The Aussie summer vibe has been in full swing at Melbourne Park this week, sun, noise, packed stands, and a whole lot of “wait… how did they win that point?” moments.
Here’s the best of the best from Monday to Thursday across the men’s and women’s singles, the big statements, the comeback energy, and the matches that actually felt like events.
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Monday: The Centurion, The Demon, and a Classic Melbourne Park Buzz
The week started with a milestone that felt very “Australian Open-ish”: Novak Djokovic clocked his 100th win in Melbourne, rolling through Pedro Martinez in straight sets and basically reminding everyone that Rod Laver Arena is still one of his favourite offices.
From an Aussie lens, Alex de Minaur kicked off his campaign sharply, taking care of business in straight sets and setting the tone early for the local hopes: fast feet, early ball, and that “no free points” pressure he brings every rally.
On the women’s side, Iga Swiatek had to earn her way in – pushed into a first-set tiebreak by Yuan Yue before settling and closing it out.
Early rounds aren’t always pretty, but that’s exactly the kind of match champions survive.
And then there were the “highlight-reel” flashes, the kind that make the crowd gasp first, then laugh after.
Daniil Medvedev had one of those “how is that even a shot?” moments that summed up the chaos and creativity that only week one can deliver.
Tuesday (Day 3): Giant-killer Energy + Big Names Hold Their Nerve
Tuesday had one main theme: mentality.
Ben Shelton opened with a tough first-round draw and still came through in straight sets against Ugo Humbert, tight sets, big serves, and clutch tiebreak execution when the match tried to get complicated. It wasn’t just power; it was poise.
For the home crowd, one of the loudest storylines was the upset factor: Aussie qualifier Dane Sweeney taking out Gaël Monfils in what Monfils hinted could be his final AO ride, complete with a few last pieces of showmanship that had the crowd eating out of his hand. [6]
In the women’s draw, defending champ Madison Keysgot a serious early scare against Oleksandra Oliynykova. Keys dug out a first set that could’ve gone either way, then hit the accelerator. It was a classic “survive first, then swing free” kind of match.
And from the local perspective, it was a mixed day, Maya Joint couldn’t get through her opener, but the week also showed there’s real depth building in Aussie women’s tennis, with more names in the mix and more matches that felt like proper fights.
Wednesday (Day 4): De Minaur Turns It Around + The Stars Start Rolling
Wednesday felt like the first real “turning point” day, when top seeds start looking more like top seeds, and the crowd begins picking favourites.
For Australia, it was all about De Minaur’s second-round escape. He dropped the first set in a tiebreak to Hamad Medjedovic, then flipped the match completely, tightening the screws, extending rallies, and turning speed + pressure into a scoreboard avalanche. By the end, it looked like two different matches stitched together. [9]
Elsewhere, the marquee names moved with that calm, efficient early-round rhythm: Carlos Alcaraz brought flashes of magic, and the women’s side continued to build toward the bigger collisions later in the week. It wasn’t “finals tennis” yet, but you could feel the tournament sharpening.
Thursday (Day 5): Marathons, Momentum Swings, and Crowd-Raising Drama
Thursday delivered the kind of day that makes people say, “This is why the Australian Open hits different.”
First up: Stan Wawrinka, 40 years old, going full blockbuster mode in a five-set marathon to reach the third round, a match that had everything: swings, nerves, lungs burning, and that stubborn refusal to go away that’s basically his signature.
Naomi Osaka also had to work for it, getting through Sorana Cirstea in three sets. It wasn’t just a win, it was a statement that her level holds up when the match gets tense and emotional.
Then the champ energy arrived: Jannik Sinner was clinical against James Duckworth – clean, heavy, and ruthless when he needed to be. One of those straight-set wins that never really felt in doubt once he got rolling.
And for Aussie fans, Maddison Inglis produced a proper Melbourne Park moment, a three-hour-plus grind against Laura Siegemund that ended in a final-set super tiebreak, with Inglis holding her nerve when it mattered most. The kind of win that doesn’t just advance you, it levels you up.
The Vibe Right Now
Four days in and the tournament already has layers: legends adding chapters, young players taking shots, Aussies creating moments, and big names starting to look dangerous.
The early rounds have done their job, they’ve given us stories, sparked the crowd, and set up a weekend that should only get louder.
