Australian Open 2025 Day One Schedule and Preview – Sunday 12 January including Aryna Sabalenka, Alexander Zverev and Zheng Qinwen

Saturday, 11 January 2025 at 22:35

The schedule and order of play for Day 1 of the Australian Open have been revealed, led by two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka at Rod Laver Arena. Debuts from Zheng Qinwen, Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud, Mirra Andreeva, and others will also highlight the day's action.

Rod Laver Arena

Action kicks off this Sunday at 11:30 am local time with 2024 Aussie Open runner-up Zheng Qinwen (No. 5) being the first to step onto the main court at Melbourne Park. She will face Romanian qualifier Anca Todoni (No. 110), a 20-year-old rising star who made her major breakthrough at Wimbledon last year, advancing through qualifying and defeating Olga Danilovic in the first round before being eliminated by Coco Gauff (1-6, 2-6).

Once that match concludes, men's 6th seed Casper Ruud (No. 6) will take the main stage against Spain's Jaume Munar (No. 61). The Norwegian is making his sixth appearance in the main draw and has only advanced to the second week once — back in 2021 when he was eliminated in the fourth round by Andrey Rublev.

In the evening, two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, one of Australia's fan favourites, will take her turn. The world No. 1 faces a tough challenge against former US Open champion Sloane Stephens (No. 84). While far from her prime, the American reached the Australian Open semifinals back in 2013. Stephens is known for engaging in rallies and could trouble Sabalenka with her forehand if the Belarusian doesn't get into rhythm quickly. However, Sabalenka comes into the match on a hot streak, having won the Brisbane International title last week.

Raw power from @SabalenkaA! She closes out the point, the game and takes a 6-3 4-1 lead.#AusOpen • @wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis pic.twitter.com/DU9pNTfzpJ
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2024

Closing the session at Rod Laver Arena will be men's world No. 2 Alexander Zverev, who faces Frenchman Lucas Pouille (No. 104). The German is once again on a mission to capture his first major title, after two finals and six other semifinal appearances, two of which were at the Australian Open. Just a year ago, he stunned Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals and now enters as the second seed, with legitimate credentials as a title contender. However, he will need to prove himself from the outset against Pouille, a former top-10 player with extensive tour experience.

Margaret Court Arena

The second most important stadium will have a morning dominated by French young stars. In the first match, Arthur Fils (No. 20) will face Finland's Otto Virtanen. Following that, one-handed backhand specialist Diane Parry (No. 66) will challenge Donna Vekic (No. 19), the silver medallist at the last Olympic Games.

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In the evening, the locals take over the court. Wildcard Li Tu (No. 179), remembered for his first-round appearance at last year's US Open where he took a set off Carlos Alcaraz, will face Czech Jiri Lehecka (No. 24). Lehecka has had a remarkable start to the year, winning the ATP 250 Brisbane International, defeating Nicolas Jarry and Grigor Dimitrov along the way, before an interrupted final against Reilly Opelka, who retired after just five games.

Closing the night session is former Aussie No. 1 Daria Saville (No. 112), also granted a wildcard, who will face Russia's Anna Blinkova (No. 75). Blinkova stunned last year at Rod Laver Arena by defeating third seed Elena Rybakina in a second-round duel that lasted over three hours and was decided in an epic tiebreak, one of the tournament's best matches. However, she was eliminated in the third round by Jasmine Paolini.

John Cain Arena

All eyes will be on 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva (No. 15) over the coming weeks, with some even considering her a title contender. The Russian has shown exponential growth on the Tour, becoming the youngest player in the top 150 and displaying exceptional maturity for her age, with only signs of further progress. She will face Marie Bouzkova (No. 42), who has had a strong start to the year, securing wins against opponents like Ostapenko and Azarenka.

The second match will feature former world No. 4 Kei Nishikori (No. 74), who continues battling to remain competitive after a series of injuries. He started the year well, reaching the final at the Hong Kong Open before falling to Alexandre Muller after leading by a set. The Japanese star will face Thiago Monteiro (No. 106), who in five previous appearances at the tournament has only once advanced to the second round, back in 2021.

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In the evening, Paula Badosa (No. 12) takes on China's Xinyu Wang (No. 37). The former world No. 2 finished 2024 in excellent form, climbing back into the top rankings after a long back injury that had sidelined her from competition. Her impressive results include two WTA 1000 semifinals, a US Open quarterfinal, and her first title in over two years at the WTA 500 DC Open.

The day's play will conclude with France’s Ugo Humbert (No. 14) facing Italian qualifier Matteo Gigante (No. 146). The left-hander reached the third round in both 2023 and 2024 and enters this Grand Slam for the first time as a top-15 player. He will be aiming to improve his major results, with just two fourth-round appearances in 24 main draw participations.

Day One Schedule - Sunday 12 January

Rod Laver Arena

From 11:30 AM AEDT

Anca Todoni (ROU) vs. Qinwen Zheng (CHN) [5]

Not before 1:00 PM AEDT

Casper Ruud (NOR) [6] vs. Jaume Munar (ESP)

From 7:00 PM AEDT

Aryna Sabalenka [1] vs. Sloane Stephens (USA)

Lucas Pouille (FRA) vs. Alexander Zverev (GER) [2]

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Court 7

From 1:00 PM AEDT

Jaime Faria (POR) vs. Pavel Kotov

Jule Niemeier (GER) vs. Maja Chwalinska (POL)

Court 13

From 2:00 PM AEDT

Tamara Zidansek (SLO) vs. Anastasia Potapova

Pedro Martinez (ESP) vs. Luciano Darderi (ITA)

Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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