After a blink-and-you’ll-miss it offseason — there were exactly five days between the conclusion of the NextGen ATP Finals and the start of the United Cup — the 2025 tennis season is officially underway.
And ready or not, it’s already time for the year’s first major at the Australian Open, which starts Sunday in Melbourne (Saturday at 7 p.m. ET).
Haven’t followed tennis since the US Open or just need a refresher on the most compelling storylines? We’ve got you covered. Here’s everything — minus the caffeine and a way to keep the days straight for those watching stateside — you need ahead of the main draw at the “Happy Slam.”
The defending champs
For a few years it was unclear who would replace tennis’ longtime elite players — Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Serena Williams — as they inevitably neared the ends of their careers. It seemed impossible to think anyone would be able to consistently win titles as they had done. And while Djokovic is still playing (more on him shortly) and all those on tour still have a long way to go before they occupy the same air as the legends mentioned, there are a few that have stepped up to the task. Chief among them are the defending champions: Aryna Sabalenka, who also won in Melbourne in 2023, and Jannik Sinner.
The two are the reigning world No. 1 players, and both were also victorious at the US Open. Each had monster 2024 seasons — Sabalenka won four titles and Sinner clinched eight — and are the oddsmakers’ favorites to hoist the singles trophies later this month.
Sabalenka has already been impressive in 2025. After cruising to the Brisbane final last week, she fought back after dropping the first set against Polina Kudermetova to take the crown — the 18th of her career and fourth on Australian soil — with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory. She will now look to become the first woman to win three straight at the Australian Open since Martina Hingis did so in 1997, 1998 and 1999.
“Mentally, physically I’ll be ready to go at the Australian Open,” Sabalenka said after the Brisbane final. “Really happy with the way the week went. Having this trophy going to the major, it’s really important.”
Sinner has yet to play in 2025 but ended 2024 with the title at the ATP Finals, and as the hero of the championship-winning Italian team at the Davis Cup. He will likely face questions and additional attention regarding his failed drug tests and the appeal from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) about his lack of suspension. But similar scrutiny did little to disrupt his trophy quest in New York last year, and he’s proven he can block out the outside noise while on the court.
Djokovic’s drive for 25 continues
After winning just about everything in 2023, Djokovic looked well on his way to breaking Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles last year. He arrived in Melbourne last January with high expectations and a belief he could do just that in Court’s native Australia.
And, as the record holder for most singles titles (10) at the major in the Open era, it certainly seemed more than possible.
However, his dreams were dashed following a semifinal loss to Sinner, and the rest of the season didn’t go to plan either. Djokovic did not win a Grand Slam title — and he didn’t win an ATP Tour-level title of any kind for the first time since 2005. While he did earn the one remaining achievement not on his résumé by winning Olympic gold in Paris, it was undoubtedly a strange season for him. He even admitted it was becoming an increasing challenge to remain motivated on court, especially following the retirement of his “greatest rival” Nadal, in addition to Federer and Andy Murray previously.
“It’s a bit overwhelming for me,” Djokovic said in October after Nadal’s announcement. “I don’t know what to make out of it. I still enjoy competing but part of me left with them, a big part of me.”
Djokovic, 37, opened his 2025 season in Brisbane but was handed a shocking defeat in the quarterfinals by American Reilly Opelka, who recently made his return following a lengthy injury absence.
But neither his opening result nor his lackluster (only by his high standards, that is) 2024 season have derailed any excitement about his 2025 Australian Open campaign.
The No. 7-ranked Djokovic is not only back in Melbourne, but he’s brought along his new coach for the trip. Yes, that would of course be Murray, the three-time major champion who retired following the Paris Olympics. The longtime rivals and friends announced they would be working together in November and Murray will officially be Djokovic’s coach at the Australian Open. Much to the delight of fans on the grounds, and all over the globe, the pair were spotted practicing on site Tuesday.
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Djokovic and new coach Murray link up for first training session
Former rivals Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray practice for the first time ahead of the Australian Open.
According to ESPN BET, Djokovic has the third-best odds, behind Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, at +350, of winning the title. But how he will fare in Melbourne — a place he admits still causes him “trauma” after his controversial deportation in 2021 — and beyond might just be the biggest mystery for the 2025 season.
The other top contenders
In addition to the reigning champions, and the winningest player at the event in the Open era, there are a few others who have a legitimate chance of winning the titles.
Coco Gauff: After a disappointing summer, culminating in a fourth-round loss during her defense mission at the US Open in September, Gauff retooled her team and her game — and has been a force to be reckoned with since. After a short break following the loss in New York, Gauff ended 2024 with the titles at the 1000-level China Open and at the year-end WTA Finals. Earlier this week she was named the MVP of the United Cup thanks to her 5-0 performance in singles play as she led the United States team to the title. The No. 3 seed at the Australian Open, the 20-year-old Gauff will look to improve upon her 2024 semifinal run and win her second major singles title.
Carlos Alcaraz: The 21-year-old Spaniard won the French Open and Wimbledon, and an Olympic silver medal, in 2024 and will look to complete the career Grand Slam in 2025 with the title at the Australian Open. He was not as successful in the latter part of the 2024 season — he was upset in the second round of the US Open and failed to get out of group play at the ATP Finals — but he did win the title at the China Open. He hasn’t yet played in 2025 and should be well rested for the tournament. He had his best run Down Under last year with a quarterfinal appearance but he certainly will be aiming for more this time around.
Iga Swiatek: The five-time major champion and current world No. 2 opened her season by leading Poland to the United Cup final before she was stopped by Gauff in straight sets. The 23-year-old reached the semifinals in Melbourne in 2022 but has since uncharacteristically struggled at the event — losing in the fourth round in 2023 and the third round last season. Still, she remains one of the sport’s biggest threats on the hard court. Swiatek tested positive for a banned substance in 2024 and accepted a one-month suspension, and, like Sinner, will likely face scrutiny in her first major since it was announced. Will the added attention fuel her or distract her? The oddsmakers seem to think the former. She’s tied with Gauff for the second-best odds for the women, per ESPN Bet.
Daniil Medvedev: A three-time Australian Open finalist, including last year, and the 2021 US Open champion, Medvedev enters the tournament slightly under the radar after a relatively subpar 2024 season. He missed the lead-in events due to the birth of his second child — a personal update he just revealed on Tuesday — and is somewhat of a wild card entering the tournament. But Medvedev has repeatedly proven to be one of the best on the surface and could certainly make yet another run to the final.
Other title threats include Jasmine Paolini, the world No. 4 who stunned the tennis world with her finals appearances at the French Open and Wimbledon last season, 2024 Australian Open finalist and Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen and two-time Australian Open semifinalist and world No. 2 Alexander Zverev.
Osaka’s roller-coaster comeback journey
Naomi Osaka made her return to tennis following maternity leave at the start of the 2024 season with a fresh perspective. But returning to competitive tennis hasn’t been easy. The four-time major champion was unable to advance past the second round at a Slam and reached just two quarterfinals during the rest of the season.
Osaka parted ways with her coach Wim Fissette in September and started working with Patrick Mouratoglou — Serena Williams’ former coach — later that month. After training together in Los Angeles during the offseason, Osaka opened 2025 in Auckland by reaching her first final in almost three years.
All smiles for the final 😄@naomiosaka powers her way into her first final since 2022 as she defeats Parks 6-4, 6-2!#ASBClassic25 pic.twitter.com/u2eGo7igGU
— wta (@WTA) January 4, 2025
After claiming the first set and looking well on her way to the title, she tearfully retired from the match with an abdominal injury. Despite the inopportune timing, Osaka said she would be undergoing an MRI and still believed she would be able to play at the Australian Open.
“I don’t feel that it’s too serious, and I still feel very optimistic about AO,” the 27-year-old said Monday.
Osaka is a two-time victor in Melbourne, most recently in 2021, and showed flashes of her signature dominance during her run in Auckland. She is now back inside the top 50 for the first time since her return. But will she be able to play next week or will her major ambition be thwarted until the spring? It’s unclear, but it seems safe to say that her form is returning to her previous level, and if she can be at or near full health, few opponents would want to see her in their section of the draw.
Kyrgios is back — maybe
While he wasn’t exactly far from tennis thanks to his podcast, television commentating appearances on ESPN and the BBC, and continued headline-generating activities, Nick Kyrgios played in just one match during the 2023 and 2024 seasons as he underwent multiple surgeries on his wrist and knee.
But now, the polarizing Australian is finally back in time for his home Slam and will be playing in both singles and doubles alongside fellow Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis. The pair won the title together in 2022.
Kyrgios, a 2022 Wimbledon finalist, made his official return earlier this month in Brisbane. He lost in a hard-fought first-round clash against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, 7-6 (2), 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3) and reached the second round in doubles with Djokovic. The 29-year-old was candid in how he was feeling following his first match back.
“I think I almost need a miracle and I need the stars to align for my wrist to hold up in a Grand Slam for sure,” he said.
Since then, Kyrgios shared he would be undergoing scans to ensure his wrist was “structurally all OK” in an Instagram story post, and said on Wednesday that he was also dealing with an abdominal strain. But assuming he does play, Kyrgios will undoubtedly be one of the biggest fan draws because of his showmanship and electrifying points like the one below.
He’s back 🥳@NickKyrgios up to his old tricks in his first match back#BrisbaneInternational pic.twitter.com/XXnynsivJB
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) December 30, 2024
What about the Americans?
It’s been five years since an American won an Australian Open singles title, and 22 years since an American man took home the honors.
So, yes, it’s been awhile, especially for the men. In fact, as you likely know all too well, the U.S. men haven’t won a Slam singles title anywhere since Andy Roddick did so at the US Open in 2003.
But both the women and the men bring an impressive roster this year and could make things interesting.
In addition to Gauff, there are four other countrywomen in the top 20 heading into the main draw. No. 7 Jessica Pegula is coming off her best major result ever with a final appearance at the US Open. No. 8 Emma Navarro had a breakthrough season with a semifinal run at the US Open and a quarterfinal bid at Wimbledon. No. 11 Danielle Collins won her biggest title to date at the 1000-level Miami Open in March, as well as the title in Charleston the following week, and then almost retired before coming back for what could be (or might not be!) her final season. And No. 20 Madison Keys has been a stalwart of second weeks at majors during her career and has twice reached the semifinals in Melbourne.
Not to mention, there’s Amanda Anisimova, ranked No. 36, who made a fourth-round run at the tournament in 2024, following a mental health break from the sport. She’s since reached the final at the Canadian Open.
And while she’s never repeated her monumental 2020 season — she also played in the French Open final during that pandemic-impacted year — Sofia Kenin, the last American to be victorious at the Australian Open and now ranked No. 81, could always surprise. She reached the final at the 500-level Pan Pacific Open in October.
And, believe it or not, the men are equally poised for success thanks to a remarkable depth of talent.
That list starts with Taylor Fritz, the world No. 4 who reached the US Open final in September. Since then — the best Slam result of his career — the 27-year-old made the final at the ATP Finals and helped lead the Americans to a United Cup win. During the event, Fritz went 4-1 in singles play, including a championship-clinching victory over Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz.
Fritz reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open last season and now knows he’s capable of even more.
Then there’s Fritz’s childhood friend and Olympic bronze medal-winning teammate Tommy Paul, currently ranked No. 12. Paul reached the semifinals in Melbourne two years ago and has only gotten better. He won three titles in 2024.
Fan favorite Frances Tiafoe is ranked No. 17 and had his first major breakthrough at the Australian Open in 2019 when he reached the quarterfinals. He’s since reached the semis at the US Open twice, including in 2024, and is more than capable of an upset against some of the biggest names. (Just ask Nadal!)
No. 21 Ben Shelton was a quarterfinalist in 2023 — in just his second major appearance and first tournament outside of the United States. He’s a two-time champion on the ATP Tour and has long been seen as the country’s best hope to snap the Slam drought. Could this be the year?
No. 22 Sebastian Korda, a 2023 quarterfinalist, and No. 37 Brandon Nakashima, who beat top-20 players Holger Rune and Lorenzo Musetti at the 2024 US Open en route to the fourth round, are also young players to keep an eye on.
Rybakina’s coaching saga
After splitting from her coach Stefano Vukov during the US Open, many in the tennis world were thrilled when 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina hired Goran Ivanisevic — Djokovic’s former coach and 2001 Wimbledon champion — during the offseason. After several years of working with Vukov, during which he drew criticism for his intense outbursts toward Rybakina and during which she had a number of unexpected withdrawals from events, Ivanisevic seemed to offer a fresh start for Rybakina.
The pair spent two weeks training in Dubai ahead of the season and Rybakina, the current world No. 6, helped lead Kazakhstan to the semifinals of the United Cup in their first tournament together. But on New Year’s Day, Rybakina surprised the tennis world, and reportedly Ivanisevic, as she announced Vukov would be rejoining her team. In a post on X responding to the news, former player-turned-coach and ESPN analyst Pam Shriver called it a “very sad situation” and said the sport needed to “finally stand up to known abuse and cult like manipulations of players.”
In an article from The Athletic the following day, it was revealed that Vukov had been provisionally suspended by the WTA for a breach of the Tour’s code of conduct and he would not be able to obtain a credential for the Australian Open or other tournaments. Since then, Rybakina has defended Vukov and insisted he “never mistreated” her.
Earlier this week, Ivanisevic told Bounces it was a “very strange situation” and “not good for anybody.” He went on to say he remained part of Rybakina’s team for the time being.
“I mean, let’s put it this way: I’m here,” Ivanisevic said. “I just want to wait for WTA; I think it’s fair. And then, we’ll see what’s going to be next. Still, I don’t want to go too much into the future.”
What all this means for Rybakina, 25, is uncertain, but it will remain a talking point throughout the tournament as this continues to play out in the coming days and weeks.
Coaching carousel
While far more contentious than typical, Rybakina’s coaching change was nothing unusual in professional tennis. Several top players — in addition to Djokovic and Osaka — found new coaches to work with during the offseason.
After being dismissed by Osaka, Fissette began working with Swiatek. She had previously announced she was no longer working with Tomasz Wiktorowski after three years together. Swiatek’s Poland teammate Hurkacz also made moves as he dropped Craig Boynton after winning eight titles together and hired eight-time major champion Ivan Lendl and Nicolas Massu.
Gauff split with Brad Gilbert, who had been part of her team during her 2023 US Open run, in September and brought in Matt Daly to help make adjustments to her grip and serve. So far, as evidenced above, it’s been a pretty successful partnership.
And, because, well, tennis, other changes are more than likely following (or maybe even during) the Australian Open. Stay tuned.
Who’s out
While both draws are star-studded and filled with big names, there are some notable absences.
Reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova announced her withdrawal Sunday due to a lingering back injury sustained near the end of the 2024 season. “It’s really disappointing because I love playing in Melbourne and have such great memories from reaching the quarterfinals last year,” she wrote in a social media post.
Former world No. 1s Caroline Wozniacki, who won the tournament in 2018, and Karolina Pliskova, a former semifinalist, have also withdrawn. Simona Halep, another former No. 1 and two-time major champion, had been granted a wild card into qualifying following her return to tennis after serving a suspension for doping. But she announced her withdrawal last month due to knee and shoulder pain.
“After discussing with my team at length, we agreed it is sensible to delay the start of my season,” Halep wrote in an Instagram story.
The men’s draw has remained largely intact.
But of course, 2025 also marks the first season following the retirements of former Grand Slam champions Nadal, Murray, Angelique Kerber, Dominic Thiem and Garbine Muguruza, and it’s hard to think they won’t be missed by fans.
Future champions?
While the two eventual singles champions have likely already been mentioned, here are a few up-and-coming players that could make a splash in Melbourne and beyond this season:
Mirra Andreeva: The 17-year-old Russian has been on a consistent rise since bursting onto the scene during the 2023 season with a fourth-round run at Madrid. Since her star turn, Andreeva has reached the semifinals at the 2024 French Open, won her first WTA singles title and even captured the Olympic silver medal in doubles with fellow rising star Diana Shnaider. She opened the season with a semifinal appearance in Brisbane and the doubles title with Shnaider. Andreeva broke into the top 15 in the rankings this week for the first time and is the youngest player in the top 150.
Arthur Fils: The 20-year-old Frenchman reached the fourth round at Wimbledon last season and won two ATP 500-level titles. He’s now ranked a career-high No. 20 and will look to improve upon his impressive 2024 into the new year. This marks just his second Australian Open appearance and he reached the second round during his debut.
Linda Noskova: Ranked No. 30, the 20-year-old recorded her best Slam result during last year’s Australian Open by reaching the quarterfinals — and made an immediate name for herself by upsetting then No. 1 Swiatek in the third round. After narrowly missing out on a medal at the Olympics, Noskova used her disappointment to fuel her first WTA singles title at Monterrey in August and a semifinal run in Cincinnati.
Joao Fonseca: The 2023 US Open junior champion is fresh off his victory at the Next Gen ATP Finals and is currently playing in Australian Open qualifying. If he wins his three matches, it would mark his first major main draw appearance. Currently ranked just outside the top 100 for the first time, the 18-year-old Brazilian has won two titles on the Challenger tour and is considered one of the sport’s brightest young stars. Two-time major finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas had high praise for the teenager last month.
“I personally believe it’s just the beginning of him rising up in the rankings and showing his actual true potential,” Tsitsipas said during a news conference at the United Cup. “I think we’re going to see big things from him in the next few years, as long as he stays the same way he is now. I see no reason he would underdeliver.”