The Australian Open starts Sunday, the first major tournament on the calendar and the unofficial kickoff for the 2025 tennis season. Let the bright sun and electric blue courts of Melbourne transport you to the other side of the world,

Australian Open begins January 12 in Melbourne, and the draws for the men’s and women’s singles are intriguing — and have thrown up some blockbuster first-round matches. The Athletic’s tennis writers,

Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic lead the men’s field at the 2025 Australian Open. MELBOURNE, Australia — Here are some of the top men at the Australian Open, which starts at Melbourne Park on Sunday morning local time (Saturday night EST), with money-line odds via BetMGM Sportsbook:

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka will begin her Australian Open title defense by facing former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens.

The draw has been made for the 2025 Australian Open, and the biggest names in the field have tough tests on the road to Melbourne Park glory.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner and 10-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic have landed in opposite sides of the draw for the season’s first major, ruling out a replay of last year’s semifinal encounter.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner and 10-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic have landed in opposite sides of the draw for the season's first major, with Carlos Alcaraz in the same quarter as Djokovic.

Seven of China’s 10 players in the year’s first grand slam, including Paris Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen, face unseeded opponents.