Coming Home: Starting 2026 on Australian Courts

There is something special about starting a new season at home. After everything that unfolded in 2025, Jin Woodman is looking forward to getting back on court in Australia and opening the 2026 season in front of a home crowd. The Australian summer has always been a significant part of his tennis journey.

A bigger Australian summer

The Australian Wheelchair Summer Series has expanded for 2026, creating even more opportunities for wheelchair players to compete on home soil. Sixteen Australian players are part of the series, with events taking place across Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne in the lead-up to the Australian Open Wheelchair Championships.

For Jin, the first big stop is the inaugural Australian Wheelchair International in Adelaide, where he'll compete in the quads alongside fellow Australian and top-10 player Heath Davidson. From there, the focus shifts to Melbourne for the Melbourne Wheelchair Open before heading to Melbourne Park for the Australian Open itself.

Playing at home

One of the highlights on the calendar is the Melbourne Wheelchair Open at Hume Tennis Centre — Jin's local club. Competing somewhere so familiar carries its own kind of significance; having trained and played there extensively, getting the opportunity to take part in a major wheelchair event on those courts is a special one for him, and a fitting way to build toward the Australian Open.

A different player

Heading into the 2026 Australian summer, the biggest asset Jin carries with him is the experience gained throughout 2025. The previous season gave him the chance to compete against some of the best players in the world on some of wheelchair tennis's biggest stages, while setbacks — including a fractured femur — taught him plenty about patience and resilience through the recovery process.

Those experiences have shaped him as a player. There's still plenty to improve on, but Jin feels far more comfortable competing at this level than he did a year ago. The goal for the Australian summer is simple: start fresh, play his game, and give himself the best possible chance to pick up wins — building on what he achieved the previous year.