We dive into the key insights for the best-performing Australians at Melbourne Park at this year’s Australian Open.
Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 26 January 2025 | Patric Ridge
Alex de Minaur’s historic run at Australian Open 2025 might have ended at the hands of eventual champion Jannik Sinner, but the fans have had plenty to cheer when it comes to supporting their home hopes in the men’s and women’s singles at Melbourne Park.
In reaching the last eight at AO 2025, De Minaur became just the fifth Australian man in the Open era to make the quarterfinals in four successive Grand Slams without interruption, and the first since Lleyton Hewitt in 2005.
1 – Alex de Minaur is the first Australian to reach the Men’s Singles quarter-final at the Australian Open since Nick Kyrgios in 2015. Star. #AO2025 | @AustralianOpen @atptour pic.twitter.com/TxMALMcJNH
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) January 20, 2025
However, De Minaur was not the only Aussie to break new ground.
At AO 2025, 10 homegrown players made it through to round two – more Australians to progress through their opening-round ties than at any editions of Roland Garros, Wimbledon or the US Open this century.
We dive into the key insights for the best-performing Australians at Melbourne Park at this year’s Australian Open.
The women
Destanee Aiava was a big story in the opening round, as she scored her first AO main draw win – in her fifth such appearance – by beating Greet Minnen in a 5-7 7-5 7-6(5) thriller.
She went up against 2022 runner-up Danielle Collins in round two, aiming to become the first Aussie woman to defeat a top-10 seed at the AO since Ash Barty downed Petra Kvitova in 2020.
She fell just short, losing 7-6(4) 4-6 6-2, but created moments she can forever cherish.
DESTANEE FULFILLED AT #AO2025
Aiava fights back from the brink to score her first AO main draw victory! @wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/RZbtWLTNMR
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 13, 2025
Aiava and Kimberly Birrell both qualified for the main draw, marking the first time in the Open era that more than one Australian woman had successfully navigated the qualifying rounds at the same AO.
In her second main-draw appearance, Talia Gibson had a shot at becoming the first AO wildcard to reach the round of 32 in three years, but was ultimately beaten by eventual semifinalist Paula Badosa.
The men
Jordan Thompson beat qualifier Dominik Koepfer in the first round, becoming the oldest Australian seed to win an AO match since Phil Dent in 1982.
He was making his 12th main-draw appearance at his home Grand Slam. Of the players in the men’s singles draw at AO 2025, only Novak Djokovic (20) and Grigor Dimitrov (15) have made more main-draw appearances at the major than Thompson, who lost to Nuno Borges in round two.
Meanwhile, wildcard James McCabe claimed his first Grand Slam win in what was his second such appearance, defeating Martin Landaluce in straight sets.
Aleksandar Vukic beat Damir Dzumhur and No. 22 seed Sebastian Korda to become the oldest Australian man to achieve a maiden third-round appearance at the AO; his run was ended by Jack Draper in a five-set epic.
James Duckworth’s first-round win was his fifth AO match victory – more wins than he has managed at any of the other Slams.
Tristan Schoolkate went ahead against Sinner in the second round, becoming the first player to take a set off the Italian since Tomas Etcheverry October.
With De Minaur subsequently losing to Sinner, the last Australian to defeat the men’s world No.1 at a major was Nick Krygios, when he overcame Daniil Medvedev at the US Open in 2022.
29 and out ❌
Tristan Schoolkate becomes the first player to take a set off Sinner since Tomás Etcheverry on October 2nd, 2024 – 106 days ago!🤯@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/K6mNzl8EsX
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2025
De Minaur was the standout Aussie, becoming the 14th Australian player – male or female – to reach the quarterfinals at all four of the majors in the Open era, and the first since Hewitt in the 2000s.
The Sydneysider was also the first Aussie since Hewitt (between US Open 2003 and AO 2005) to reach the men’s singles fourth round at six successive Slams.
