After an unforgettable 2024 season, Aryna Sabalenka is already tying up her laces for another round of what could be an even more spectacular 2025. Fresh off a stellar year that saw her clinch two Grand Slam titles and the World No. 1 spot, she is ready to kick off her new season. While her arch rivals Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff test their mettle at the United Cup, Sabalenka has her sights on the Brisbane International before she goes on to defend her Australian Open title twice in a row. The Belarusian tennis player is especially ‘hungry’ and ‘ready’ for more tennis after the off-season.!

The 2024 season began similarly for Sabalenka at the Brisbane International, where she reached the final without dropping a set before losing to Elena Rybakina. This time, though, Sabalenka is hungrier than ever. “I feel rested and ready,” she told the WTA website. “I love Australia, and I always come there hungry and ready. I feel a lot of support here, and I think that’s the best thing about Australia: people really, really smell like tennis.”

The two-time Australian Open winner will make history if she manages to win her third Australian Open title. She’ll become the first player since Martina Hingis in 1999 to win the same Grand Slam three times in a row.

It is all the more important for Sabalenka to be thoroughly prepared.  She emphasized the significance of testing her game in the first tournament of the year. “You work hard on a lot of points during the pre-season. And the first tournament is the one where you can test and see what will work well, and what will not work,” she said. Her confidence is a clear warning to her rivals, World No. 2 Iga Swiatek and World No. 3 Coco Gauff.

For Swiatek, the Australian Open is a chance to rebound from a controversial year. The Polish tennis player’s best performance remains a semifinal finish in 2022. She faced an early exit in 2024 as she was ousted by Linda Noskova in the third round. When it comes to their rivalry, the duo have surprisingly never met in an Australian Open match. On other surfaces, however, Swiatek does hold a slight edge over Sabalenka in their rivalry as she leads 8–4.

Coco Gauff also has something to prove. Despite an impressive 2024 season, she ended the year without a Grand Slam title. Last year, Sabalenka denied Gauff a shot at the Australian Open final by defeating her in straight sets in the semis. However, Gauff turned the tables later in the year, beating Sabalenka in straight sets during the WTA Finals semifinals. As both players eye the 2025 Australian Open, the stage is set for another thrilling showdown.

But it’s not all about rivalry on the court. Off the court, the World No.1 and World No.2 have been sharing a ‘chill’ vibe.

On-court rivals Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek share a ‘chill’ vibe off the court

Amidst the fierce competition, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek have found a surprising camaraderie off the court. The two were spotted practicing together in Abu Dhabi ahead of the new season at the World Tennis League. This gave them a chance to hang-out together. Sabalenka shared an Instagram post that shows a video of them doing agility drills at the Zayed Sports City International Tennis Centre. She jokingly captioned the post, “Keeping each other on our toes.”

The 26-year-old player explained how their dynamic has shifted ahead of the Brisbane International. “I thought we have to stay together and have fun and just enjoy our rivalry, not be too tough on each other,” she said. “So I asked [her to train with me], and we did it. Then I was doing fitness after our hit. She was like, ‘I can join you guys.’ We filmed it and posted it. It’s been becoming more chilled between us, too. I have to say she’s a really nice person. It was fun to get to know each other.”

As the 2025 season kicks off, the rivalries are already heating up. Who will emerge victorious at the Australian Open?