Tennis

Madison Keys defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in the Australian Open final, capturing her first Grand Slam title. Along the way, she overcame the world’s top two players, propelling her to 14th in the global rankings. In a surprising twist at the WTA Australian Open final, Aryna Sabalenka, the world’s top-ranked player and two-time defending champion, was dethroned by an inspired Madison Keys. The American shocked the tennis world with a determined performance, claiming victory in a thrilling three-set match. Keys Conquers the Best In a two-and-a-half-hour battle at Melbourne Park, Keys emerged triumphant with a 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 scoreline, crowning herself the champion of the Australian Open and earning her first Grand Slam title at the age of 29. This victory made Keys the oldest woman to win a major since Flavia Pennetta claimed the 2015 US Open at 33. Keys’ achievement was even more remarkable considering her path to the trophy. Before defeating Sabalenka in the final, she took down Iga Swiatek, the world’s No. 2 player, in the semifinals. With this feat, Keys became the first woman to beat the top two players in the world during an Australian Open since Serena Williams accomplished the same feat in 2005. A Leap in the Rankings The victory catapulted Keys to 14th in the WTA rankings, a six-spot jump from her previous position at No. 20 at the tournament’s start. This win marks a dream start to the year for Keys, who had previously lost her only other Grand Slam final at the 2017 US Open, where she was defeated by compatriot Sloane Stephens.

Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev, ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the ATP rankings, will face off in the Australian Open final on January 26. Sinner enters the match undefeated in 20 consecutive matches, while Zverev advanced after Novak Djokovic’s unexpected withdrawal. The first Grand Slam of the year has set the stage for a thrilling finale, featuring the world’s top two players. This clash between Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev is not only for the coveted Australian Open trophy but also for the honor of securing an early-season statement victory in the ATP Tour. Sinner Cruises to the Final Italy’s Jannik Sinner secured his spot in the final with a dominant performance against American Ben Shelton. Sinner triumphed in straight sets, winning 7-6 (7-2 in the tiebreak), 6-2, and 6-2. This victory marked his 20th consecutive win, extending the best winning streak of his career. If he wins on Sunday, it will also grant him his third Grand Slam title. Zverev’s Unusual Path to the Final On the other side, Alexander Zverev reached the final in an unexpected manner. Facing Novak Djokovic in the semifinal, Zverev battled through an intense first set, which ended 7-6 (7-5 in the tiebreak). However, Djokovic withdrew after the set due to a leg injury, granting Zverev a surprise ticket to the final. His reaction was one of astonishment as he processed the sudden turn of events. Final Set for January 26 The highly anticipated final will take place on Sunday, January 26, with the exact start time yet to be confirmed. Like many matches in this tournament, it’s likely to occur during the early morning hours for global audiences.

Novak Djokovic withdrew from the Australian Open semifinal against Alexander Zverev due to a leg injury after an intense first set. Zverev will advance to the final to face Jannik Sinner. The crowd at Melbourne Park, gathered to witness the highly anticipated semifinal clash between Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev, was left in shock when the 24-time Grand Slam champion called it quits at the end of the first set. The unexpected turn of events left many fans bewildered and struggling to process what had just happened. Injury Forces Djokovic’s Withdrawal Although only one set was completed, it lasted a grueling 1 hour and 20 minutes, ending with a 7-6 score (7-5 in the tiebreak). This marathon set rivaled the duration of a full two-set match. Adding to the challenge, Djokovic had just come off a grueling four-set battle against Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals, leaving him visibly fatigued. As Djokovic exited Melbourne Park to a mix of applause and scattered boos, the Serbian star explained that he began to feel discomfort in his left leg during the final point of the set. The injury was likely exacerbated by the physical toll of back-to-back high-stakes matches, which pushed his body to its limits. Despite his best efforts to prepare for the semifinal, Djokovic admitted that his body could no longer keep up after the demanding match against Alcaraz and the exhausting opening set against Zverev. While Djokovic expressed his intent to compete for every title this season, his physical condition is becoming a critical factor in key moments. Just last year, he underwent surgery for a torn meniscus, an injury that sidelined him for part of the season. Now, the severity of this latest setback will determine his readiness for the next Grand Slam, which will see Djokovic at 38 years old. Zverev Advances to Final Against Sinner With Djokovic’s withdrawal, Alexander Zverev secured his place in the Australian Open final, where he will face none other than Jannik Sinner, currently considered the best player in the world.

💥 Coco Gauff didn’t have her best day at the 2025 Australian Open, as she was eliminated in the quarterfinals after falling to Spain’s Paula Badosa 7-5, 6-4 in a battle at Rod Laver Arena. 🚨 A SHOCKING DEFEAT The 20-year-old tennis star, considered one of the tournament favorites, never found her rhythm in the match. Despite coming in with an impressive 11-match winning streak, including titles at the WTA Finals and the United Cup, she struggled with 41 unforced errors, which ultimately cost her a spot in the semifinals. “Paula played incredibly. I don’t think she changed her game, she just executed better in the key moments,” Gauff admitted in her post-match press conference. 🏆 A CHAMPION IN THE MIDST OF CHANGE Gauff, the reigning 2023 US Open champion, made it clear that she is still working on her growth as a player. “I’m disappointed, but not broken. I feel like I’m on the right path. I’m trying to improve my forehand, but today my timing was off, and I made too many mistakes,” she explained. 💪 A NEW STYLE, A NEW MINDSET The 2022 Roland Garros finalist also mentioned that she is adjusting her game strategy. “I’ve always been an aggressive player, and that’s how I’ve achieved my best results. I didn’t always play like this, but I’m trying to make a change. Today, I did the best I could with what I had,” she stated. 🔥 GAUFF RESPONDS TO SOCIAL MEDIA CRITICISM Beyond the loss, Coco Gauff also addressed the criticism she receives on social media. “Most of these ‘internet coaches’ have never worked with someone at my level, and many have never even played professional tennis. It’s easy to criticize from the outside and say what I should have done,” she said firmly. “I’m proud of myself and will keep working to improve. I can’t control the expectations that others place on me,” she concluded. 🔜 NEXT CHALLENGES Despite her elimination in Melbourne, Gauff is already setting her sights on the upcoming tournaments in Doha and Dubai, where she will look to regain the form that has made her one of the world’s top players. 🎾💥🏆

The path of the ATP tennis number 1 continues its course in the Australia Open, as Jannik Sinner defeated in the third round the American tennis player Marcos Giron in three sets, by a score of 6-3, 6-4 and 6-2. Although the Italian had initial problems with his serves, where he also had 37 unforced errors, this did not end up weighing on the scoreboard, as the great quality of Sinner overcame that of his rival. Now, Sinner will have a tough test in the fourth round of the Australia Open, the round of 16 of the competition, as he will face Denmark’s Holger Rune, currently ranked number 13 and former member of the Top 10 last year. These two tennis players have faced each other on four occasions, having draws in victories, with 2 for Sinner and 2 for Rune, although the last two occasions that they faced each other, meant victories for the current No. 1. Cover image: X (@janniksin)

The third best tennis player of the ATP ranking fought a tough game on the hard court of the Australia Open, because in his match corresponding to the third round of this Grand Slam, the Spaniard needed four sets to beat his rival, Nuno Borges. The tennis fans who gathered at Melbourne Park saw Carlitos being demanded by the Portuguese, where the match finally ended in favor of the Top 3 with a score of 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (3-7 in tie break) and 6-2. The cover that left this game was undoubtedly when, in the third set, the match was tied at 3 games, and 40 points each tennis players, when in the dispute for the next point was hard, to the extent that, in a return of ball Borges, Alcaraz was forced to dive and then throw his racket, which connected with the ball to save the point, unfortunately, with Carlos on the ground, the next shot of Nuno clinched the point, but more than one applauded the delivery of these two tennis players on the court. Cover image: X (@AustraliaOpen)

Brazil is more than excited about the future of the young Joao Fonseca, an 18-year-old tennis player who has just defeated Andrey Rublev, the world’s number 9, at the Australia Open. With a score of 7-6 (7-1 in tie break), 6-3 and 7-6 (7-5 in tie break). Fonseca managed to overcome the first round of this important tournament and also, in passing, broke the record of the members of the Big 3, because with his victory at 18 years and four months, he managed to be the youngest to beat a member of the top 10 in a Grand Slam, For Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic achieved it at 19 years old. The current winner of the Next Gen ATP Finals hopes to put the name of Brazil at the top of tennis. Cover image: X (@AustraliaOpen)

The best tennis player of the moment, Jannik Sinner, had a quite complicated start at the Australia Open, as the Chilean Nicolás Jarry made the Italian sweat in the three sets they played, two of them defined in tie break. Finishing with a score of 7-5 (7-2), 7-5 (7-5) and 6-1 in favor of Sinner, now, the number 1 of the racket world will face the Australian Tristan Schoolkate. Sinner is looking to make history, because in case of winning Australia, he would become the first Italian to win three Grand Slams in history, because with his Australian and US Open titles won last year, Sinner tied Nicolas Pietrangeli as the top Italian Grand Slam winners, as Pietrangeli was crowned in the Roland Garros tournaments of 1959 and 1960. Cover image: X (@janniksin)