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2025 Australian Open Day 12: Aryna Sabalenka unstoppable over Paula Badosa with Madison Keys sensational with the hope of going one better for this Saturday’s Final

by Sports Benches

Wow! What a night of women’s semi-final Tennis at Rod Laver Arena that began with Aryna Sabalenka always 100% on fire over her bestie Paula Badosa from Spain in straight sets that booked her yet another chance to get the job done for Saturday’s main eveny – final score was 6-4, 6-2.

Who will be there to stop her though? Now this time her opponent will be American Madison Keys who just won the other semi later on over Poland’s Iga Swiatek, having gone from a set down to a two-set comeback including an unreal finish during the 10-set tiebreak race towards the checkered flag and safe to say that she has done it with so much tears & joy!

Here’s the 2nd semi result as it goes 5-7, 6-1 and 7-6 with 10-8 tiebreaker.

We thought the worst of Aryna could come when she has lost her cool at times from her previous match in the QF the other day v Anastasia Pavlychenkova. But her class is always permanent who fought like a tiger that proved her worth as elite grand slam champion both here (2 x times) as well as also the US for the first time a few months ago.

For Badosa, she’s currently on a roll off the back of her good US Open run in the QF last year and now this year by going one better than the last 8 at Melbourne Park, especially on the hard courts. It’s just wasn’t her night though where Sabalenka proved to be too strong as again, she still has unfinished business with the upcoming grand slams to show that she means business in finals this year.

Looking back at that 2nd terrific semi, Iga also had a good run this time around at Melbourne Park which is better than the previous ones in the past apart from the 2022 semi – also defeated by another American in Danielle Collins before Ash Barty managed to steal the show on home turf during that year. It’s just a shame she has lost it following a brilliant start to her shift and even though she was closer than ever at times towards an AO final, Iga just couldn’t hold on a bit longer there sadly.

And for Keys, this will be her 2nd ever grand slam final since the 2017 US Open where she lost to fellow American Sloane Stephens. Yes, it’s been a long time between drinks but she came from a long, long way. Also, the last time she played in an AO semi final was 10 years ago back in 2015 & she too was also defeated by another American in Serena Williams. 

Now it’s up to her how to end Sabalenka’s long-running dominance and what a way it could be if Madison Keys can finish her 2025 AO campaign off in style with her first ever grand slam win by taking home the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Trophy at the age of 29 – turning 30 soon next month. Sure fans would love to back the underdog over the favourite which is something what sport is all about but we shall find out by 9-10pm Saturday night.

In the meantime, it’s the men’s turn as four will become two on its own before the weekend’s main event blockbuster where champions will be crowned. Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev will have to battle it out in the afternoon – can Novak overcome the sunny skies and make this his possible 11th AO title opportunity or will it be Zverev’s turn this time? 

Also, the reigning champion Jannik Sinner who defeated Alex De Minaur the other day will take on American Ben Shelton during the evening. Are we about to see the best of past and present if Sinner wins once again or will another American be represented this time in the men’s and Ben Shelton could be their answer to possibly take on Novak or even Zverev himself?

It’s all to play for going into Day 13 of 15 at Rod Laver Arena & Melbourne Park.

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2025 Australian Open Day 10: Some surprising moments with the women’s singles QF games while the experienced men’s players still hold off with their own wins at Rod Laver Arena

by Sports Benches

The first of the two Quarter-Final days at Melbourne Park was almost full of surprises but with 1-2 seasoned champions still in the race towards their own semi-final battles that will take place tomorrow night for the women and all of Friday with the men.

Who was the surprise winner there? New York-born Spaniard Paula Badosa over American Coco Gauff even though it was a close two set game but only one have won it in straight sets (5-7 & 4-6).

Plus, Anastasia Pavlychenkova almost shockingly stole the spotlight when Ayrna Sabalenka lost the second set that easily along with a small lead before Sabalenka came back and was relieved at the end to see out the Russian with the win (6-2, 2-6 and 6-3).

So the first semi locked in for Badosa v reigning champion Sabalenka.

Meanwhile, Tommy Paul had some good moments of his own at times at the break against the 2nd seed Alexander Zverev while he denied him a straight sets opportunity with a clean strike at the 3rd set. However, the lead was way off his opponent’s radar though especially when given the chance at the tiebreak (sets 1 & 2) when Zverev clearly turned out to be the winner out of a four-set showdown – 6-7 (1-7 tie), 6-7 (0-7 tie), 6-2 and 1-6.

And last but not least, looks like the Novak Djokovic x Andy Murray duo with Murray coaching him has gone to live another day thanks to Novak’s win over Carlos Alcaraz.

The only place where Alcaraz has not won a grand slam title here will have to wait another year. Yes, he had a terrific start as one of today’s and tomorrow’s finest elite Tennis players. However, King Djokovic isn’t done with retirement just yet even at the age of 37, and there he goes to lock the Spaniard out once again like it was at the Paris Olympics gold medal match last August when it comes to the long runs – the final score was 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 & 6-4.

1st semi-final now confirmed between regular semi-finalist Zverev & 10 x Australian Open winner in Djokovic.

There’s two more QF matches today in both the women’s and men’s singles draw:

  • Madison Keys v Elina Svitolina
  • Emma Navarro v Iga Swiatek
  • Ben Shelton v Lorenzo Sonego
  • Jannik Sinner v Alex De Minaur

That last game of the day today is the one we are looking for as Australian sports and Tennis fans as well as some from the UK if you’re a Katie Boulter fan. We all know what was like when Sinner regularly won games against The Demon before but Alex’s full support will be key no matter what the result will be tonight at the RLA.

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Australian Open Day 4, 2nd Round: Thanasi Kokkinakis fell short by top Briton Jack Draper after a long five sets with Destanee Aiava last one standing in the women’s singles draw

by Sports Benches

Oh so close from our own Thanasi Kokkankis who wasn’t bad off the back of a brilliant start via the tiebreak including a third set reprieve and a near finish opportunity where he was only a game away at one stage during the fourth.

It’s a shame he just couldn’t hold off through to the finish line unfortunately having been thrown out at the hands of Briton Jack Draper following a long, gruelling five-set contest last night at John Cain Arena. The final score was 6-7 with 3-7 tiebreak, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 and 6-3 as the Kokk’s time at Melbourne Park isn’t over just yet when he will team up with Nick Kyrgios as his other “Special K’s” duo when the men’s doubles begins today.

If Kokkanikis have won it over Draper, then this could’ve been an all-Aussie third round match against Aleksandar Vukic going into tomorrow. But Vukic can be the one to shock yet another top-seeder in his watch like he did yesterday afternoon against 22nd seed American & 2023 AO Quarter-Finalist Sebastian Korda also following another long five-set stunner of his own (6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3 and 7-5).

Although you can tell Jack has been our nemesis for a quite a while now having defeated a couple of Aussies along the way.

He first broke the hearts of Alex De Minaur a few months ago at the US Open Quarter-Final before he was eliminated in the semi by eventual champion Jannik Sinner. Then as said above, he managed to stop Kokkinakis in his tracks from also being very nearly shockingly eliminated to finishing off as triumphant to keep his AO campaign alive – fair play to him for that.

Now it looks like he’s leading this Ashes series of Tennis 2-0 over the best of five – we’re just making this up since Australia and England have a great sporting rivalry together for a very long time.

Who could be the man to stop him and not let Jack collect this Ashes urn? Well, Vukic could be the one to solve this.

And yes, shoutout to John McEnroe who does know his cricket well thanks to the love of cricket bats. His favourite cricket player is not far from the US down south from the Caribbean in West Indies player Sir Vivian Richards – good on ya John!!

Elsewhere, we only have Destanee Aiava in this women’s singles draw and she will have to dig deep this afternoon against 2022 AO runner-up Danielle Collins (USA).

This comes after Talia Gibson was blown away big time by Paula Badosa also last night (6-1, 6-0) while Ajla Tomjlanovic had some good moments too against 12th seed Diana Dhnaider but just not quite enough unfortunately at the end (6-7, 4-5) & also not the same player really since her Wimbledon QF breakthrough back in 2022 thanks to her knee troubles.

Other than that, there’s always Alex De Minaur’s fiance Katie Boulter even though she’s British. She will be back in action  later today v Veronika Kudermetova & so does Alex who will be getting another chance to rock up Rod Laver Arena – his next opponent will be American Taylor Boyer & he will start not long after lunch.

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AO Tennis 2024, Amanda Anisimova advances into the 4th round after being too good for Paula Badosa but has a tough next match ahead v Aryna Sabalenka for the 4th Round

by Sports Benches

Here’s another match to look back earlier in the afternoon when it comes to the women’s singles match in the 3rd Round between USA’s Amanda Anisimova & New York born Paula Badosa from Spain at John Cain Arena. Badosa had the early headstart but it was Anisimova who had the all-round performance to confirm her elimination in straight sets at 7-5, 6-4.

It’s been a tough last year due to injury where she has gone closer outside the knockout rounds the year before but the Spaniard didn’t do bad to start the match with a bang. She’s so good at catching up where Badosa was so close to catch her opponent and get the job done on her terms but just couldn’t go all the way with a lack of execution going against her for the loss after a great run over the last couple of days against USA’s Taylor Townsend (1R) & Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (2R) prior to today. Then hats off to Anisimova who has now reached the 4th round for the third time in a few years, having last done so back in 2021 & 2019. She just couldn’t give up her game in the way the American has caught up to Badosa with patience and finish off her way as the match goes on & that’s how Anisimova stood tall without giving it away towards the end there. But there is a tough challenge ahead this Sunday though where her next opponent for the fourth round will be reigning champion Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus. It’s not the first time she will back away, having shocked 2021 champion Naomi Osaka two years ago before the 2022 champ Ash Barty confirmed her elimination the same round later (Round 4). Like Badosa, she too hasn’t been playing for most of last year but for a different reason due to mental health & now is a great time to come back in the hope of making another miracle & play in her 3rd knockout finals match (last 8) since the 2022 Wimbledon tournament.

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2022 French Open: Paula Badosa off to a great start after an easy 54 min match-up v Fiona Ferro in Round 1

by Sports Benches

And 3rd seed Spaniard Paula Badosa was just too good against Fiona Ferro from France in straight sets, 6-2, 6-0. She basically wrapped this up real quick in just 54 minutes from start to finis, as Badosa’s next opponent going into Round 2 tomorrow will be Estonian Kaja Juvan.

She’s currently ranked Number 2 behind Iga Swiatek from Poland in the world of the women’s singles game after Ash Barty chose to retire on a high with an Australian Open women’s singles’ title two months. Her best grand slam performance to date was the Quarter-Finals here last year where she was defeated by Slovakian Tamara Zidansek.

However, this is her only grand slam finals appearance so far after she couldn’t get past the Round of 16 earlier this year at the Australian Open by American Madison Keys in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1. It’s still a long way to go but a great tournament last year here on clay, as well as a great WTA Tour campaign, also off the back from the same year, will hopefully be her breakthrough in a bid to win her first grand slam career here at the Roland Garros.

And unlucky with the heavy loss from Ferro where she was eliminated very early in this tournament. She was on the same page as Badosa with a point or two at the beginning of this match-up, but she just couldn’t keep up the high standards Badsoa has set ever since.

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