Australian Open 2025

Dates: 12th-26th January Venue: Melbourne Park

Cover: Live radio commentary for Tennis Breakfast from 07:00 GMT on BBC 5 Sports Extra and live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka was one of several Australian Open players to send “love” to Los Angeles as she revealed the devastating wildfires were just three blocks from her home.

Osaka, 27, defeated France’s Caroline Garcia 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 at Rod Laver Arena to reach the second round at Melbourne Park, where she will face Karolina Muchova.

Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Iga Swiatek dedicated their first round victories to LA and the firefighters who battled the fires.

“I was watching the fire map and the fire is three blocks from my house,” Osaka said.

“I asked someone to pick up my daughter’s birth certificate because I didn’t know what would happen if it burned.

“Sending all my love to LA and I know we hear about fires, but I didn’t realize how devastating that could be. I hope everyone is doing well and I send them all my love.”

Third seed Gauff, one of the favorites to win the title in Melbourne, wrote “Stay strong LA, thank you firefighters” on the camera lens after defeating his compatriot and 2020 champion Sofia Kenin 6-3 6-3.

She and Taylor Fritz previously donated to a charity to help those affected.

Seventh seed Pegula wrote “LA” and drew a love heart on the lens after her dominant 6-3, 6-0 win over Australian wildcard Maya Joint, while Polish world number two Iga Swiatek previously wrote “Sending my love to Malibu and LA” signed.

The five-time Grand Slam winner started her Australian Open season with a 6:3, 6:4 victory over Czech Katarina Siniakova.

The fires that broke out on January 7 are considered the most destructive in the city’s history.

The LA County coroner said Sunday that 24 people had died in the fires, while at least another 16 were still missing.

Donna Vekic, who is coached by American Pam Shriver, also sent a message to the city after her first-round win on Sunday.

Shriver stayed behind in LA to help her family.

In Monday’s other first-round matches, American No. 10 seed Danielle Collins defeated Ukrainian Daria Snigur 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, while Canadian Belinda Bencic beat Ukraine’s Daria Snigur 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 in her first Grand Slam match since 16th seed Latvian Jelena Ostapenko defeated in straight sets to win 6-3, 7-6 (8-6).