The race to write the next chapter of tennis history has never been so intense.
Rivalries are unfolding right in front of us that could define the sport for the next decade—and at the centre of it all are the Australian Open defending champions.
AO 2025 winner Jannik Sinner and Spanish foe Carlos Alcaraz have dominated much of 2024, sharing the four Grand Slam titles between them. But the King of Melbourne Park, 10-time champion Novak Djokovic produced a stunning reminder at the Paris Olympics that he is far from done.
“These three superstars will be looking to put their stamp on 2025 with the first Slam title of the year, and it will be fascinating to see how they go about it,” AO Tournament Director Craig Tiley enthused.
“Not only that, but also how the likes of Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz and co - who all have had some great results here attempt to break their domination.
“Alcaraz has captured the hearts of tennis fans around the world – he’s not only an extraordinary player, but his infectious energy and fierce competitiveness have made him a fan favourite. He’s won Roland Garros and Wimbledon this year, and we can’t wait to see what he does here in Melbourne.
“Meanwhile, Novak is a legend here and he thrives in this environment. We know he’ll be hunting for his 11th title and doing everything in his power to lift the trophy again.”
Tiley was equally upbeat about the women’s draw.
“Aryna Sabalenka is gunning for an AO three-peat on the back of a 14-match winning streak and has 20-2 singles record at Melbourne Park in the last four years, not to mention a Grand Slam doubles title here in 2021. Fair to say she enjoys Rod Laver Arena,” he said.
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“Both defending champions, Sabalenka and Sinner, have had an incredible year, bookending the season with wins at the Australian Open and the US Open. To capture two Grand Slam titles in a season is no small feat, and they will both come into Melbourne even stronger for AO 2025.
“By contrast, Iga Swiatek’s best AO result was when she made semis in 2022 and she will be determined to go further. And as the reigning world number one for the last 123 weeks, she is very well-placed to do so.
“But then you also have Coco Gauff, winner of Beijing last week, and China’s Olympic gold medallist and AO 24 finalist Zheng Qinqwen in contention. There’s a real sense of excitement around Zheng, she’s had a brilliant season, has a real chance to be a major force in the women’s draw, and will come into Melbourne with a massive fan base among our Chinese community, as well as a lot of confidence.
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"The incredible array of talent in the mix includes Slam winners like Naomi Osaka, Elena Rybakina and Barbora Krejcikova, not to mention those who’ve reached finals and semis, like Ons Jabeur, Emma Navarro, Karolina Muchova, Jasmine Paolini and even an emerging star like teenager Mirra Andreeva.
“I’m looking forward to watching Paolini who’s reached the second week of all four majors, including back-toback finals at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Her energy and enthusiasm make her great fun to watch and she’ll no doubt have loud support from the Italian fans.
"There’s just so much quality and depth in the field."