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Australian Open 2025 awards

  • Vivienne Christie & Matt Trollope

After a fortnight of drama, emotion, theatrics and astonishing milestones, here’s our best from AO 2025.

Best performance: Madison Keys

Exactly 10 years after a 19-year-old Madison Keys announced herself with a first Grand Slam semifinal in Melbourne, the American was at last crowned a major champion at AO 2025.

The journey in between had been anything but smooth. While there was one Grand Slam final, at the 2017 US Open, Keys had also endured heartbreaking losses and lapses in form and full health.

In her 46th Grand Slam, the American finally found the formula. Five of her seven matches in Melbourne went the full three-set distance, with a match point saved against Iga Swiatek in the semis and a career-defining victory over Aryna Sabalenka in a superb-quality final.

“I'm just really proud of myself,” said Keys, also a winner over Elena Rybakina in the fourth round. “I didn't always believe that I could get back to this point. But to be able to do it and win, it means the world to me.”

Most impressive newcomer: Joao Fonseca

Fonseca created a ripple when he won the season-ending Next Gen ATP Finals in late December, emulating Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as 18-year-old champions at the event. 

His momentum grew when he won the ATP Challenger title in Canberra without dropping a set. He then tore through the AO 2025 qualifying rounds to arrive in his first Grand Slam main draw – and by the time his name landed next to Andrey Rublev’s, fan excitement was reaching fever pitch.

The Brazilian teenager delivered on the hype, belting the ninth seed off Margaret Court Arena in straight sets in a resounding major debut, attaining jaw-dropping forehand speeds of 181km/h.

The atmosphere his campaign created around Melbourne Park was unforgettable, with Brazilian fans packing into the stands to watch as he pushed eventual quarterfinalist Lorenzo Sonego to the limit in the second round.

Despite a five set loss – ending his streaks of 14 match wins and 20 consecutive sets won – he signalled himself as a future star.

Best shot: Botic van de Zandschulp

The crowd piled into Rod Laver Arena to cheer on Aussie No.1 Alex de Minaur in the first round.

But suddenly, they were roaring for Botic van de Zandschulp, who played an unreal tweener winner that enraptured commentators, drew a racquet clap and a smile from De Minaur, and led to an extended ovation from the fans.

But there was also this effort from Lorenzo Sonego, who pulled off an insane winner on Court 6 on the same day of the tournament.

Which was better? We’ll let you be the judge.

Best interview: Alexander Zverev on court after semifinal

Alexander Zverev’s semifinal against Novak Djokvoic certainly did not end in the way the German, or anyone watching, wanted.

After missing a volley into the net to hand Zverev a tightly-contested first set, the 10-time AO champion decided he could not continue, putting Zverev through to his first AO final.

As Djokovic departed Rod Laver Arena, there were some boos, which Zverev promptly addressed in a classy on-court interview.

“Please guys, don’t boo a player when he goes out with injury,” said the world No.2, to sustained applause.

“I know that everybody paid for tickets and everybody wants to see hopefully a great five-set match and everything. But you’ve got to understand – Novak Djokovic is somebody that has given this sport for the past 20 years absolutely everything of his life. 

“He has won this tournament with an abdominal tear. He has won this tournament with a hamstring tear. If he cannot continue a tennis match, it really means that he cannot continue a tennis match. 

“So please be respectful, and really show some love for Novak as well.”

Best comeback: Madison Keys d Iga Swiatek (semifinals)

In her previous two Australian Open semifinals, Madison Keys had lost in straight sets. In her previous two matches against Iga Swiatek, Keys won just four games in each.

Swiatek had ruthlessly flattened opponents at AO 2025, dropping 14 games in her first five rounds. And when she bounded out to a 5-2 lead against Keys before pocketing the first set, she looked unstoppable. 

But Keys found something, and flipped the script. She completely outplayed the increasingly-edgy world No.2 to level the match, and hung with her in a thrilling third set, until Swiatek broke for a 6-5 lead. 

The five-time major champion, a brilliant frontrunner, reached match point, but couldn’t convert. She led for almost the entirety of the subsequent match tiebreak, moving ahead 8-7 with a fabulous reflexed volley winner.

Keys responded with two big first serves to earn her own match point, and screamed in delight as Swiatek sent a final forehand long.

REPORT: Comeback Keys stuns Swiatek to make maiden AO decider

“When I had an opportunity to win, I always kind of win,” said a shell-shocked Swiatek.

Two nights later, Keys went on to win her first major title at age 29.

“I think winning against Iga was really kind of a big hurdle where I felt like— I always believed that I could do it,” Keys explained, “but to do it that way, I think really I thought to myself after the match that I can absolutely win on Saturday.”

Lifetime achievement award: Gael Monfils

At age 38, Gael Monfils, who was crowned the AO boys’ champion in 2004, has been making headlines from Melbourne Park for more than half his life.

The Frenchman not only made a 15th main-draw appearance at AO 2025 but arrived on the back of a title in Auckland. With a third-round upset of world No.4 Taylor Fritz, Monfils built an eight-match winning streak.

‘A GREAT DAY FOR US’: Svitolina, Monfils spring Saturday upsets

“I keep playing for those matches. Play big player, big stadium, good crowd, good energy,” he related. 

“When you're 38 years old, is what I want. I had it. I was very fortunate to win it. It's exactly why I'm playing.”

Best friendship: Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa

The stakes couldn’t have been higher as Aryna Sabalenka faced her close friend Paula Badosa in the women’s final four.

For Sabalenka, victory would ensure passage to a third consecutive AO final. Badosa, contesting a first Grand Slam semifinal, was continuing her heartwarming comeback from the back injury that saw her drop outside the world’s top 100 and nearly quit the sport.

For almost 90 minutes of quality tennis, one of the game’s most prominent friendships was placed firmly aside. But when Sabalenka emerged with a 6-4 6-2 victory, there was the bestie promise to “go shopping and pay for whatever you want.”

The two-time defending champion also provided some consolation as a dejected Badosa absorbed the end of her AO campaign.

“We were just joking around,” the Spaniard reflected. “I’m really happy that, look, if. I lose against somebody, of course I want to lose against [the] world No.1 and against Aryna, and I wish her the best.”

Best advice: Daniil Medvedev

If it was a short stay for three-time AO finalist Daniil Medvedev, a second-round loser to Learner Tien, it was by no means a quiet one.

After he was pushed to five sets by world No.418 Kasidit Samrej in the first round, the No.5 seed had some sage words for the Thai wildcard.

REPORT: Medvedev takes the long road to round two

“If he plays like this, life can be good. Money, girls, casino – whatever,” said Medvedev when asked what Samrej could expect if he maintained the form he displayed in his major debut. “If he doesn’t, he’s not going to have it.” 

We suspect that Samrej, the first Thai player to compete at a Grand Slam since Danai Udumchoke at the AO 13 years earlier, is already preparing for his Melbourne Park return.

Best fashion statement: Coco Gauff

Prior to the tournament, Coco Gauff told the WTA’s social media channels what to expect from her AO 2025 outfit.

“The back is backless, because I wanted to show a little skin, you know?” she explained. “And then the cut-outs… I’m a huge Marvel fan, so I like superheroes, and all the female superheroes have cool cut-outs, so I wanted it to have cool cut-outs.”

It was an outfit befitting a player who’d recently been announced as the world’s highest-paid female athlete, who’d led Team USA to a United Cup victory after her season-ending triumph at the WTA Finals, and who extended her winning streak to 11 matches in Melbourne.

Despite a quarterfinal loss to Badosa, Gauff left feeling positive about clear improvements to her game which helped her to an eighth Slam quarterfinal at age 20.

And she added, on the fashion front: “I have to flex, but I am the only current active player with a signature shoe on tour, so I'm really happy and proud of that."

Most spirited award: John Jones

Joyful scenes of Hot Shots Tennis participant Jones skipping off court after tossing the coin for Carlos Alcaraz’s third-round match against Nuno Borges, quickly went viral – and no-one was more enraptured than the Spaniard.

Alcaraz invited the seven-year-old to join him for a behind-the-scenes tour and the joy spread even further when John was appointed the Australian Open’s “Chief Happiness Officer.”