“Sport.ua offers a brief announcement of the most interesting matches of the opening round of the major”, — write: sport.ua
Sport.ua offers a short announcement of the most interesting matches of the first round in the women’s grid, which are worth paying attention to.
Naomi Osaka – 
Carolyn Garcia
January 2024: Naomi Osaka returns to Tour after giving birth. Aus Open first round: Caroline Garcia falls to Osaka. The Japanese woman six months after the defeat to the French woman: “My goal is to be among the seeds in Australia in 2025. I would like to avoid Garcia.” Aus Open first round: Garcia out again to Osaka.
In total, Naomi and Caroline have played four head-to-head matches and three in 2024. After the Aus Open, Osaka beat Garcia at the start of Doha before losing to her in Miami.
27-year-old Naomi has made a good start in 2025 and reached the final in Auckland, her first since pregnancy at Tour level. Unfortunately, after winning the first set in Towson, the Japanese had to withdraw due to an injury to the abdominal muscles.
During the first week of January, Osaka made at least two interesting announcements. At first, she admitted that if she does not play at a high level again, she will end her career and enjoy spending time with her daughter. And in a few days, she said that she broke up with the rapper Cordae, with whom she was in a relationship for more than four years and with whom she has a child.
In general, it should not be forgotten that Naomi won the title twice on the Melbourne courts (2019 and 2021). And in 2021, Naomi beat Garcia in the 2nd round of the Australian major.
Garcia lost positions in 2024 and even ended the season early. In late September, she said she suffers from panic attacks and struggles with anxiety. It is interesting whether Caroline managed to cope with psychological problems and what she will be able to show at the first major of the season, which will also be her first tournament in the last 5 months.
Bookmakers are leading Osaka as a clear favorite – 1.23 against 4.20. I would not be so sure of Naomi’s victory, because Garcia is able to impose a fight at least because of her experience. The only question here is its form and preparation.
Yelena Rybakina [6] – 
Emerson Jones [WC]
It is clear that Rybakina is the clear favorite. And Yelena could not be celebrated, but her coaching appointments cause not only questions, but also interest.
In August 2024, Rybakina announced that she had said goodbye to her coach Stefano Vukov, with whom she won all the trophies on the Tour, including Wimbledon-2022. In November, the Kazakhstani tennis player announced the beginning of cooperation with Goran Ivanishevich, the ex-trainer of Novak Djokovic. Such strengthening in the team could really bring Rybakina back into the top 3 in the world.
But in the end, in front of AO Yelena, speaking for the national team at the United Cup, decided to return Vukov to the team. As The Athletic wrote, Vukov cannot receive accreditation from the WTA or Tennis Australia, as his case of indecent behavior is pending. As a matter of fact, Stefano will not be in Yelena’s box. Then why make public declarations of return? And Ivanishevich was not aware of all this. In general, it is interesting how Rybakina will contact Ivanishevich and what this whole story will lead to.
However, not only Rybakinia is interested. More precisely, I mainly want to see how 16-year-old Emerson Jones, who in Australia is already called the successor of Ashley Barty, will show herself. We already wrote about Emerson after her victory over Wang Xinyu in Adelaide, we will not repeat ourselves. But let’s note that after the success in the game with the 37th racket of the world, Jones showed a decent game against Daria Kasatkina, losing with the score 5:7, 3:6, and in the first game from 2:5, making 5:5.
Emerson comes from a family of athletes. Her mother, Loretta Harrop, won a silver medal in the triathlon at the Athens Olympics. Father Brad is a former Australian rules footballer and brother Hayden also plays tennis. A little addition to our past “announcement” Emerson.
Rybakina goes for 1.06 with bookmakers, the coefficient on Jones is 9.20. It is unlikely that there will be a close match here, but under the roar of the Australian fans, Emerson can and will be able to take 6-7 games.
Elina Svitolina [28] – 
Sorana Kirstya
It is clear that any match involving a Ukrainian woman will be interesting for us. But Svitolina – with a world name, and given the fact that she is returning to the Tour after surgery – there will be attention from neutral fans as well.
It is not clear what form Elina will be in. 2024 was not as successful for her as 2023 when she returned after giving birth to Skye. In addition, an operation on her leg in September is an old injury that has been tormenting the Ukrainian woman for a long time.
Regarding the exhibition match with Zheng Qinwen, the impressions are strange. It seems that Elina tried to play not as well as in training, but nothing worked. But the mood, etc. affects it, so we will not take into account, so to speak, sparring. But the red outfit is just wow. But that’s it 🙂
Kirstya’s form is also not surprising. The 34-year-old athlete is on the cusp of her career and currently has 7 fights. In the qualification of Adelaide, the Romanian held her first match in the last 5 months. And the last time Sorana won was in the 1/16 finals in Rome in May, when she first passed Brenda Frugvirtova and Marketa Vondroushova.
In 2022, Sorana reached the fourth round of the Aus Open. The same result was in 2017. Svitolina’s best result is the quarterfinals in 2018 and 2019. Elina leads 3:0 in personal meetings. It will be interesting to see how Elina will show herself against an out-of-form opponent.
Belinda Bencic – 
Alyona Ostapenko [16]
A cool sign with famous names. The Olympic champion of 2020 against the ex-fifth racket of the world and the winner of Roland Garros 2017.
Belinda gave birth to a girl on April 23, 2024. Bencic returned to the court after six months, which is quite fast. Starting with ITF tournaments, Belinda gradually raised the bar. As a result, at the WTA 125 tournament in Angers, she reached the final, where she lost to Alicia Parks. And then she played for the Swiss national team at the United Cup, where she won against Chloe Paquet – the first victory on the Tour in 15 months.
After that, Bencic played at the five-hundredth in Adelaide and performed quite successfully. There, the Swiss qualified and knocked out Kalinska, who withdrew due to ill health. In the 1/8 finals, Belinda lost in 3 hours to Lyudmila Samsonova in a very close match. Unfortunately, there was a game failure in the third game.
But in any case, she prepared well for the new season and a full return to the Tour. With Ostapenko, she is the favorite according to the bookmakers’ version! Here it’s about Alyona’s form…
There were questions about Ostapenko being overweight, but she had a powerful game. Now it seems that she has lost weight, but the results have slipped. Starting in August 2024, she lost five matches in a row and managed to win the first game only in Adelaide, defeating Magdalena French in three games. She needed to defend the trophy to stay in the top 20, but she suffered a fiasco against Madison Keys in the 2nd round.
The more prepared Bencic is rightfully the favorite, but by no means whether Ostapenko will just give the match away. It will be interesting. And in face-to-face matches 1:1. Indeed, the last one was in 2020.
Kateryna Sinyakova – 
Iga Svyontek [2]
Sinyakova is a unique tennis player. Not everyone knows how to play well both in pairs and alone. Especially since Sinyakova was the first racket of the world in doubles.
Sinyakova prepared for the season mediocrely. In Adelaide, she qualified by beating Kristina Buksha and Ashlyn Kruger, and then in the 1st round she gave a standard match for women’s tennis – she lost to the 13th ranked Diana Schneider 3:6, 6:0, 0:6. In the pair, Kateryna together with Ellen Peres reached the semi-finals, where she lost to the far from top tandem of Hanyu Gao / Alexandra Panova.
But Svyontek 2025 got off to a good start. Together with the Polish national team, she reached the final of the United Cup, and at the tournament she won against Malen Helgo, Karolina Muhova, Katie Bulter and Yelena Rybakina. Poland’s Coco Goff lost, but the level of tennis there was really cool.
It is difficult to beat Igu, although I will not be shocked if Siniakova upsets Svyontek. However, Polka is an incredible professional, plays everything just as percussively and reliably. In order to defeat her, she needs to give away half of the points that her opponent will eventually take away.
It can be seen that the doping scandal did not significantly affect Iga. And it’s a pity when Ukrainian fans turn their “pearls of scripture” against Svyontek, which was one of the first to support Ukraine and provide aid to our country.
Matches that are not included in the top 5, but also deserve attention
Coco Goff [3] – Sofia Kenin
A match of female slam champions. Of course, Koko is a clear favorite, but it is interesting to see just her powerful performance and mood, even if Kenin does not live up to expectations.
Emma Navarro [8] – Peyton Stearns
Emma had a great 2024. But the start of 2025 is not impressive, and in the new season she will have to defend a considerable number of points. It will be interesting to see how the 23-year-old Stearns, who first announced herself also in 2024, will play against the 8 racket. Moreover, quotes for girls are approximately the same.
Emma Radukanu – Kateryna Alexandrova [28]
We want Emma to win, and the bookmakers are leading her as a favorite. But you can never be sure of Radukan, and after the US Open 2021, she repeatedly confirmed this. And the withdrawal from Oakland is alarming. However, the sign of the match is very good.
Angelina Kalinina – 
Ons Jaber
Angelina was really unlucky with the draw. And here it is not only a matter of starting Zhaber, but also of further possible Sakkari and Navarro. Kalinina played well in Brisbane, reached the semi-finals. Zhaber made it to the quarterfinals at the same tournament, and managed to win only one match in Adelaide. Ons is the favorite, but the Ukrainian will definitely put up a fight.
Australian Open 2025. Women. Schedule and results of matches