Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka
The draw for the women’s singles event at the 2025 Australian Open has been released and the highly anticipated semifinal match between the two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and third seed Coco Gauff has caught everyone’s attention. This match will be a repeat of their exciting encounter in the final four of the 2024 tournament. Gauff will start her journey with an all-American first round match against Sofia Kenin, who gained fame by defeating Gauff in their first round match at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships.
Sabalenka is set to face Sloane Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion, in her first match. She aims to achieve a feat that has only been accomplished by Martina Hingis from 1997 to 1999 – winning three consecutive Australian Open titles. She won her first major title at the Australian Open in 2023 and successfully defended her title in 2024.
During the draw ceremony, Sabalenka mentioned that she did not actively research the history, but rather was informed during interviews in Brisbane. She acknowledged that it was 25 years ago, and being mentioned alongside legendary players would be a significant achievement. However, Sabalenka emphasized the importance of focusing on her own growth and striving to bring her best performance every match in order to make her mark in the history books.
The player ranked as the top in the world continued her winning streak on hard courts in 2024, securing her first US Open championship and avenging her loss in the 2023 finals to Gauff.
In the beginning of the 2025 season, both the first-ranked Sabalenka and third-ranked Gauff achieved titles. Sabalenka emerged victorious at the Brisbane International, while Gauff and fellow American Taylor Fritz led their team to triumph at the United Cup.
At the start of the 2025 season, top-ranked player Sabalenka and third-ranked player Gauff both claimed titles. Sabalenka emerged victorious at the Brisbane International, while Gauff, along with Taylor Fritz, led the United States to a win at the United Cup.
In their latest encounter at the 2024 WTA Finals, Gauff emerged victorious against Sabalenka. She continued her winning streak by defeating Iga Swiatek and Zheng Qinwen, ultimately claiming the tournament title after a tense three-set final.
The American, aged 20, kicked off her 2025 season with a triumph over Swiatek at the United Cup, helping lead the United States to success with fellow countryman Taylor Fritz. Gauff is grouped with former players Leylah Fernandez, Karolina Muchova, Jelena Ostapenko, and Paula Badosa.
In her first match of the year, Sabalenka achieved equal success by claiming the Brisbane International title after defeating finals newcomer Polina Kudermetova in three sets. She is expected to face Linda Noskova, the 29th seed, in the third round and Mirra Andreeva, the 14th seed, in the fourth round, whom she had a thrilling Roland Garros quarterfinal match with last year.
The lower half of the draw is led by Iga Swiatek, the No. 2 seed, while Jasmine Paolini, the No. 4 seed, is expected to be her opponent in the semi-finals. Swiatek, a former world No. 1, may have lost her top ranking at the end of the previous season, but she has shown great strength in her second tournament since hiring renowned coach Wim Fissette. Despite her defeat to Gauff, Swiatek remained undefeated at the United Cup and defeated notable players such as Karolina Muchova, Katie Boulter, and Elena Rybakina. She will begin her campaign against Katerina Siniakova.
In another part of the bracket, Zheng Qinwen, the fifth seed and finalist in 2024, has been placed in the same quarter as Sabalenka. Her first match will be against either a qualifier or a lucky loser. Elena Rybakina, the sixth seed, who is currently embroiled in a coaching controversy, will face off against Aussie Emerson Jones in her opening match. Paolini is expected to be her opponent in the quarterfinals.
Naomi Osaka, a two-time winner, will participate in her fifth major competition after coming back from her maternity break. She will once again encounter Caroline Garcia in the opening round, with Garcia emerging victorious in their previous match in Down Under. If Osaka manages to secure a win, her path won’t get any simpler as she will potentially face challenging opponents such as Muchova and Ostapenko in a highly competitive section.
To view the finalized draw, please click here.
In order to avoid plagiarism, the following text has been rephrased while maintaining the same context and meaning. The paraphrased version is written in English.
