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Australian Open 2026 Preview. Qualifying Watch List, Storylines, and Who’s Peaking Early

Australian Open 2026 Preview. Qualifying Watch List, Storylines, and Who’s Peaking Early

Author: Anastasia Folorunso, Nick Carter January 12, 2026 Duration: 1:32:09
Ground Pass: A Tennis Podcast
SportsCultureEntertainmentNewsSocietySociety & CultureTennis

Qualifying is here, so we’re jumping in early with a full Australian Open preview featuring Lucy Deuce (Black Spin Global). We answer a Ground Pass Hotline question about watching player practices at tournaments, share a listener voice memo from the United Cup in Sydney, and break down the first week of the season across Brisbane, Auckland, Hong Kong, and the United Cup. Plus: who looks ready for a deep run, who might need more reps, the WTA next wave showing up fast, what makes Grand Slam qualifying so brutal, and the names we’re watching this week as the main draw gets close.


Links:


Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

03:35 Groundpass Hotline: Viewer Questions

11:19 A Voice Note from the United Cup

15:57 Week 1 of the 2026 Season - United Cup, Brisbane & Auckland

23:31 Who is looking good & who is not in week 1

33:28 The Storylines you might have missed in week 1

40:27 Australian Open Preview

47:08 A Tangent: The Role of Coaches in Tennis

52:42 Key Storylines for the Australian Open

57:55 A Sincaraz Tangent 

01:03:30 Understanding the Qualifying Rounds

01:05:43 Spotlight on Qualifying Players

01:16:26 How to Watch the Australian Open

01:19:30 Upcoming Tournaments and Player Highlights

01:23:35 Player of the Fortnight

01:30:03 Outro


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Join hosts Anastasia Folorunso and Nick Carter for Ground Pass: A Tennis Podcast, a conversation that goes beyond the baseline. This isn't just a recap of scores; it's a deep dive into the narratives that shape the sport. Each episode offers analysis of the ATP and WTA tours, the unique pressures of the Grand Slams, and the journeys of emerging talents, all while exploring how tennis intersects with broader culture and society. We unpack the strategy behind the big wins and share the lesser-known stories that happen off the court, aiming to provide context whether you're a lifelong fan or just finding your footing. The discussion is informed, accessible, and driven by a genuine passion for the game's intricacies and its personalities. Tune in to this podcast for a perspective that treats tennis not just as a sequence of matches, but as a continuous, evolving story. You'll find the podcast naturally covers the athletic, human, and cultural dimensions that make the sport compelling, all from a courtside seat that brings you closer to the action and its meaning.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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Ground Pass: A Tennis Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Team USA Davis Cup disappointment and a quiet tennis week [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:35
For the second year in a row Team USA has not made the Final 8 of the Davis Cup, even with top players Ben Shelton and Learner Tien on the team. Houston we have a problem.Missed our other US Open Recap? Find it here - ht…
US Open Round 4 - Comebacks, Armstrong, and the US Open Ticket Market [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Qinwen Zheng came back from 5-0 down for the second straight match, Tiafoe remains undefeated on Armstrong, and the ticket market at the US Open is in free fall.US Open Round 3 Recap: https://youtu.be/P0PYAjyTDbE?si=BlBE…
US Open Round Three: Ashe, Armstrong, and Who Gets Moved [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Eala and Jović opened the Ashe night session while Naomi Osaka played Armstrong. We recap US Open round three from the grounds, on the worst day for the Americans.▶ Round 2 Recap: https://youtu.be/9rBDwwJCLXw?si=3ELLEmEr…
Djokovic Is Out, Alcaraz Is Back (US Open First Round, On Site) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:50
Djokovic loses a first round at a major for the first time in twenty years, Alcaraz returns from a wrist injury, and Monfils wins on his fortieth birthday.A Look at the new Arthur Ashe: https://youtu.be/tn-V6veuRrY?si=Yh…
Cincinnati Made History, and the US Open is here [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:14
Two 1000s ran back to back with no gap, so this episode is a two-parter. We recorded it during the Cincinnati men's final, with the score running underneath us the whole time.Act one is Cincinnati. Arthur Fils and France…
The People Growing Tennis (with Christian of Christian's Court) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:45
Coco Gauff shouted out Christian's Court in a press conference this week, and that moment says a lot about who tennis lets in and who is actually growing it.Links:Send us a voice memo - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/…

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