Australian Open 2025: Second Round Showdowns Heat Up in Melbourne

MELBOURNE, Australia — The second round of the 2025 Australian Open kicked off on Day 4 with 16 women’s singles matches, setting the stage for intense battles as players vie for a spot in the next round. By the end of the day, 16 women will advance to Round 3, while others will see their Melbourne dreams come to an end.

Among the key matchups, fifth-seeded Qinwen Zheng faced off against Laura Siegemund. Zheng, last year’s finalist, is favored to dominate with her powerful groundstrokes. “Her slow serving style can infuriate opponents, and Siegemund will be hoping she gets under Zheng’s skin,” said tennis analyst Liam McBride. “But Zheng’s monstrous groundstrokes will prove too hot to handle.” All three analysts—McBride, Jordan Reynolds, and Ilemona Onekutu—predicted a straight-sets victory for Zheng.

In another highlight, 30th-seeded Leylah Fernandez took on Cristina Bucșa. Fernandez, known for her athleticism, is expected to face a tough challenge from Bucșa, who delivered a strong performance in her first-round match. “Fernandez needs to back her ability to step in and be aggressive,” Reynolds noted. While McBride predicted an upset in favor of Bucșa, Reynolds and Onekutu favored Fernandez to advance.

Seventeenth-seeded Marta Kostyuk faced Jule Niemeier in a closely contested match. Kostyuk, a rising star from Ukraine, has shown steady improvement, but Niemeier’s dominant first-round performance, where she dropped just one game, made this a tough call. “Kostyuk gets the edge, but it’s almost too tight to call,” McBride said. Reynolds predicted Kostyuk in two sets, while Onekutu foresaw a three-set battle with Niemeier prevailing.

Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka continued her dominant run with a commanding performance against Sloane Stephens in the first round. She faced Brenda Bouzas Maneiro next, with analysts unanimous in predicting a straightforward victory for the defending champion. “Sabalenka wasn’t even at her best against Stephens, yet still won 6-3, 6-2. Let that sink in,” McBride remarked.

The Australian Open, held at Melbourne Park’s Rod Laver Arena, John Cain Arena, and Margaret Court Arena, will conclude with the men’s final on January 26. Fans can catch all the action on ESPN and ESPN+, with daily coverage airing primarily in the evenings and overnight due to the time difference.