Aryna Sabalenka’s exceptional 2024 season saw her win the Australian and US Opens among four trophies – taking her tally of Grand Slam titles to three – and clinch the year-end world No.1 ranking ahead of the brilliant Iga Swiatek.
And she has continued that momentum into 2025, winning her first title of the season at the Brisbane International.
Sabalenka now heads to Melbourne with history in her sights. She is aiming to become the first player since Martina Hingis, from 1997 to 1999, to win three consecutive AO titles.
Four other women have enjoyed similar periods of AO dominance. Margaret Court (1969-71), Evonne Goolagong (1974-76), Steffi Graf (1988-90) and Monica Seles (1991-93) have also completed Australian Open hat tricks.
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Novak Djokovic is the only male player to have reeled off three straight AO titles, having done so twice – first between 2011 and 2013, then 2019 to 2021).
Sabalenka will attempt to match these greats of the game, after collecting the 18th tour-level title of her career in Brisbane. She dropped just one set en route to victory, against Polina Kudermetova in the final, before prevailing 4-6 6-3 6-2.
"Mentally, physically I'll be ready to go at the Australian Open," Sabalenka said. "Having this trophy going to the major, it's really important. I definitely feel confident in my game. I'm just excited. I love playing there. I love to fight for my dream."
Australia has been good to Sabalenka, who has now won four titles in her past five tournaments on Australian soil. She holds a 27-1 winning record in the country since the start of the 2023 season, with that sole defeat coming to Elena Rybakina in last year’s Brisbane final.
With a win-loss record of 22-5, Sabalenka holds the best winning percentage (81.5 per cent) in AO singles matches of any active female player.
Two-time champion Naomi Osaka (24-6, at 80 per cent) is the next best at the event.
Sabalenka’s 94.7 per cent win rate at the 2024 majors is the best at such events since seven-time AO champion Williams won 96.2 per cent of her Grand Slam matches in 2015.
She also goes into AO 2025 playing at a truly elite level on hard courts.
The 26-year-old holds the best winning percentage (82 per cent, 50-11) of any currently active female player at the hard-court Grand Slams in Melbourne and New York. She is again ahead of Osaka (79.7 per cent, 47-12) on this metric.
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Since the start of 2020, Sabalenka has claimed 44 match wins at the hard-court majors, more than any other active female player. Swiatek ranks second, on 35.
Another sign of her towering presence? Despite missing Wimbledon, Sabalenka hit 514 winners across her three Grand Slam appearances last year – more than any other woman in 2024.
There is more on the line for Sabalenka over the coming weeks.
She could join Williams, Swiatek, Simona Halep and Ash Barty as players in the past decade to win a major as WTA No.1. And should she win her first-round match, she would be the first player to win 15 straight AO matches since Victoria Azarenka – who ultimately won 18 on the bounce – between 2012 and 2014.
So, who could stop her?
Coco Gauff – who helped Team USA win their second United Cup on Sunday – downed Sabalenka at the WTA Finals, while Swiatek has proved a fierce rival.
Sabalenka and Swiatek were level for the most wins over top-10 opponents last season, with 11 each. And indeed, the duo were the standout performers across the tour.
But Sabalenka has started 2025 at her best, and with history beckoning, she is certainly the player to beat.