboko and Leylah Fernandez can cause any of the top players a whole host of problems and are definitely in contention for glory. So is Linda Noskova, who has reached a number of WTA finals in 2025 without tasting success, most notably twice in October.

Nevertheless, I am going to overlook all of these and pick a slightly different option maybe overlooked by many. Belinda Bencic has been superb since her return to action. She rose almost 500 places in 2025 to culminate around the edge of the top 10, winning two titles. She is one of the most inform players currently, and I am going to back her for glory.

*** Belinda Bencic

** Jessica Pegula, Mirra Andreeva

* Madison Keys, Linda Noskova, Leylah Fernandez

Cristhian Avila, Editor for TennisUpToDate.com also sees Bencic as being the standout.

The week before the Australian Open, several favourites will probably not push themselves to the maximum, which could create opportunities for some unexpected names. Belinda Bencic’s confidence and her strong level shown in the United Cup make her my favourite. I will also be closely following Linda Noskova and Clara Tauson – all of them fighting for a top-10 spot, and the Australian swing has suited them well over the last two years.

Of course, with four top-10 players, you cannot underestimate what names like Jessica Pegula or Mirra Andreeva could do. Still, with the Australian Open as the main target, they will surely be saving their best for Melbourne.

***Belinda Bencic

**Clara Tauson, Linda Noskova

*Mirra Andreeva, Jessica Pegula