After making headlines with her first-round outfit, Japan’s Naomi Osaka will take to the court tonight to take on Romania’s Sorana Sistia in the second round of the 2026 Australian Open. Osaka competes as the 16th seed. Unseeded player Cirstea’s WTA ranking is 41st.
The two will face off at Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena, with an expected start time being 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m. PT. Game coverage will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN2. The entire game will be streamed live on ESPN+ for ESPN Unlimited subscribers. Here’s what you need to know to watch the 2026 Australian Open.
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How to watch Naomi Osaka play tonight:
date: Thursday, January 22
time: 3 a.m. ET
Place: Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne, Australia
TV channel: ESPN2
Streaming media: ESPN+
When will Naomi Osaka compete in the 2026 Australian Open?
Naomi Osaka will compete in the second round of the Australian Open later tonight (3 a.m. ET/midnight PT).
Naomi Osaka vs. Sorana Cirstea Match start time:
In the United States, the second round match between Osaka and Cirstea is scheduled to start at 3 a.m. Eastern time due to the time difference.
Australian Open Channel:
The Australian Open will be broadcast live on ESPN, and the entire event will be streamed on ESPN+ for Unlimited subscribers. Select match coverage will also air on ESPN2, then switch to ESPN for the semifinals and beyond.
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How to watch the 2026 Australian Open:
ESPN’s revamped streaming platform offers thousands of exclusive live events, original studio programming and critically acclaimed series across ESPN’s seven linear channels, as well as exclusive content on ESPN+, ABC on ESPN, SEC+, ACCNX and some content from NFL Network and NFL RedZone. The unlimited plan costs $29.99/month or $299.99/year.
ESPN $29.99 per month
DirecTV’s entertainment tier gives you access to a ton of channels for college and professional sports, including ESPN, TNT, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, as well as local affiliates of ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC (depending on where you live).
No matter which plan you choose, you’ll get unlimited Cloud DVR storage and access to ESPN+’s new streaming tier, ESPN Unlimited.
DirecTV’s entertainment package is priced at $89.99 per month. But you can currently try all of them for free for five days. If you’re interested in trying a live TV streaming service but aren’t quite ready to commit yet, we recommend starting with DirecTV.
Free trial on DirecTV
Fubo’s slimmed-down sports package includes local radio stations owned and operated by ABC, CBS and Fox, as well as other affiliates in select markets as well as ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNNews, ESPNU, Fox News, FS1, FS2, Fubo Sports Network, ION, NFL Network, SEC Network and the Tennis Channel. It also includes free access to ESPN’s new ESPN+ Unlimited plan. Fubo subscribers also get unlimited cloud DVR storage.
The Fubo Exercise Bundle is $10 off for the first month, priced at $45.99; after that, the price increases to $55.99 per month.
Fubo $45.99 for first month
Sling TV’s Day Pass gives you the freedom to watch what you want, whenever you want, without the need for a monthly streaming subscription.
A single-day pass costs $4.99 and gives you access to all channels offered by Sling Orange, including ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, Disney Channel and 30 more channels, without any other subscription or commitment.
Sling $4.99/day
Where to watch the 2026 Australian Open (no cable required):
If you want to watch every match from the Australian Open but don’t currently have a subscription to ESPN+, cable or a live TV streaming service, most of the action will be available to stream on 9Now for free with ads in Australia.
Don’t you live in the land below? You can still stream as you would with the help of a VPN. VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) help protect your data, can mask your IP address, and are probably most popular because they are particularly useful in the streaming age. whether you want to see friends Watch Netflix (the company dropped the US version of streaming in 2019) or catch up on tennis coverage without a cable package, a VPN can help. Want to try a VPN for the first time? This guide details the best VPN options for every type of user.
ExpressVPN offers “borderless internet,” which means you don’t need a cable TV plan to watch the 2026 Australian Open for free. All you need to do is sign up for ExpressVPN, change your server location to Australia, and find free live coverage through 9Now. Additionally, it was voted the best premium VPN by Engadget. ExpressVPN offers three tiers of subscriptions: Basic plan (starting at $3.49/month), Advanced plan (starting at $4.49/month), and Pro plan (starting at $7.49/month).
ExpressVPN also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you’re nervous about trying a VPN.
ExpressVPN starts at $3.49 per month
2026 Australian Open schedule:
All times Eastern
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Saturday, January 17
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(Day 1) Men’s and Women’s First Round: 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 18
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(Day 1) Men’s and Women’s First Round: 3:00 AM
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(Day 2) Men’s and Women’s First Round: 7:00 p.m.
Monday, January 19
-
(Day 2) Men’s and Women’s Round 1: 3:00 AM
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(Day 3) Men’s and Women’s First Round: 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, January 20
-
(Day 3) Men’s and Women’s Round 1: 3:00 AM
-
(Day 4) Men’s and Women’s Second Round: 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 21st
-
(Day 4) Men’s and Women’s Second Round: 3:00 AM
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(Day 5) Men’s and Women’s Second Round: 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, January 22
-
(Day 5) Men’s and Women’s Second Round: 3:00 AM
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(Day 6) Men’s and Women’s Third Round: 7:00 p.m.
Friday, January 23
-
(Day 6) Men’s and Women’s Round 3: 3:00 AM
-
(Day 7) Men’s and Women’s Third Round: 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 24
-
(Day 7) Men’s and Women’s Third Round: 3:00 AM
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(Day 8) Men’s and Women’s Fourth Round: 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 25
-
(Day 8) Men’s and Women’s Fourth Round: 3:00 AM
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(Day 9) Men’s and Women’s Fourth Round: 7:00 p.m.
Monday, January 26
-
(Day 9) Men’s and Women’s Fourth Round: 3:00 AM
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(Day 10) Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals: 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, January 27
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(Day 10) Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals: 3:00 a.m.
-
(Day 11) Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals: 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 28
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(Day 11) Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals: 3:00 a.m.
-
(Day 12) Women’s Semifinals: 7:00pm
Thursday, January 29
-
(Day 13) Men’s Semifinals: 8:00 p.m.
Friday, January 30
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(Day 13) Men’s Semifinals: 3:30am
Saturday, January 31st
-
(Day 14) Women’s Final: 3:30am
Sunday, February 1
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(Day 15) Men’s Final: 3:30 AM
Who will compete in the 2026 Australian Open?
Listed below are the top 10 seeds in the singles draw.
Men’s Singles Seed
1. Carlos Alcaraz
2. Jannik Sinner
3. Alexander Zverev
4. Novak Djokovic
5. Felix Auger-Aliassime
Women’s Singles Seeded Team
1. Alina Sabalenka
2. Iga Swiatek
3.Amanda Anisimova
4. Coco Gough
5.Elena Rybakina
Australian Open prize money:
In 2026, the men’s and women’s singles champions will each receive US$4,150,000, the runner-up will receive US$2,150,000, and the semi-finalists will receive US$1,250,000.
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