Three Grand Slam champions earned big wins in Australia and New Zealand while many US (and North American) tennis fans were sleeping.
Aryna Sabalenka
The reigning World No. 1 and two-time Australian Open champion looks in fine form to go for a three-peat in a few weeks. Sabalenka defeated 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva in straight sets. This was a revenge win of sorts as Andreeva ousted Sabalenka from the 2024 French Open.
What a moment for Mirra Andreeva! 😊⁰⁰The 17-year-old becomes the youngest major semifinalist since 1997, upsetting Sabalenka 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4!⁰⁰#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/FHHgHNYXK0
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) June 5, 2024
Andreeva did frustrate Sabalenka and her digging herself out of holes in her service games but Andreeva was never able to break her. That proved to be the key difference.
Sabalenka advances to the Brisbane International final, where she will face Polina Kudermetova, tournament qualifier and sister of Veronika Kudermetova. Because of her performance in Brisbane, Polina Kudermetova, 21, will break into the Top 100 rankings for the first time.
Aryna Sabalenka lost in last year’s Brisbane final in straight sets to Elena Rybakina, her only loss in the last couple of years in tennis matches in Australia. She has a 26-1 record in Australian tennis matches since the beginning of 2023.
Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff has not skipped a beat since winning the 2024 WTA Finals in November. She has not dropped a set in her first year of United Cup competition. Her latest win was over the Czech Republic’s Katerina Muchova.
Coco classic 🤌@CocoGauff puts Team USA on the board with a straight set win over Muchova. #UnitedCup pic.twitter.com/Qt5YlcSNxU
— United Cup (@UnitedCupTennis) January 4, 2025
Gauff and the US team advance to the United Cup finals to face Iga Swiatek and Poland. The US won the United Cup in 2023, and Poland was the runner-up in 2024.
Given her recent hardcourt play, Coco Gauff could be a serious contender for the Australian Open title.
Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka‘s return from maternity leave in 2024 did not produce the results she hoped for. In 2025, she vows to either get the results or step away from the game.
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
Osaka has been grinding away at the ASB Classic with her latest win being a semifinal straight-set win over American Alycia Parks.
She will face Clara Tauson in the final who upset the tournament’s top seed Madison Keys in the quarterfinals and defeated American Robin Montgomery in her first career WTA semifinal.
