Key events
Gauff* (3) v Badosa (11) (2-1): Badosa sets up the first break points of the match as the Spaniard peppers Gauff’s forehand. But the No 3 seed serves her way out of trouble from 15-40 to fight back to deuce, as another powerful first serve and limp return takes Gauff to advantage. Three first serves in a row sail long to keep Badosa in the game until Gauff rediscovers her radar to hold. The importance of the first serve today has quickly become apparent.
Gauff (3) v Badosa* (11) (1-1): Badosa starts with an ace then Gauff sends a return long at. The Spaniard quickly finishes off a pair of rallies to race through her serve to love.
Gauff* (3) v Badosa (11) (1-0): Gauff starts with a comfortable hold as the 20-year-old’s poweful serve troubles Badosa from the get go.
Coco Gauff is ready to serve first against Paula Badosa. Let the quarter-finals begin …
Australia’s Alex de Minaur is another to reach a personal best at his home grand slam, brushing aside young American Alex Michelsen in straight sets last night to set up a quarter-final showdown with Jannik Sinner.
Jack Snape was at Melbourne Park to cover the No 8 seed as he reached the last eight at the Australian Open for the first time.
Gauff and Badosa are familiar opponents, having met eight times previously with the head-to-head tied at 4-4. Badosa has show signs of returning to her best especially in a three-set win when challenged by 17th seed Marta Kostyuk in the third round. This is the first time the Spaniard has reached the last eight at Melbourne Park as she now seeks a breakthrough grand slam semi-final.
Coco Gauff dropped a set for the first time at the 2025 Australian Open during the round of 16 before eventually overrunning the returning Belinda Bencic 5-7, 6-2, 6-1. The No 3 seed can expect another tough battle today against former world No 2 and 11th seed Paula Badosa who is rapidly returning to form after her career was threatened by a chronic back injury. Both players are arriving with plenty of bounce in their step as they make their way onto RLA.
Coco Gauff and Paula Badosa are warming up away from the heat and in the caverns of Melbourne Park, but a reminder of how the third seed progressed to the last eight and within one step of a much-anticipated match-up with world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
The temperature is heating up along with the action on the show courts with a high of 33C expected at Melbourne Park and sure to test the players during the day session.
The forecast for the rest of the week is a much more tennis-friendly low-to-mid 20s.
☀️A hot and partly cloudy day, though cooler by the coast.
⛈️Isolated showers over the far eastern ranges during the afternoon and the chance of a thunderstorm.
🌬️Light winds, tending moderate south to southwesterly during the afternoon in western and central districts. pic.twitter.com/X2rtsACjSx
— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) January 20, 2025
https://x.com/BOM_Vic/status/1881447792217886889
Preamble
Martin Pegan
Hello and welcome to live coverage of day 10 at the 2025 Australian Open and the start of the women’s and men’s singles quarter-finals.
First up on centre court from 11.30am AEDT will be Coco Gauff (3) and Paula Badosa (11) meeting for a spot in the last four to take on the winner of the Aryna Sabalenka (1) or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (27) quarter-final at 7pm this evening.
In the men’s singles, Alexander Zverev (2) faces Tommy Paul (12) this afternoon to decide who will await the victor of the mouth-watering Novak Djokovic (7) and Carlos Alcaraz (3) clash later this evening.
I’ll be focused on all the shots and scores on Rod Laver Arena but do let us know if you have anything to share out of, or away from, the main events whether on email, or @martinpegan on Bluesky or X. Let’s get into it!
