Melbourne, Australia – The first day of the Australian Open 2025 faced significant delays as heavy rain and thunderstorms drenched Melbourne Park, halting matches on all outdoor courts and creating a scheduling headache for organizers. Only the three main stadiums—Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena, and John Cain Arena—continued play under their retractable roofs.
Despite the disruptions, Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen and sixth seed Casper Ruud advanced to the second round, while Aryna Sabalenka prepared to launch her quest for a historic third consecutive title later in the evening.
Zheng Overcomes Rust in Opening Match
Zheng Qinwen, the fifth seed and last year’s Australian Open finalist, kicked off the tournament on Rod Laver Arena with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 victory over Romania’s Anca Todoni. Although Zheng appeared rusty after skipping warm-up events, she regained her rhythm to secure the win.
“The first match is always not easy,” said Zheng. “Just happy to get through the match, the tiebreak, and find my rhythm.”
The 22-year-old had a stellar 2024 season, clinching Olympic gold and three WTA titles, and aims to build on her momentum this year.
Weather Wreaks Havoc on Schedule
Storms rolled into Melbourne barely an hour after matches began, turning the sky black and forcing players and spectators to seek shelter. Play on outdoor courts was suspended until at least 6:30 PM local time, leaving fans frustrated and organizers scrambling to manage the backlog.
Casper Ruud Survives Five-Set Thriller
Norwegian sixth seed Casper Ruud endured a grueling match against Spain’s Jaume Munar, eventually prevailing 6-3, 1-6, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1. “It was just a really tough match,” Ruud admitted, reflecting on his ambitions to improve his Grand Slam performance after a lackluster 2024.
Veterans and Rising Stars Shine
Japanese veteran Kei Nishikori staged a remarkable comeback, saving two match points to defeat Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro 4-6, 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-2, 6-3 in a marathon 4 hours and 6 minutes. “I almost gave up at match point, but I somehow fought through,” said Nishikori, who is returning from years of injuries.
Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva, the 14th seed, eased past Marie Bouzkova 6-3, 6-3, while Croatia’s Donna Vekic also progressed. Andreeva, who reached the fourth round in Melbourne last year, aims to surpass that achievement this season. “It was a bit hard for me when they started closing the roof, but I’m very happy with my performance,” she said.
Sabalenka Aims for Historic Three-Peat
World number one Aryna Sabalenka headlines the evening session with a challenging match against Sloane Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion. Sabalenka, who won the Brisbane International in preparation for the Australian Open, is aiming to become the first woman since Martina Hingis (1997-1999) to win three consecutive titles in Melbourne.
“Hopefully, by the end of this tournament, I’ll be able to put my name into history,” Sabalenka said. A victory would see her join an elite group of players, including Margaret Court, Steffi Graf, and Monica Seles, who have achieved the feat.
Men’s second seed Alexander Zverev will close the night’s action against France’s Lucas Pouille, a former semi-finalist, as fans eagerly anticipate a thrilling start to the Grand Slam season.
