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

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:Lucy Deuce on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucyydeuce?igsh=MWM2MGVrZDhsbjd1cA== || Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lucy.deuce?_r=1&_t=ZP-9315gur7Ev0Brad Stine Interview - https://youtu.be/tcodbF-e3EY?si=-drGONmLmLyMsvs4Sincaraz from the plane - https://x.com/skysports/status/2010721025051209946?s=46&t=34KFRaMxpc-93mq_1EOI7APrime france show - https://youtu.be/m8MMXHsO34o?si=36YJQJsvtFMi5UaXChapters:00:00 Introduction03:35 Groundpass Hotline: Viewer Questions11:19 A Voice Note from the United Cup15:57 Week 1 of the 2026 Season - United Cup, Brisbane & Auckland23:31 Who is looking good & who is not in week 133:28 The Storylines you might have missed in week 140:27 Australian Open Preview47:08 A Tangent: The Role of Coaches in Tennis52:42 Key Storylines for the Australian Open57:55 A Sincaraz Tangent 01:03:30 Understanding the Qualifying Rounds01:05:43 Spotlight on Qualifying Players01:16:26 How to Watch the Australian Open01:19:30 Upcoming Tournaments and Player Highlights01:23:35 Player of the Fortnight01:30:03 OutroWe have Merch!!! Ground Pass Shop - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/ground-pass-shop 💬 Don’t forget to give us a rating and drop us a comment ⭐️Subscribe to Our Substack at - https://groundpass.substack.com Visit Our Website at - www.groundpasspodcast.com Email us at - [email protected] Follow us for daily updates on Social:Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ground_pass Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/groundpass.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ground_pass Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GroundPass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@groundpasspodcast X: https://x.com/groundpasspodDisclaimer: This video does not contain a paid for advertisement. PR samples are denoted by the term ‘ad - gifted’. Links containing ad affiliate links are denoted by a '*'. This means that if you click on an affiliate link, go through to the retailer and purchase an item, we will receive a small percentage of your purchase. Check out our website for a full disclaimer: https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/about  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.