It won’t be long until the start of the 2025 Australian Open.

The first Grand Slam of the season in Melbourne is one of the highlights of the tennis calendar and was won in 2024 by Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka.

Will the pair repeat in January or will there be new faces holding the singles trophies aloft?

There will be plenty of star power at the Grand Slam with Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic set to play on the men’s side, and Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff among those looking to challenge Sabalenka for the women’s title.

We run through all you need to know about the 2025 Australian Open, including when it starts and the schedule…

For the second year in a row there will be a Sunday start at the Australian Open.

The Grand Slam will get underway on Sunday, January 12 and will run until Sunday, January 26, with the first round now stretched across three days.

Qualifying is set to run from Monday, January 6 until Saturday, January 11, with players needing to win three matches to make the main draw.

Play in the main draw starts at midnight each day UK time on the outside courts and at 1am on the show courts. The evening session begins at 8am UK time.

• Sunday, January 12: Men’s and women’s singles first round
• Monday, January 13: Men’s and women’s singles first round
• Tuesday, January 14: Men’s and women’s singles first round
• Wednesday, January 15: Men’s and women’s singles second round
• Thursday, January 16: Men’s and women’s singles second round
• Friday, January 17: Men’s and women’s singles third round
• Saturday, January 18: Men’s and women’s singles third round
• Sunday, January 19: Men’s and women’s singles fourth round
• Monday, January 20: Men’s and women’s singles fourth round
• Tuesday, January 21: Men’s and women’s singles quarter-finals
• Wednesday, January 22: Men’s and women’s singles quarter-finals
• Thursday, January 23: Women’s singles semi-finals
• Friday, January 24: Men’s singles semi-finals
• Saturday, January 25: Women’s singles final, men’s doubles final
• Sunday, January 26: Men’s singles final, women’s doubles final

The date for the 2025 Australian Open draw has not been confirmed yet but is likely to be held on Thursday, January 9.

All the big-hitters from the ATP and WTA tours are expected to be playing the Australian Open, eager to get their hands on silverware.

Novak Djokovic will be aiming to win a record 25th Grand Slam title at his most successful major – and will have former rival Andy Murray in his box.

Djokovic could face a tricky draw in Melbourne as he is ranked at No. 7 in the world.

Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are likely to be the favourites for the title.

New world No. 4 Taylor Fritz will also be looking to contend after making the final of the Nitto ATP Finals.

Kyrgios has played just one match in the last two seasons due to injury but is making a comeback and intends to play in Melbourne, where he won the doubles title in 2022.

Sabalenka will be a hot favourite to win a third straight Australian Open title after not dropping a set in 2024.

Swiatek, Gauff, Jasmine Paolini and Elena Rybakina will be among those aiming to stop Sabalenka’s hat-trick bid.

Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen will be hoping to go one better after losing in the 2023 final.

British No. 1 Katie Boulter has also never been past the second round at the Grand Slam.