2025 Women’s Australian Open:
The draw for the women’s singles event at the 2025 Australian Open has been released, with the highly anticipated semifinal match between two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and No. 3 seed Coco Gauff garnering attention. This is a repeat of their exciting showdown at the final four stage in 2024. Gauff will begin her journey with an all-American first round match against Sofia Kenin, who famously defeated her in the first round of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships.
Sabalenka is set to face Sloane Stephens, the 2017 US Open winner, in her upcoming match. She aims to achieve a feat that has not been accomplished since Martina Hingis’ three consecutive Australian Open victories from 1997 to 1999. Sabalenka won her first Grand Slam title in Australia in 2023 and successfully defended it in 2024.
During the draw ceremony, Sabalenka mentioned that she did not pay much attention to the history, but she was informed about it during interviews in Brisbane. She acknowledged that it was a significant event that took place 25 years ago, and being mentioned alongside legendary players would be a great accomplishment. However, she stated that her main focus is on her own improvement and delivering her best performance every time she steps on the court, with the hope of cementing her name in the tennis history books.
The top-ranked player in the world continued her dominance in 2024 by winning all of the hard-court majors, including her first US Open title. This victory served as redemption for her loss in the 2023 finals against Gauff.
The 2025 season started off strong for World No. 1 Sabalenka and No. 3 Gauff as they both claimed titles. Sabalenka emerged victorious at the Brisbane International, while Gauff and Taylor Fritz helped the United States secure a win at the United Cup.
In the 2024 WTA Finals, Gauff emerged victorious against Sabalenka. This tournament also saw her defeat Iga Swiatek and Zheng Qinwen, ultimately claiming the title after a thrilling three-set final.
At the United Cup, the 20-year-old American started her 2025 season with another triumph against Swiatek, contributing to the United States’ success alongside her compatriot Taylor Fritz. In the same group as former players Leylah Fernandez, Karolina Muchova, Jelena Ostapenko, and Paula Badosa, Gauff emerged victorious.
In her first match of the year, Sabalenka achieved equal success by emerging victorious in the Brisbane International, as reported by Tennis.com. She defeated Polina Kudermetova in three sets, who was making her finals debut. In the upcoming rounds, the three-time major champion is expected to face No. 29 seed Linda Noskova in the third round, and No. 14 seed Mirra Andreeva, who famously defeated her in a thrilling Roland Garros quarterfinal last year, in the fourth round.
The lower half of the draw is led by the second seed, Iga Swiatek, while the fourth seed, Jasmine Paolini, is expected to face her in the semifinals. Although she lost her top ranking at the end of the previous season, Swiatek has shown her strength in only her second competition after hiring well-known coach Wim Fissette. Apart from her loss to Gauff, she remained undefeated at the United Cup, defeating players such as Karolina Muchova, Katie Boulter, and Elena Rybakina. Her first match will be against Katerina Siniakova.
In another part of the bracket, Zheng Qinwen, who reached the finals in 2024, is the No. 5 seed and has been placed in the same quarter as Sabalenka. She will face either a qualifier or a lucky loser in her opening match. The No. 6 seed, Elena Rybakina, who is currently embroiled in a coaching controversy, will play against Australian player Emerson Jones in the first round. Her projected opponent in the quarterfinals is Paolini.
Naomi Osaka, who has won two championships, will participate in her fifth major tournament since coming back from her maternity leave. In the first round, she will once again be up against Caroline Garcia, who had emerged victorious in their last Down Under encounter. If Osaka manages to secure a win, she will still have to face tough competition in the form of Muchova and Ostapenko, as they are also part of the highly competitive group.
To access the finalized draw, please click here.
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