Kooyong Classic Returns in 2026 With a Star-Studded Player Field

• Event Overview
• Format Explained
• A Tournament Steeped in History
• Men’s Field – Confirmed Participants
• Women’s Field – Confirmed Participants

After a year away, the Kooyong Classic will return in January 2026, restoring one of Melbourne’s most familiar pre-Australian Open traditions.

The exhibition event was unable to run in 2025 following internal and operational challenges at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club. It now re-emerges under refreshed management, with its revival underlined by a strong and varied player field. The lineup features multiple current top-30 players, former world top-10 names, and a US Open champion, alongside several of the sport’s most recognisable crowd favourites.

Long regarded as one of the most atmospheric warm-up stops of the season, the Kooyong Classic offers elite players a final opportunity to sharpen their games away from the pressures of ranking points, while fans are given rare close-range access to world-class tennis in an intimate setting.

Exhibition matches and guest appearances are staged alongside the main draw, allowing players to gain competitive court time without the physical and mental demands of a full ATP or WTA tournament.

Across its history, the event has welcomed many of the sport’s leading figures, including Roger Federer, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras. In more recent years, it has continued to attract high-profile players preparing for the opening Grand Slam of the season. 

The most recent edition in 2024 was won by Richard Gasquet, before the tournament was paused in 2025.