The 2025 Australian Open is scheduled to start this weekend in Melbourne, taking place from January 12th to 26th.

Defending Champions

Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner are the defending Australian Open champions and the reigning world No. 1 players. Both had strong results in 2024, with Sabalenka winning four titles and Sinner winning eight.

Sabalenka has started 2025 strongly, winning the title in Brisbane last week against Poloma Kudermetova in three sets (her 18th career title and 4th in Australia). She has won the 2023 and 2024 Australian Open titles and will look to become the first woman to win three consecutive Grand Slam titles in Australia since Martina Hingis in the late 1990s.

Sinner has not yet played in 2025 but ended 2024 winning the ATP Finals and Davis Cup. He is still facing some controversy regarding his failed drug tests and lack of suspension, but he has managed to block out the outside noise while on the court, as the same issue did little to disrupt his title run at last year’s US Open.

Novak Djokovic’s Run for 25th Grand Slam Title

Novak Djokovic didn’t win any Grand Slam or ATP Tour-level titles in 2024, but he achieved the final milestone on his resume by winning an Olympic gold medal in Paris. Djokovic is currently tied with Margaret Court with 24 Grand Slam singles titles and will be aiming to break the record with a 25th Grand Slam title in Melbourne.

Other Top Contenders

• WTA
  • Iga Swiatek: Swiatek is a five-time Grand Slam champion and the current World No. 2. She started her 2025 season by leading Poland to the United Cup final before losing to Coco Gauff in straight sets. Her best performance at the Australian Open was in 2022, when she reached the semifinals, but she has struggled in recent years, losing in the fourth and third rounds in the last two seasons. Swiatek will be aiming to win her first Australian Open title and her second career hard court title in this tournament.
  • Coco Gauff: Gauff had a strong end to her 2024 season, winning titles at the China Open and WTA Finals. She started 2025 by leading the United States team to a United Cup title and earned MVP honors with a 5-0 performance in singles during the tournament. The 20-year-old is the No. 3 seed at the Australian Open and will be looking to improve on last year’s semifinal run and win her second singles Grand Slam title.
• ATP
  • Carlos Alcaraz: Alcaraz won the French Open and Wimbledon last year and also earned an Olympic silver medal in Paris. The 21-year-old Spaniard will complete the career Grand Slam if he wins the title at the Australian Open this year. He has not played in 2025 yet, but he should be well-rested for the tournament after a busy 2024 season.
  • Daniil Medvedev: Medvedev is a three-time Australian Open finalist (2021, 2022, 2024) and has proven that he is one of the best players on hard courts. He will be aiming to win his second career Grand Slam and break through in Melbourne after losing three finals in the last four Australian Opens.

American Contenders

Sofia Kenin was the last American woman to win the Australian Open, back in 2020, while Andre Agassi was the last American man to win the tournament 22 years ago, in 2003. This year brings promise, with title contenders on both the women’s and men’s sides.

There are five American women in the top 20 at the Australian Open: No. 3 Coco Gauff, No. 7 Jessica Pegula, No. 8 Emma Navarro, No. 11 Danielle Collins, and No. 20 Madison Keys. Pegula is coming off a finals appearance at the US Open. Navarro reached the semifinals at the US Open and the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. Collins won titles in Miami and Charleston last season and nearly retired before deciding to return for another season. Keys has consistently made the second week of Grand Slams throughout her career and has reached the semifinals twice in Melbourne.

Andy Roddick was the last American man to win a Grand Slam, capturing the 2003 US Open title. The American men are looking to end that drought, with Taylor Fritz leading the charge. Currently ranked No. 4, Fritz was the runner-up at last year’s US Open and has started 2025 with a United Cup title, going 4-1 in singles play. Other American contenders include No. 12 Tommy Paul, No. 17 Frances Tiafoe, No. 21 Ben Shelton, and No. 22 Sebastian Korda.