Australian Open 2025 Preview
10 min
The Australian Open 2025 is right around the corner. Fans and players will head to Melbourne Park between January 12 and 26 to play a part in the highly regarded first GS of 2025.
There are plenty of storylines to look forward to across the men’s and women’s draws after a high-quality 2024 season. Up-and-coming male star Jannik Sinner won his first major in Melbourne last year and will aim to defend his title. Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka will also target a third consecutive title at the tournament in what could be an intensely competitive women’s draw.
Expect classic matches and on-court action as this tournament kickstarts the 2025 GS season in style. Get the latest predictions, head-to-head updates and information on any tournament changes in this Australian Open 2025 preview.
Top Players to Watch
Elite tennis players will take the courts at Melbourne Park in January in the hope of maintaining momentum from the 2024 campaign. Based on last season’s performances and end-of-year rankings, these are some of the top players from Australian Open 2025 to keep an eye on.
Men’s Draw
Men’s elite tennis is seeing an intriguing battle unfold. The experienced players are frequently jostling with the young up-and-comers in the rankings and at Grand Slam competitions. Ultimately, we expect this trend to continue in our Australian Open 2025 preview.
Novak Djokovic
When it comes to top players in the Australian Open predictions 2025, Djokovic naturally takes centre stage. The Serbian holds the record for most Grand Slam wins of any men’s player (24) and has won 10 at the Australian Open.
There have been some doubts over Djokovic’s fitness recently, and he skipped the ATP Tour Finals in November. However, the 37-year-old is seemingly preparing for another potential run at Melbourne Park.
It could be the veteran’s last appearance on the hard courts in Australia and Djokovic is backed as the favourite to cap a potential farewell with more silverware. Currently, Betsson has a Djokovic Australian Open 2025 win at 3.70.
Jannik Sinner
But Djokovic faces new challenges from the next generation of men’s tennis superstars. Sinner in particular had a sensational 2024 campaign. Not only did the 23 year old win his maiden Grand Slam at the Australian Open, but he also won the US Open and made the semi-finals in France.
The Italian ended the 2024 campaign with a blistering win rate of over 90%. Such form gives Sinner another solid chance of success in Melbourne, and he has 3.00 odds of lifting back-to-back Australian Opens, provided by Betsson.
Carlos Alcaraz
Another young worthy challenger is likely to be Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz. It is hard to believe the hard-hitting player is only 21 years old as he has already achieved more than most players do in an entire career.
In 2024 alone, Alcaraz secured two Grand Slam titles in France and Wimbledon. In addition, he added an Olympic silver medal to his trophy haul, losing to Djokovic in the final.
Despite the young Spanish player’s immense quality, he has struggled for form at the Australian Open. In three appearances, Alcaraz has never made it past the quarter-final stage. But this lack of form at Melbourne Park hasn’t deterred the bookmarks from backing the 21 year old to go all the way. Betsson has 3.25 odds for Alcaraz to lift the first major of 2025 in January.
Women’s Draw
The women’s draw at the Australian Open could provide one of the tennis highlights 2025. Overall, the 2024 season produced sensational top-level action in the women’s game as the battle for world number one has intensified.
Aryna Sabalenka
Sabalenka has been one of the players to watch from 2024. The Belarusian had shown glimpses of class previously, with her first Grand Slam title at the 2023 Australian Open and several semi-final runs at the other majors.
However, it appears that the 26-year-old suddenly found her stride in 2024. Another Australian Open win and a first US Open title helped Sabalenka de-throne long-term number one, Iga Swiatek at the top of the rankings.
The Belarusian world number one should head to Melbourne Park full of confidence. In her final 24 matches of 2024, Sabalenka secured 22 wins, including victories against tough opponents like Qinwen Zheng, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Jasmine Paolini. As a result, the 26-year-old is backed as the favourite to seal a third Australian Open title in a row. The latest Betsson odds have a Sabalenka win at 3.20.
Iga Swiatek
After losing her long-held number-one spot, Swiatek will be eager to reclaim the spotlight in 2025. The Polish player had an inconsistent 2024 season by her incredibly high standards. Other than a fourth career title at the Roland Garros, Swiatek struggled in the majors. Her next best performance came at the US Open, where she reached the quarter-final.
Despite her dip in form at the big tournaments, Swiatek remains a dangerous competitor. She ended 2024 with an 87% win rate in all competitions and added six career titles to her trophy cabinet.
To be in contention at Melbourne Park, Swiatek must improve on her previous best semi-final run, which came in 2022. But as a fierce competitor and with a serious eye for detail, the 23-year-old may come back strong at the Australian Open. Betsson has the Polish star as the second favourite to win at 4.5 odds.
Coco Gauff
Ranked third in the WTA standings, Coco Gauff heads to the 2025 Australian Open as another potential contender. The 20-year-old showcased her world-class standard late in 2023 with wins at the Washington Open, and Cincinnati Open and culminated with her maiden Grand Slam at the US Open.
Gauff carried this form into early 2024 with a victory in Auckland but fell in the semi-finals at Melbourne Park. A tough season followed when the US player made just one more final and won at the Beijing Open.
Although Gauff’s form has tailed off in 2024, she still can mix it with the best, evidenced by her holding third spot in the WTA rankings. At 5.5, Betsson considered Gauff among the potential favourites for Australian Open success in January.
Key Head-to-Heads
There have been some thrilling matches on the ATP and WTA Tours this season. Sinner’s epic final at the 2024 Australian Open against Daniil Medvedev started the season in style. The Italian eventually triumphed after the five-set marathon, which nearly lasted four hours.
We are anticipating more fireworks at Melbourne Park in January. Our Australian Open 2025 preview looks at some of the tantalising key matchups expected at Melbourne Park next year.
Men’s Singles
In the men’s draw, Djokovic v Alcaraz is a contest that has captured the hearts of spectators recently. The competitors are no strangers in big matches and have met in four finals since 2023. But they are well-matched, with both players winning twice. Djokovic has the most recent edge though, beating Alcaraz at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Another young vs experienced encounter could see Sinner take on Djokovic at the Australian Open 2025. The Serbian 24-time Grand Slam winner has struggled to get the better of Sinner in recent clashes. Sinner has won the last three head to heads, including a semi-final win at the 2024 Australian Open.
However, the reigning men’s champion of Melbourne Park may want to avoid Alcaraz. Sinner has lost six of his 10 career meetings against his Spanish opponent. In addition, Alcaraz has emerged victorious in all three clashes during the 2024 season, including most recently at the Beijing Open.
Women’s Singles
Ultimately, a Sabalenka v Swiatek showdown would be highly anticipated as these two tennis giants battle for the WTA world number one spot. With the two players likely to occupy opposite sides of the draw, a stellar Australian Open final for 2025 could be on the horizon.
For Sabalenka, a potential Swiatek final may cause some fear. The Belarusian has a poor career record against her Polish opponent, losing four of the 12 clashes and has struggled to contend with Swiatek’s expert game management.
But Sabalenka will take confidence from beating Swiatek in the most recent meeting at the Cincinnati Masters. The 26-year-old overpowered the world number two and won the semi-final match in straight sets to end a three-game losing streak against Swiatek.
A possible semi-final encounter may see Sabalenka face world number three Coco Gauff. This could be a close head-to-head, with both competitors winning four times in eight meetings. Moreover, Gauff has a Grand Slam edge over the Belarusian as she defeated Sabalenka over three sets in the 2023 US Open final.
A player that Gauff will be desperate to avoid though is Swiatek. The US star has rarely overcome a dominant Swiatek, and the Polish former world number one holds a commanding 11-1 advantage over Gauff.
Currently, Swiatek is on a four-match winning streak against Gauff – a run which started in Autumn 2023. Moreover, the 23-year-old has not dropped a set against Gauff during this spell, signalling a potential walkover if the two meet at Melbourne Park in January.
New Rules
Some fresh rules could impact the Australian Open predictions 2025 with a few tweaks expected this January. Check out some of the new introductions that could impact the outcomes at Melbourne Park.
- Off-Court Coaching: From 2025, coaches can provide brief guidance verbally or via hand signals outside active play. These are allowed during changeovers and set breaks. Each tournament’s governing body can choose to implement the rule, which aims to align coaching standards, reduce umpire oversight burdens, and potentially make the game more engaging for fans.
- Match Scheduling: Each court is limited to five matches per day, starting at 11 a.m., with three matches in the day session and two in the evening. Night sessions begin by 7:30 p.m., with no matches starting after 10:30 p.m. or continuing past 11 p.m. unless approved by ATP/WTA officials.
These rules add to the constant tweaking of well-watched tennis events to support player performance and viewer participation. Similar recent rule changes include the stop clock between serves to speed up the pace of play.
Venue
Fans and players may notice some differences during the Australian Open 2025 schedule.
Firstly, Melbourne Park has undergone some significant venue updates for 2025. Fans will notice the improved seating and facilities around Rod Laver Arena, aiming for a more immersive experience. These include upgrades for enhanced digital scoreboards.
Moreover, additional shaded areas have been added to make the environment comfortable for both players and fans. This is to contend with the fierce Melbourne heat associated with the Australian Open.
For fans wanting to experience a more red carpet view of the tennis, suites around the Rod Laver Court have been upgraded. These suites offer an unrivalled 360 view of the esteemed court and players can watch the action from luxury comfort.
Weather Predictions
Melbourne’s infamous weather will be unpredictable as always. This Australian Open 2025 preview predicts an especially hot first week, with temperatures expected to soar above 30 degrees Celsius.
Heat management could be a huge factor, as players may face potential delays or have to play under the closed roof, which can impact gameplay. The weather often changes quickly, so players who handle heat well might have the upper hand.
Ultimately, players who head out to Australia to compete in the early season tournaments set themselves up for success at the Australian Open. Acclimatising to the generally hot conditions is part of player training for Melbourne Park.
If players do well at the Auckland Open or the Adelaide International, they are well-placed to keep the form rolling at the Australian Open.
Last Updated: 06.12.2024
