Australian Open 2025: Sabalenka v Badosa, Keys v Swiatek in semi-finals – live | Australian Open 2025

*Sabalenka 2-2 Badosa A point apiece, won in brilliant style – Badosa by hitting forehands from the back, Sabalenka by creating the chance to come in and volley – mean 15-all, and the rallies are so intense. Both players respect the power and skill of the other – their ability to suddenly change things – but both are also looking to get off as soon as possible. The theatre of it all – silence punctuated by metronomic hitting and hollering – is also building tension, and from 30-all, Sabakenka powers to her hold, thwacking a swing-volley with joyous release to level us up.

Sabalenka 1-2 Badosa* The way Sabalenka is playing, Badosa needs to make her hit balls, and after another wayward forehand makes 15-0, a fine backhand down the line followed by one from the champ into the net raise three consolidation points. An error saves one, then a tremendous return, crushed cross on the stretch, ups the pressure, and a return into the corner allows Sabalenka to finish off for deuce. She’s played her way into this match now and is in control of the next point … until she isn’t, Badosa chasing to the forehand side and arriving with perfect timing to spirit a winner down the line. Already, this has the feel of an epic, all the more so when a terrifying return forehand winner restores deuce … and the champ quickly makes advantage, looking to convert it when she hoists a lob, only for Badosa to improvise brilliantly, a double-handed backhand overhead saving her. Problem being, two tame forehands into the net give Sabalenka has the break back; this is fantastic stuff and everything we hoped it’d be.

*Sabalenka 0-2 Badosa Sabalenka goes long, then again, and immediately she’s under pressure, but Badosa shovels a backhand long; no matter. A big serve out wide looks set to dictate the next rally, but another overhit forehand means 15-40, two break points … Badosa needs only one, another wild forehand swiped way wide to hand over a break that came far too easily.

Sabalenka 0-1 Badosa* (denotes server) A big service-winner down the T makes 15-all, but Sabalenka takes control of the next point with a booming forehand return, cleaning up with with another down the line Then, facing a second serve, she steps in a little and starts thwacking … but just when15-40 seems a matter of time, a backhand on the stretch and on to the line hauls Badosa back into the point and eventually the error comes; 30-all. But a double presents break point; another service-winner confiscates it, and so far, the underdog is coping with the pressure well, as I type spanking an ace down the T for advantage. And though she oughtn’t win the next rally, Sabalenka in at the net and unable to finish, she makes her opponent play enough balls such that the error comes. Badosa is into this!

Badosa to serve and ready … play.

Our players are out on court, and atmosphere is building.

Sabalenka, of course, is a picture of serenity now, nut she’s no stranger to nerves herself – she collapsed against Muchova in Paris in 2023 and against Pliskova at Wimbledon in 2021. It was only when she won the Aussie Open in 2023 that she settled into her style, and she was jittery as recently as Tuesday.

Both players know that in the last eight at Flushing Meadow last year, Badosa collapsed; she trailed Emma Navarro 2-6 5-1 but instead of serving out lost the set 7-5. After that, she changed aspects of her team – I doubt she was blaming, rather such a disaster demanded a fresh environment in order to move on – and I doubt we’ll see similar from her here. Even listening to her speak, she sounds more at ease with herself.

And of course, for extra joy, Badosa and Sabalenka are great mates. I think that could be harder for the champ, who knows how much her pal wants this because she knows how much she wanted it herself; crushing her dreams is necessary, but not pleasant.

Badosa is one of those players I’ve been waiting for. The first time I saw her play, I was extremely taken with her enterprise and power – I can’t remember who it was against, but she lost – and I was sure I’d see her at the business end of majors. But since then, difficulties with injury and in handling pressure have stymied her – until now. The relief of just getting back to playing seems to have given Badosa fresh perspective, and the more I think about it, the more I quite fancy her here.

First up it’s Sabalenka v Badosa, and the underdog has seen exactly how to trouble the champ because Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova showed her the other day: refuse to move from the baseline, attack the second serve, keep her moving.

If Sabalenka can’t plant her feet, it’s harder for her to get off, on top of which a fair number of her shots come down the middle; Badosa needs to redirect those not to the lines but towards the corners. And she may also benefit from trying drops because, though Sabalenka’s net-game has improved, anything that keeps her guessing is helpful.

Before we move on, good news: Henry Patten – coached by Calvin Betton, this blog’s resident expert – is, along with Harri Heliovaara, his partner – into the men’s doubles final. The Wimbledon champs beat Kevin Krawietz and Tim Putz 6-4 3-6 7-6(7) in what Calv described as “the highest-level doubles match I’ve ever watched”. Go on the GBG!

The best tennis is defined by rivalries – your Edberg v Beckers, your Evert v Navratilovas and so on. And given that between them, they’ve won six of the last 12 grand slams, this era should be about Iga Swiatek’s battle with Aryna Sabalenka. Yet they’re still to meet in the final of one – a strangeness that might be resolved by the end of today.

Swiatek has brutalised her quarter of the draw, dropping no sets and only 14 games in her run to the semis, while Sabalenka was pushed in her last match but, as always seemed inevitable, she did what she needed to do to win; she has not lost in Melbourne since 2022.

But both face tricky challenges this evening/morning. Madison Keys has a new racket with new strings and is better able to control her colossal power-game, which makes her better able to control herself, which makes her a very serious proposition. If she’s at it, she can give Swiatek all sorts of problems (and yes, if she’s not, she’ll get battered).

Similarly, Paulo Badosa hits the ball almost as monstrously as Sabalenka. She too appears to have not only found herself but found a way to manage herself, and has never played better. If she rises to the occasion, she’s a threat.

This is going to be great.

Play: 7.30pm local, 8.30pm GMT.