Badosa and Keys await world number 1 and world number 2 in Australian Open semifinals

The fantastic 4 down under 🤩

drop your predictions #AO2025 👇 pic.twitter.com/xXR70yBsMl

— wta (@WTA) January 22, 2025

Four women remain in the Australian Open draw, including the world number 1 and the world number 2 (who was the world number 1 not that long ago). It's easy--and not at all illogical--to anticipate watching them play in a dramatic final, especially since both women are playing at an extremely high level. But first they have to get past two resurgent players who have made huge statements at this event. And, in the case of Sabalenka, she also has to get past a very close friend.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who has been in somewhat of a resurgent mode herself lately, took world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka to three sets in the quarterfinals, and that marked the first time that Sabalenka dropped a set at the 2025 Australian Open. World number 2 Iga Swiatek has yet to drop a set, she has dropped only fourteen games (seven of those were claimed by her first round opponent, Katerina Siniakova), and she has delivered three bagel sets. In the quarterfinals, Swiatek easily defeated 8th seed Emma Navarro, who had a very good run, taking out both Ons Jabeur and 9th seed Daria Kasatkina.

Standing in Sabalenka's way on her route to the final is her close friend, Paula Badosa. Badosa considered retiring from professional tennis last year because of her long-term, chronic back problems, but then decided to give it another go. In Melbourne, the former world number 2 has looked "like herself," and she upset an error-prone 3rd seed Coco Gauff 7-5, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.

Then there's Madison Keys, who upset both 10th seed Danielle Collins and 6th seed Elena Rybakina on her way to the quarterfinals, in which she defeated an in-form Elina Svitolina. Keys, to the relief of her fans, has slowed down and refined her game, allowing herself to linger a while in tough rallies, and this tactic has paid off in Melbourne. She has her work cut out for her in the semifinals, in which she faces Swiatek.

These two 🥹 🤣 🫶

Andreeva x Shnaider pic.twitter.com/MI2LNqUlFY

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2025

The semifinals are also set in doubles play. Top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend will play Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider, and 3rd seeds Hsieh Su wei and Aļona Ostapenko (!) will play 2nd seeds Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe. 

In singles wheelchair play, top seed Yui Kamiji will face LI Xiahui in the semifinals, and 3rd seed Wang Ziying will play 2nd seed Aniek Van Koot. Diede de Groot is not in Melbourne because she is recovering from surgery.