American Ben Shelton enters the first round of the Australian Open tonight when he faces Ugo Humbert, here's how to watch.
American tennis player Ben Shelton is the No. 8 seed in the world, and he'll begin his campaign to unseat Jannik Sinner as the reigning champion at the Australian Open tonight when he enters the first round of play tonight. Shelton's first opponent will be France's Ugo Humbert, who is currently ranked No. 36. Shelton and Humbert will compete at Rod Laver Arena and the match is expected to begin around 9:30 p.m. ET, but as with all tennis tournaments, the time may fluctuate depending on the end time of the preceding match between American Madison Keys and Ukraine's Oleksandra Oliynykova.
Tournament coverage will air across ESPN and ESPN2. The entire tournament will be available to stream for ESPN Unlimited subscribers. Here's what you need to know about the 2026 Australian Open.
How to watch Ben Shelton vs. Ugo Humbert at the Australian Open:
Date: Monday, January 19
Time (estimated): not before 9:30 p.m. ET (after Madison Keys vs. Oleksandra Oliynykova)
Location: Rod Laver Arena
TV channel: re-air on ESPN2 at 11:15 p.m.
Streaming: ESPN+, ESPN Unlimited
When is the Ben Shelton vs. Ugo Humbert match at the 2026 Australian Open?
American Ben Shelton will play France's Ugo Humbert in the first round at the Australian Open tonight, Jan. 19, 2026.
Ben Shelton vs. Ugo Humbert match start time:
Tonight's first round match between Ben Shelton and Ugo Humbert is estimated to start around 9:30 p.m., immediately following the Madison Keys vs. Oleksandra Oliynykova match, which is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The match will stream live on ESPN Unlimited, but note that it will be broadcast later, with coverage starting at 11:15 p.m. ET, on ESPN2.
Australian Open channel:
In the U.S., the Australian Open will air on ESPN, with the entire tournament streaming on ESPN+ for Unlimited subscribers. Select tournament coverage will also air on ESPN2, before moving to ESPN for the semifinals and beyond.
How to watch the 2026 Australian Open:
Where to watch the 2026 Australian Open without cable:
If you want to catch every match of the Australian Open and don’t currently subscribe to ESPN+, cable or a live TV streaming service, in Australia a majority of the action will be streaming free with ads on 9Now.
Don't live in the land down under? Don't worry, you can still stream like you do with the help of a VPN. A VPN (virtual private network) helps protect your data, can mask your IP address and is perhaps most popular for being especially useful in the age of streaming. Whether you’re looking to watch Friends on Netflix (which left the U.S. version of the streamer back in 2019) or tune in to tennis coverage without a cable package, a VPN can help you out. Looking to try a VPN for the first time? This guide breaks down the best VPN options for every kind of user.
Australian Open 2026 schedule:
All times Eastern
Saturday, January 17
(Day 1) Men’s and Women’s 1st Round: 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 18
(Day 1) Men’s and Women’s 1st Round: 3:00 a.m.
(Day 2) Men’s and Women’s 1st Round: 7:00 p.m.
Monday, January 19
(Day 2) Men’s and Women’s 1st Round: 3:00 a.m.
(Day 3) Men’s and Women’s 1st Round: 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, January 20
(Day 3) Men’s and Women’s 1st Round: 3:00 a.m.
(Day 4) Men’s and Women’s 2nd Round: 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 21
(Day 4) Men’s and Women’s 2nd Round: 3:00 a.m.
(Day 5) Men’s and Women’s 2nd Round: 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, January 22
(Day 5) Men’s and Women’s 2nd Round: 3:00 a.m.
(Day 6) Men’s and Women’s 3rd Round: 7:00 p.m.
Friday, January 23
(Day 6) Men’s and Women’s 3rd Round: 3:00 a.m.
(Day 7) Men’s and Women’s 3rd Round: 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 24
(Day 7) Men’s and Women’s 3rd Round: 3:00 a.m.
(Day 8) Men’s and Women’s 4th Round: 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 25
(Day 8) Men’s and Women’s 4th Round: 3:00 a.m.
(Day 9) Men’s and Women’s 4th Round: 7:00 p.m.
Monday, January 26
(Day 9) Men’s and Women’s 4th Round: 3:00 a.m.
(Day 10) Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals: 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, January 27
(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
(Day 11) Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals: 3:00 a.m.
(Day 12) Women’s Semifinals: 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, January 29
(Day 13) Men’s Semifinal: 8:00 p.m.
Friday, January 30
(Day 13) Men’s Semifinal: 3:30 a.m.
Saturday, January 31
(Day 14) Women’s Final: 3:30 a.m.
Sunday, February 1
(Day 15) Men’s Final: 3:30 a.m.
Who is playing in the 2026 Australian Open?
The top 10 seeded players for the singles draws are listed below.
Men’s singles seeds for the Australian Open 2026
1. Carlos Alcaraz
2. Jannik Sinner
3. Alexander Zverev
4. Novak Djokovic
5. Felix Auger-Aliassime
Women’s singles seeds for the Australian Open 2026
1. Aryna Sabalenka
2. Iga Swiatek
3. Amanda Anisimova
4. Coco Gauff
5. Elena Rybakina
Australian Open prize money:
For 2026, the men's and women's singles winners of the Australian Open each get $4,150,000, with the runner-up receiving $2,150,000 and Semi-finalists $1,250,000.
More ways to watch the 2026 Australian Open:
Category: General Sports
