Australian Open Women’s Preview

Aryna Sabalenka, the defending champion, leads the pack, leveraging her consistent display of strong performances. Sabalenka seeks to make history with a third Australian title, but Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff pose significant challenges. Let’s review the Australian Open women’s draw.

Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka, the world’s top-ranked player, is set to compete in the Australian Open as the favorite to win the championship, backed by her impressive record. Sabalenka has reached the Australian Open final for three consecutive years, showcasing her remarkable consistency. The 27-year-old Belarusian athlete has won the esteemed title twice, first in 2023 and then in 2024. Although Sabalenka fell short of a three-peat last year, losing to Madison Keys in the final despite taking the first set, she rebounded with an outstanding performance in 2025. That year, Sabalenka advanced to three Grand Slam finals, including the Australian, French, and US Open, and ultimately emerged victorious at the US Open. To kick off the season, Sabalenka secured her third Brisbane Open title.

Iga Swiatek

Over the course of the past four years, Iga Swiatek has consistently demonstrated her ability to excel in Grand Slam competitions, securing at least one title annually. Despite her impressive record in major tournaments, the Australian Open remains the sole Grand Slam that has eluded her. The 24-year-old Polish player has seen her Australian Open journey cut short in the semi-finals on two occasions, in 2022 and 2025. In 2022, Danielle Collins thwarted her advancement to the final, while Madison Keys’s outstanding performance last year led to her elimination. Swiatek will undoubtedly strive to alter her fortunes and deliver a strong performance. Although her hard court record is not particularly impressive, as a player with exceptional talent, she can find ways to grind out results.

Madison Keys

Madison Keys is a formidable contender for the Australian Open title, having established herself as the defending champion. Her historic triumph last year was a testament to her exceptional skill, as she delivered a classic performance to claim her maiden major title. Throughout the tournament, Keys, 30, from the United States, demonstrated her resilience by defeating high-quality players including Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka. The world is now watching to see if her success last year was an isolated incident. While it may be a daunting task, Keys has occasionally shown the ability to put up a valiant fight on the court. Prior to the tournament, Keys was defeated by Sabalenka in the Brisbane Open quarter-finals, which may serve as a motivating factor to improve her game.

Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff is one of the players who have demonstrated remarkable consistency over a considerable period. The 21-year-old American will be eager to sustain her strong performance as she enters the Australian Open main draw. Last year, Gauff was defeated in the quarter-finals by Paula Badosa in straight sets, a disappointing outcome given her status as a title contender. However, she managed to regroup and went on to win the French Open for the first time in her young career. Now, Gauff will aim to capitalize on her momentum in pursuit of the title. Her best performance in the tournament came in the 2024 edition, where she reached the semi-finals, losing to the eventual champion, Aryna Sabalenka. Following her impressive performance in the United Cup, Gauff is expected to be a formidable competitor.

Prize money

The tournament presents a notable prize money of $111.5 million, with the winner securing $4.15 million.

Past winners

– Madison Keys ( 2025)

– Aryna Sabalenka (2024)

– Aryna Sabalenka (2023)

– Ashleigh Barty ( 2022)