It has been a difficult period for established companies around the world. Name a country, we’ll show you a deposed world leader. In 2024, citizens in 70 countries – about half the world’s population – went to the polls and Many voted out the ruling party.

But the Republic of Tennis often zigzags where others zigzag. And in 2025 it is difficult to imagine major changes at the top. Aryna Sabalenka comes to the Australian Open primed to score three goals after winning the previous major, the 2024 US Open. She is the top seed among women.

Likewise, Jannik Sinner is the men’s top seed, the defending champion and the winner of the previous major. Tormenting the comparison: There will be capable challengers and opposition candidates. Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz are two names that come to mind. But we stick with the incumbents.

Here is our preview and seeding report for the 2025 Women’s Aussie Open:

1. Aryna Sabalenka

The two-time defending champion – and Winner of the previous major– is the player to beat. One of the greatest tennis stories of recent times is the way she used her strength and talent and created scope for herself. Sabalenka doesn’t have to be at her best to win.

2. Iga Swiatek

The top player for most of the last three years can reclaim her penthouse. It will be interesting to see how she fares with a new coach, a thigh that needs treatment, two straight losses to Gauff and, perhaps more importantly, the inevitable questions about her recent doping ban.

3. Coco Gauff

It’s hard to choose against Sabalenka, but Gauff is also a strong contender for anything. She was coming off a season in which she didn’t win a single major tournament – or reach a final – but was still a success in some ways. Driven by her success at the WTA finals, she cut an excellent figure at the United Cup, not least thanks to her technically improved forehand team.

4. Jasmine Paolini

Her regular reminder that this time last year, Paolini had never made it past the second round of a major. Over the course of 2024 – a transformative year – she played deeply into all four. Her joy is expressed in her tennis. Realistically, it will be difficult to win a major at their peak. But what a revelation.

5. Qinwen Zheng

Her 2024 Australian Open finalist won 30 of her final 35 matches of 24 (including Olympic gold), capping a sensational year. Is Zheng a future big winner? Yes. Will the major that has (unilaterally) declared itself a major encompassing the Asia-Pacific region happen? Perhaps? This year? Why not?

6. Elena Rybakina

A secret wrapped in an enigma, wrapped in an ice vest. Rybakina was a finalist in 2023 and is one of the eye test players who present themselves as champions. She was also plagued by a litany of unclear injuries and illnesses. It is a good sign that the cheerful Goran Ivanišević has joined the company. A not-so-good sign: your (euphemism alert) embattled coach Stefano Vukov is back.

7. Jessica Pegula

She salvaged her 2024 with a strong finish to the year, including reaching the final at a groundbreaking US Open.

8. Emma Navarro

Because as often as we say: Careers are not linear, She recorded a steady rise. Navarro is not only a top 10 player, but also one who has played deep in the last two majors (and beaten Gauff both times). She faces a tough first-round matchup against Peyton Stearns.

9. Daria Kasatkina

In addition to her moral courage, Kasatkina’s tennis is commendable – angle, guile and pace rather than power. Her playstyle is fun for a few rounds, but not ideal for standing up to the bullies. She has a losing career record in Melbourne (7–9).

10. Danielle Collins

The former finalist did not expect to play in 2025. But here she is. Collins heads into the Australian Open having lost her last six matches. But she is always dangerous (especially on this surface) and a fierce competitor.

11. Paula Badosa

The Comeback Player of the Year 2024 wants to build on a season in which she won nearly 40 games and, even better, stay healthy.

12. Diana Shnaider

The Pirates Lefty made his breakthrough two years ago as a little-known teenager in Melbourne. She is now 20 and ranked in the top 20. Shnaider started the year with an early defeat in Brisbane, but that means she goes into the Australian Open rested.

13. Anna Kalinskaya

Kalinskaya got off to a bit of a slow start this season. A quarter-finalist in Australia last year – in her blistering start to the 2024 season – can she make her mark at a major?

14. Mirra Andreeva

The only teenager in the top 100 starts the season as a real contender. She is humble but intelligent and has already proven herself to be a high achiever.

15. Beatriz Haddad-Maia

The Brazilian left-hander is a bit of an enigma. The hard-hitting big looks like a potential giant-killer but only knocks down a few giants in the majors.

16. Yelena Ostapenko

She has little momentum. But Ostapenko is always a dangerous figure and often an inhospitable opponent, and although somewhat lost in the mists of time, she is a former major winner. Also praise them for their underrated and successful double game.

19. Madison Keys

She’s newly married and still a fearsome ball striker.

20. Karolina Muchova

A United Cup loss to Świątek may dampen the enthusiasm around Muchová a bit, but she is such a good player.

21. Victoria Azarenka

All former champions are mentioned. (Yes, that was more than a decade ago.)

23. Katie Boulter

Boulter is a solid player, especially against opponents she should beat. New engaged For an Australian, it should be well received by the crowd.

31. Maria Sakkari

Perversely, having a top 10 player for so long, perhaps falling about 25 places, will take some of the pressure off Sakkari.

Belinda Bencic: She’s back from maternity leave and makes a strong impression early on.

Amanda Anisimova: She is – based on Katy Perry around 2008 –hot, then cold, in, then out, up, then down. But Anisimova is always dangerous, and often in Australia.

Lulu Sun: Good for her for making it into the top 40. Fun fact: Sun is the highest ranked woman in the Antipodes.

Ons Jabeur: You heard it here first, the 30-year-old is your 2025 Comeback Player of the Year.

Stearns: Collina crawled so Peyton could walk? (Another unabashedly competitive former college player.)

Anhelina Kalinina: The athletic former Top 25 Ukrainian made a strong impression at the start of the season.

Naomi Osaka: Świątek has won five majors, the most of any active player (except Venus Williams). Osaka is second with four majors. However, an abdominal injury she sustained at the Auckland Classic last week is a concern.

Sofia Kenin: You know the rules by now. All former champions will be name checked.

Sabalenka vs Sloane Stephens: It’s not often that two major champions face each other in the first round.

Gauff vs. Sofia Kenin: It’s not often that two major champions face each other in the first round.

Osaka vs Caroline Garcia: Two former top 5 players are fighting… for Muchová?

Bencic vs Ostapenko: Welcome to the tournament.

Navarro vs. Stearns: A battle between two current NCAA champions.

Swiatek vs. Kateřina Siniaková: Świątek should win, but the experienced opponent refuses to be intimidated.

Bencic D. Ostapenko

For sentimentality’s sake, cancer survivor Gaby Dabrowski and (Antipodean/Alabama star) Erin Routliffe take home the hardware.

Sabalenka D. Gauff

Key D. Navarro (surprise and shock)

Sabalenka D. Key