2025 Australian Open - Women's Discussion

Who will be WTA singles champion for the 2025 Australian Open?

  • Sabalenka

    Votes: 6 22.2%
  • Swiatek

    Votes: 3 11.1%
  • Gauff

    Votes: 12 44.4%
  • Paolini

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Zheng

    Votes: 1 3.7%
  • Rybakina

    Votes: 3 11.1%
  • Pegula

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Shnaider

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Andreeva

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other

    Votes: 2 7.4%

  • Total voters
    27
  • Poll closed .

Moose Malloy

G.O.A.T.
I'm not sure I can take seeing Keys burst into tears again. It was uncomfortable at '17 USO and the press conference at '23 USO. I'm not a huge fan or anything, but she seems like a nice person who is well liked in the locker room. Most here have short memories but she was considered a can't miss type prospect when she made the semis in '15 at age 19.
 

spystud

Talk Tennis Guru
Missed the last few pages, but these set times are funny.

IMG-1680.jpg
 

insideguy

G.O.A.T.
If Keys serve was anywhere near her best and her game was also anywhere near her best, she’d be up the set already.

But it’s just not been good enough today.

And that’s the story of Keys career and why I said I didn’t want her in the final. She’s too inconsistent. Especially in SF’s.
Ok. All of you guys who make these proclamations declaring these things. All day. Are so full of baloney.

Most of you are cheerleaders and actually have no respect for what they do on court. Keys hasn't lost a match all year. She just beat a women who wasnt breaking a sweat against anyone the whole tournament. I hope she proves you wrong again.
 

Connor35

Professional
Ok. All of you guys who make these proclamations declaring these things. All day. Are so full of baloney.

Most of you are cheerleaders and actually have no respect for what they do on court. Keys hasn't lost a match all year. She just beat a women who wasnt breaking a sweat against anyone the whole tournament. I hope she proves you wrong again.

Word. or posters here dont appreciate the variability. On any given day, anyone can beat anyone in the WTA.

Just before winning the US Open last year, Aryna lost to Maria Bouzkova (DC) and Amanda Anisimova (Cincy) on hard court.
That's nothing against Aryna. But it just shows that anyone can win on any given day.
 

insideguy

G.O.A.T.
Word. or posters here dont appreciate the variability. On any given day, anyone can beat anyone in the WTA.

Just before winning the US Open last year, Aryna lost to Maria Bouzkova (DC) and Amanda Anisimova (Cincy) on hard court.
That's nothing against Aryna. But it just shows that anyone can win on any given day.
It's just so silly. I was attempting to find the post earlier where some poster said well it's just gonna be Iga and Sab all year with maybe coco being around. Thats what the poster said. Literally 3 days ago. None of these people actually watch tennis, and sure as heck dont watch the WTA.

Keys has won every match this year. But posters come on and proclaim she would be lucky to win a few games against Iga. If these posters were actually pro athletes they would be one for a day, and quit, cause they just proclaim player A is better and thats it, just write in the slam finalist for the year. And no matter how many times they get proven wrong they come back the next tournament and say the same crap.

It was the same garbage when Serena was around. They would all say oh no one can beat her. Meanwhile she lost plenty in slams. Just so dumb.
 

Connor35

Professional
It was the same garbage when Serena was around. They would all say oh no one can beat her. Meanwhile she lost plenty in slams. Just so dumb.

Exactly. I always point out how between Serena's first major 1999 and last 2017, thats 19 seasons.
Serena won 23 slams.

23 slams in 19 seasons. That's freaking incredible. Best ever.

And that means she won just over 1 slam a year.
Which means that over the course of her slam-winning seasons, she lost at way more slams than she won.

Serena lost WAY more than people realize she lost.
Because it's so rare that people look at data.
 

placebo

Rookie
It's just so silly. I was attempting to find the post earlier where some poster said well it's just gonna be Iga and Sab all year with maybe coco being around. Thats what the poster said. Literally 3 days ago. None of these people actually watch tennis, and sure as heck dont watch the WTA.

Keys has won every match this year. But posters come on and proclaim she would be lucky to win a few games against Iga. If these posters were actually pro athletes they would be one for a day, and quit, cause they just proclaim player A is better and thats it, just write in the slam finalist for the year. And no matter how many times they get proven wrong they come back the next tournament and say the same crap.

It was the same garbage when Serena was around. They would all say oh no one can beat her. Meanwhile she lost plenty in slams. Just so dumb.
Unbeaten this year and it's not like she's only winning over some scrubs. Her scalps include Ostapenko, Samsonova, Pegula, Collins, Rybakina, Svitolina, and now Iga. Still, we're hearing chimes that she won't scrape any more than a few games against Sabalenka. Put some respect on her name.

She may have collapsed at USO '17 but she's shown this year that she now has the grit and determination to get over these mental humps. I hope she wins on Saturday.
 

insideguy

G.O.A.T.
Exactly. I always point out how between Serena's first major 1999 and last 2017, thats 19 seasons.
Serena won 23 slams.

23 slams in 19 seasons. That's freaking incredible. Best ever.

And that means she won just over 1 slam a year.
Which means that over the course of her slam-winning seasons, she lost at way more slams than she won.

Serena lost WAY more than people realize she lost.
Because it's so rare that people look at data.
I know I use to try and tell people that all the time. But nope. It was just oh Serena will win bla bla. She has and incredible career but she was far from invincible.
 

insideguy

G.O.A.T.
Unbeaten this year and it's not like she's only winning over some scrubs. Her scalps include Ostapenko, Samsonova, Pegula, Collins, Rybakina, Svitolina, and now Iga. Still, we're hearing chimes that she won't scrape any more than a few games against Sabalenka. Put some respect on her name.

She may have collapsed at USO '17 but she's shown this year that she now has the grit and determination to get over these mental humps. I hope she wins on Saturday.
I really dont know how she will play on Saturday. And honestly no one does. Yes she's had times where she just goes and blast stuff all over the place. But she hasn't been doing that this tournament. Can she put together another good match? I dont freaking know. But what drives me nuts is how people just say oh she has no chance. She has beaten everyone in this tournament and like you said really good players.

I would have to do the math but I think she just won more games against Iga this match than the rest of the field put together the whole tournament.

Is that worth nothing?
 

placebo

Rookie
I really dont know how she will play on Saturday. And honestly no one does. Yes she's had times where she just goes and blast stuff all over the place. But she hasn't been doing that this tournament. Can she put together another good match? I dont freaking know. But what drives me nuts is how people just say oh she has no chance. She has beaten everyone in this tournament and like you said really good players.
Also worth noting is that she's come from a set down in the past two matches and found a way. And in the Rybakina match, she was playing awfully in the second set and got breadsticked but eventually gritted through that one, too.

No one knows what Saturday will look like. RLA is Sabalenka's playground but she's looked oddly touchy at times throughout the whole tournament (maybe because she's going for the rare three-peat?). Sabalenka knows she could have lost that USO SF in 2023 if Madison hadn't choked, so she is aware that Keys could be a threat. Both will come out with nerves. We shall see who comes out on top.
 
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Mark-Touch

Legend
And they said it couldn't be done!
Jolly good Maddy. :)

I just finished watching the highlights of the match. The ones I saw were poorly put together but at least I got to see a little bit here and there.
They showed a few points of the 2nd and 3rd set, that's all. And a few points of the tie-break.
I'm really happy for Maddy.
May she take home the final trophy!

Did everyone catch that towel break by Iga at 8-8 in the tie-break right after Keys hit an ace?
She did a lot of work for that split second. LOL!

What a stupid question to ask her to end the on-court interview (not that the other questions were any better, she didn't even know Maddy had faced a match point).

Here's what she said:
"What's the plan?"
Huh, WTF are you talking about?
Maddy thought she meant what am I planning to do tonight/tomorrow etc.
Who was that woman?
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
It's just so silly. I was attempting to find the post earlier where some poster said well it's just gonna be Iga and Sab all year with maybe coco being around. Thats what the poster said. Literally 3 days ago. None of these people actually watch tennis, and sure as heck dont watch the WTA.

Keys has won every match this year. But posters come on and proclaim she would be lucky to win a few games against Iga. If these posters were actually pro athletes they would be one for a day, and quit, cause they just proclaim player A is better and thats it, just write in the slam finalist for the year. And no matter how many times they get proven wrong they come back the next tournament and say the same crap.

It was the same garbage when Serena was around. They would all say oh no one can beat her. Meanwhile she lost plenty in slams. Just so dumb.
You better not be referring to me :-D, trying to say I don't watch the WTA. You'd have to be blind to think i'm not one of the few posters here year in, year out, week in, week out watching these tournaments posting.

I said Keys would beat Rybakina in the 4R, said she had a great shot in the QF over Svitolina. I posted during her matches in Adelaide. I've followed Keys for years, through the ups and downs. Good for her. Some of us were disappointed we didn't get the #1 v #2 Sabs v Iga final because we know it would have delivered. We know what Keys is like, I hope she shows up and I hope she proves me wrong too. It's going to suck MASSIVELY if it's 6-3 6-0 or a boring final again.

Also if you think I made a comment about this year just being Iga and Sab and Coco then there's a reason you can't find the post. I would not predict right now the women's game this year to be dominated by 2 or 3 people. We know the WTA. A Vondrousova can pop up and have an insane run and win Wimbledon or Danielle Collins can go and win Miami instead of retiring from the sport.
 

Connor35

Professional
Did not know there were so many of past incidents of this jumping jack, water polo goalie clips. People shouldn't have criticized her for this so we can watch more :D. It's actually quite hilarious to see how far she'd go to win a point.

And she’s apologized and hasn’t done it recently. All those clips are her old ASICS clothes.
And the fact is I think she lost all those points anyway. So it’s not like it mattered. I agree it’s uncool, (though she was never called for a hindrance)
 

onehandbh

G.O.A.T.
Exactly. I always point out how between Serena's first major 1999 and last 2017, thats 19 seasons.
Serena won 23 slams.

23 slams in 19 seasons. That's freaking incredible. Best ever.

And that means she won just over 1 slam a year.
Which means that over the course of her slam-winning seasons, she lost at way more slams than she won.

Serena lost WAY more than people realize she lost.
Because it's so rare that people look at data.
Serena's record in slam finals is 23-10, with half of the losses coming at the end of her career when she was in decline.

Djokovic is 26-13 in finals.
 

zvelf

Hall of Fame
The very interesting team of Shnaider and Andreeva, who in singles are ranked #13 and #15, respectively, took the first set against the world's top-ranked doubles team of Siniakova and Townsend. The Russians won a tiebreak 7-4.
 

robyrolfo

Hall of Fame
Fewest games lost by the Aus Open women’s champ:

24 - Graf 1989
28 - Graf 1994
29 - Graf 1988
30 - Barty 2022
30 - Pierce 1995
31 - Sabalenka 2024
31 - Seles 1993

Swiatek has lost 14 games so far with 2 matches to come.
And Keys added another 17 to that figure.

Graf is special. People really need to realize that. Serena was great, but Graf was just something else.

Given how frequently records across sports are broken, athletes generally improve physically over time given advances in nutrition and sports science, a 2025 #50 player is highly likely to be better than a 1989 #50 player, at least in speed and stamina. Variations in mental game differ greatly from player to player so I don't think that's measurable or fruitful to speculate across the entire tour. Graf probably would beat Swiatek soundly on grass and hard court but not on clay where Swiatek would win her share.
Most of the current WTA tour take advantage of modern racquet tech to bash away at the ball. Those former players may be slightly less athletic, and obviously not hit as hard, but they had better skills and certainly better tactical sense.

Look, if players like Sigmund and Tatiana Maria can still hang around on tour, the clever players from past gens would have done just fine.

As for Graf in particular, she beats Swiatek (and Sabalenka, and anyone else) all day, every day, on any surface.

Exactly. I always point out how between Serena's first major 1999 and last 2017, thats 19 seasons.
Serena won 23 slams.

23 slams in 19 seasons. That's freaking incredible. Best ever.
Best ever? Graf won 22 between 1987 and 1999. That's 13 seasons. She was better.
 

Connor35

Professional
Serena's record in slam finals is 23-10, with half of the losses coming at the end of her career when she was in decline.

Djokovic is 26-13 in finals.

But you’re cherry picking stats. Iga is 5-0 in finals by your same metric.

My point was that Serena won 23 majors over 19 years.
So even in her prime she often lost in the quarters and sometimes earlier often.
For example between 2013 RG and 2015 Wimbledon she won 6 majors in 10 events. But her exits were early. Rounds 4, 4, 2 and 3.

My point is that even great players can lose at any time. Sure, they lose less often, but they can lose any given day. and it’s foolish to over interpret a loss.
 

insideguy

G.O.A.T.
But you’re cherry picking stats. Iga is 5-0 in finals by your same metric.

My point was that Serena won 23 majors over 19 years.
So even in her prime she often lost in the quarters and sometimes earlier often.
For example between 2013 RG and 2015 Wimbledon she won 6 majors in 10 events. But her exits were early. Rounds 4, 4, 2 and 3.

My point is that even great players can lose at any time. Sure, they lose less often, but they can lose any given day. and it’s foolish to over interpret a loss.
Ok. Conner35 who are you and why is a person so logical on this board:sneaky:
 

onehandbh

G.O.A.T.
But you’re cherry picking stats. Iga is 5-0 in finals by your same metric.

My point was that Serena won 23 majors over 19 years.
So even in her prime she often lost in the quarters and sometimes earlier often.
For example between 2013 RG and 2015 Wimbledon she won 6 majors in 10 events. But her exits were early. Rounds 4, 4, 2 and 3.

My point is that even great players can lose at any time. Sure, they lose less often, but they can lose any given day. and it’s foolish to over interpret a loss.
I'm not refuting what you wrote earlier, just posting an interesting parallel between Serena and Novak.
 

ACE of Hearts

Bionic Poster
She literally had the highest hard court winning percentage in 2024 -- higher than Aryna. (85.0% to 81.6%)

And in 2023 (84.0% to 79.5%)

And in 2022.

Y'all make things up

Has Aryna been better at hard court majors. Absolutely.
Has Iga been as good or better on hard courts through the season. YES.

They split 3-3 all time on hard court and Iga won their only Major (2022 US Open) meeting.

Dude she has one major grand slam on anything else other than clay. Lol. Just stop.
 

zvelf

Hall of Fame
Graf is special. People really need to realize that. Serena was great, but Graf was just something else.

Most of the current WTA tour take advantage of modern racquet tech to bash away at the ball. Those former players may be slightly less athletic, and obviously not hit as hard, but they had better skills and certainly better tactical sense.

Look, if players like Sigmund and Tatiana Maria can still hang around on tour, the clever players from past gens would have done just fine.

As for Graf in particular, she beats Swiatek (and Sabalenka, and anyone else) all day, every day, on any surface.

Best ever? Graf won 22 between 1987 and 1999. That's 13 seasons. She was better.
We get it. You have a hard-on for Graf. I'd lean toward Graf in the GOAT argument over Serena, but it's not like like there is some clear difference in level between the two of them or even between them and prime Navratilova and Evert. Old Graf and baby Serena went 1-1. Young Graf and old Navratilova went 9-9. None of them are a clear step above the others. And I don't believe in time travel tennis hypotheticals. There is no way to prove who would win between 1989's #50 and 2025's #50 in some neutral environment except to say if 2025 has today's equipment and 1989 has 1989 equipment, 2025 is going to win more likely than not.
 

ACE of Hearts

Bionic Poster
Congrats to Keys on a tough win. Swiatek was too impatient and went for winners before fully constructing her points and it led to too many unforced errors. On the other side, Keys played the big points really well.


Do nothing? She just reached the semis of the AO and beat the #8 player in the world 6-1, 6-2 along the way.


Obviously, everyone is literally beatable on any surface, even Nadal on clay. But as far as hyperbolic statements go, Iga is nearly unbeatable on clay. Her clay win percentage is 89%. Nadal's is 90%.


This is hilarious coming from you, who stated that Osaka all but beat Swiatek at Roland Garros by holding a match point against her despite losing, but here, where Swiatek was even closer to beating Keys with a match point against, having Keys down 0-40 on Keys' serve twice in the final set, and leading through almost the entire super tiebreak, but this is somehow a sound beating? Your hypocrisy knows no bounds. An example of a sound beating is Swiatek thrashing Sabalenka 6-2, 6-1 in Rome.


She has one slam outside of clay. She’s not getting it done when it counts.
 

Mark-Touch

Legend
What an incredible set of doubles!
Hsieh team scrambled their way back to a 1st set tie-break being down 1-4 in games I believe.
Then took the tie-break just now. :)
 

zvelf

Hall of Fame
She has one slam outside of clay. She’s not getting it done when it counts.
Iga has more slam titles than any active player. She's doing fine.

First set to Hsieh/Ostapenko in a breaker.
That might have been the most entertaining set of tennis in the entire tournament so far. It was so dramatic going back and forth.

Brief note from the women's dubs - Ostapenko is a wrecking ball.
Indeed. Hsieh may be the Magician, but Ostapenko had so many awesome gets to win that set.
 

THUNDERVOLLEY

G.O.A.T.
It was the same garbage when Serena was around. They would all say oh no one can beat her. Meanwhile she lost plenty in slams. Just so dumb.

Yes, and there was one Talk Tennis Warehouse member who routinely posted the ridiculous whine, "just give the trophy to Serena" despite Williams clearly not winning "everything".

Iga is really a unlikable player.

Indeed, and for good reason. Many reasons.
 
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