The Weekly Recap: Australian Open Edition
Jan 27, 2025
What happened in the world of professional tennis this week? Plenty. And with the Australian Open officially finishing this weekend, we have lots to discuss regarding our 2025 champions. Take a look...
Orlando resident Madison Keys is our Champion!
Madison Keys is the 2025 Australian Open champion! In a blockbuster final, the Floridian triumphed over Aryna Sabalenka to not only claim a huge upset but to win her very first grand slam, something the she has been working at for a very long time. And if you've watched any of her matches over the past two weeks, it's hard to be surprised by this result because the 29-year-old has played some of the most skillful, smart, and powerful tennis that we've seen. Seeded 19th at the event, four out of the seven matches she played were against higher-ranked opponents, capped off by her defeat of the world #1 in the final. But Keys rose to the challenge, and she was able to do something that nobody has done over the past three years: take down the unconquerable Aryna at Melbourne Park, and she did it in the most profound way. While the match was uncomfortably close with the American just slipping by 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, Keys was able to crack the code and take down the Belarusian using a genius tactic. It all boils down to the rallies.
Above: Madison Keys. Source: Credit One Charleston Open.
The way Sabalenka has been the frontrunner at the event for the past three years is how she goes about playing tennis. Her game is extremely aggressive, and watching her play means that you'll see her move inside the baseline, closing in on her opponent until she hits one clean blow that ends the point. She utilizes her ferocious forehand to do this, and the steady pace of the courts contribute to her methodical and grueling pace. The area of the court just inside the baseline is often referred to as "no man's land" because players can easily get stuck here and the opponent can take advantage of their positioning, but for Sabalenka, this is heaven. When she crosses that baseline, she has the upper hand in the point, and it will almost always swing in her favor. But this is part of the reason why Madison Keys' performance in the final was so genius. She beat Sabalenka at her own game. Using her sweeping forehand and consistent backhand, she was able to keep the world #1 behind the baseline, drawing out the rallies and forcing the error. In addition, she used a variety of skills including some sneaky slices to work around Sabalenka and push her out to the sides, not letting her take advantage of the point and close in. Sabalenka's uncharacteristically unpredictable serve also proved to be a fatal flaw, and Keys was able to advantage of this.
On her victory, Keys said: "I have wanted this for so long and I have been in one other grand slam final. It did not go my way and I didn’t know if I was every going to be able to get back to this position to try to win a trophy again. And my team believed in me every step of the way so thank you so much. Last year was so tough with some really bad injuries and I didn’t know if I was going to be able to do it again and to be here and to have this trophy and to also be able to do it with my husband who is kind of dazed and confused over there, I love you all so much and I cannot wait for more.”
It is truly Madi's moment.
Jannik Sinner Goes Back-to-Back in Melbourne
Jannik Sinner had taken the Australian Open trophy once again in style! The Italian is now a 2x defending champion at the event, backing up last year's dream run which culminated in a five-set killer of a final. But this time around, he did it in a much more straightforward manner. The 23-year-old took down some difficult opponents over the course of the past two weeks, including two Australians which proved to be tricky contests. In the semi-final, the #1 seed defeated Floridian Ben Shelton in three sets, despite a nail-biting first set that ended with a tiebreak. And for his final challenge, Sinner scored a comfortable victory against 2nd seeded Alexander Zverev, cementing his name on the plaque once again. While the final was a bit of a breeze for the Italian, there were still some very interesting aspects to dissect.
Above: Jannik Sinner. Photo: Todd Pechter from Florida Tennis.
In the German's semi-final, his opponent Novak Djokovic retired after a close first set due to injury. This already gave Zverev a bit of an edge coming into the final due to the fact that he essentially had an extra day of rest while Sinner had to play a full match, but this didn't seem to have an effect on the outcome at all. Using his reliable backhand which showed to be a staple factor, Sinner engaged in some exhausting rallies and kept Zverev at bay, not letting him have any opportunities to close the net and finish the point. Sinner also did an excellent job redirecting the ball and playing flashy, unpredictable tennis drawing the German in with a well-constructed drop shot and then pushing him back with a beautiful lob. Zverev plays his best tennis when he can get into a rhythm, playing faster and faster and overwhelming his opponent to the max. But Sinner's game style was able to interrupt this tempo and disorient the 27-year-old. While the Italian only hit 60% of his first serves in, he made up for it with a whopping 84% win rate. And while the score ended up being 6-3, 7-6, 6-3, Sinner only had to break twice to win the first and the last sets, and he held his nerve when things got a bit closer in the second, showcasing a masterclass performance.
In regards to his effort, Sinner said: "We worked a lot to be in this position and it is an amazing feeling to share this moment with all of you [his team]. I know a part of the team is at home and my family, but it is amazing to share these feelings with you. I know Darren Cahill it is probably your last Australian Open as a coach and I am very, very happy to share this trophy with you. Everything started a little bit when I changed my combination of coaches and physio, I am very happy to have you all here."
In defending the title, Sinner is now 3,000 ranking points ahead the rest of the field safely assuring his place as world #1.
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Written by Will Turvey. Top photo by