Schedule and Preview Australian Open 2025 Monday 20 January including Sinner-Rune, Swiatek-Lys, De Minaur and Rybakina

As we head towards the Quarter-Final line-up being set, the schedule of the main matches to watch on Monday 20 January at the 2025 Australian Open is here as the second week begins in Melbourne.

Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek, Alex de Minaur, Elena Rybakina and a superbly fun game between Gael Monfils and Ben Shelton await to be dissected in this preview. A lot of stories to cover and the latter stages will firmly be set.

it all begins with Elina Svitolina to start the Day Session on Rod Laver Arena. On what can best be described as GEMS day as both husband and wife sealed a triumphant win together as Monfils slayed Taylor Fritz and Svitolina defeated Jasmine Paolini. They will be on different courts though on Monday. Could say GEMS split up but not in that way.

Her next opponent is one she has never beaten in Veronika Kudermetova but the Russian has slid down the rankings down to World No.75 at the start of the tournament. Albeit she has not played Svitolina since 2021 when the then second seed lost in Abu Dhabi.

Both have taken different paths. For one, Svitolina won't be shaking hands with Kudermetova and also the Ukrainian herself has gone through issues with injury and of course has become a mother and returned so is a markedly different player. After such an excellent comeback, it was a shame to see Svitolina have to end her season early last September but now she is making up for lost time and usually playing Russian or Belarusian players brings out her best for obvious reasons so it is certainly an interesting tie to start.

Jannik Sinner then takes on Holger Rune in a tie which years ago would've been seen as the next generation facing off and the two that perhaps would anchor the sport going forward but only one of them has and that being the Italian. The World No.1 apart from a one set wobble against Tristan Schoolkate has been imperious thus far as he aims for back-to-back Australian Open titles.

While Rune has really toiled to get through with five sets against Miomir Kecmanovic and Zhizhen Zhang and even against Matteo Berrettini, he went four sets so either he will give Sinner a real match-up or he will end up going a bridge too far like Draper against Alcaraz.

It is 2-2 in Head to Head with Sinner turning the tables after two early defeats in 2022 and 2023. He won last in Monte-Carlo back in 2024. While also on Rod Laver Arena in the Night Session is Lucky Loser Lys.

Lys has rebooked her flights and hotel numerous times during her stay in Australia. From losing in qualifying to then getting a Lucky Loser spot to then sealing win after win, the German has truly been one of the leading stories of the tournament.

But perhaps one eye might be on the departures board as she faces off against Iga Swiatek. The former World No.1 has barely lost a game no mind a set during this tournament. Emma Raducanu and Rebecca Sramkova in particular were easily beaten by her and she will likely do the same to Lys in reaching the Quarter-Finals.

Speaking of stories, Alex Michelsen has been heavily lauded as the future of American tennis by John McEnroe in particular and has seen off Stefanos Tsitsipas, James McCabe and Karen Khachanov with the biggest test coming now. A rabid Rod Laver Arena cheering on their main charge, Alex de Minaur. De Minaur has had it comfortable aside from Francisco Cerundolo last round and all have been on Rod Laver Arena so the common theme points towards the eighth seed getting it done. But what can Michelsen do to counteract that?

Elsewhere as usual are perhaps the even more interesting stories as is the case with court scheduling. Elena Rybakina though is a massive question mark.

She suffered with her back last time out and the fact she is playing Madison Keys is both a positive and negative. It shows that maybe the injury is better than first thought or that she is playing through it and could either squeak through or be easily beaten.

One to keep an eye on anyhow as it could be very much a battle for the ages or one to make those who are fans of Rybakina wince. Then it is the turn of two showmen as Gael Monfils who like alluded to formed part of the GEMS super couple double act to win back-to-back will take on Ben Shelton. The showman of the past ten years vs one that is taking the present and future role. Very much one to grab the popcorn for.

On John Cain Arena, it is two players who have caused shocks and have been shunted out as a result in Learner Tien who defeated Daniil Medvedev. While Lorenzo Sonego saw off Joao Fonseca in a tie either earmarked with Rublev or Fonseca v Medvedev so as expected it is not on a main court. But one to watch out for in terms of future latter stage repercussions.

Then finally it is Emma Navarro who hilariously said she loves three sets after her last win. She has been playing on Rod Laver or Margaret Court up to press but will shift onto John Cain on Monday for her next tie ironically the highest seeded one yet for her as she faces Daria Kasatkina.

A previous appearance on Kasatkina's What The Vlog channel, Navarro and Kasatkina as is the case with a lot of the stars on the tour that appear on the channel appear to get on but that will go out the window when they face off. After a poor few months going out early in tournaments, Navarro appears to be finding her mojo again while also navigating cat like nine lives so it could be either the end for her or continuation of dodging defeat until the latter stages.

While Kasatkina has been been one of the best players on tour in the past six months winning Ningbo in the past few months as well as defeat in the final in Korea while also reaching the latter stages at most events so Navarro will know it won't be a pushover.