Australian Open 2025 LIVE updates: Defeated Demon hits back at troll; Sabalenka to take on bestie Badosa

A quick look at the forecast for Melbourne today. Again, a cooler day on Thursday, with the temperature to creep up a bit over the weekend (with another scorcher coming on Monday, the day after the tournament ends – cue sighs of relief from players and spectators here).

Boris Becker has a message for his countryman Alexander Zverev on how to beat Novak Djokovic, the 10-time Open champion he coached for three years.

“It’s important for the match against Djokovic that he [Zverev] sets the pace and takes the initiative. Because if Djokovic lets you run, then you have no chance,” Becker told Eurosport.

Zverev is chasing his maiden grand slam title, while Djokovic is aiming for a record 25th major.

“It takes a lot of courage to go where he’s never been before – to the final of the Australian Open,” Becker said about Zverev.

“Then, of course, a bit of luck, hitting the line or getting a good decision from the umpire. That’s also part of it. And decisiveness, being ready for the big day.

“If the match goes on for a long time, Djokovic is no longer quite as strong as he was two or three years ago. Sascha Zverev is known for his physical strength – he’s sometimes called the marathon man because he’s had to go over five sets so often. The question is how the first sets will end,” Becker said.

He said Zverev had started playing more offensively this year, but he had to include strong returns along with his serve.

“Novak has been through it all,” Becker said. “No one has played more grand slam matches, no one has won more grand slams. He really has experienced everything you can experience on the tennis court. Sascha has to stick to his game and show his strengths – his serve, his baseline strokes and his fitness. He mustn’t let himself be put off his game, whatever his opponent does.”

Iga Swiatek is dominating her Australian Open opponents the way no one has at Melbourne Park since Maria Sharapova in 2013.

Swiatek’s latest lopsided win came via a 6-1, 6-2 scoreline in the quarter-finals against No.8 seed Emma Navarro.

The No. 2-seeded Swiatek has not dropped a set so far in the tournament, and has also lost a grand total of only 14 games as she seeks her first title at Melbourne Park and sixth grand slam trophy overall. Sharapova was the last woman to reach the Australian Open semi-finals, having dropped fewer than 15 games.

“She does everything with 100 per cent conviction and intensity,” Navarro said about Swiatek. “She has a different style of movement and play. It’s tough to not be sort of affected by that and not feel like, ‘OK, I have to do everything at the same speed that she’s doing it.’ So that was something, for sure, I felt a little bit today.”

Swiatek will face No.19 Madison Keys of the US tonight for a berth in the final.

Keys, whose best showing at a major was getting to the title match at the 2017 US Open, was a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 winner against Elina Svitolina and is into her third semi-final in Australia.

“Iga is tough to beat because she has a lot of spin, kind of naturally, on both sides. She’s a good server. She’s a good returner. She moves incredibly well,” Keys said. “The biggest thing that makes her so difficult to beat is, because she moves so well, if you miss your spot just slightly, she has enough time to recover, and then the point goes back to neutral.”

AP

From the despair of hotel quarantine hell to the joy of a maiden grand slam semi-final charge, Paula Badosa hopes she is not done yet.

Badosa will enter tonight’s Australian Open last-four showdown with two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka armed with unshakeable belief fostered from years of overcoming adversity.

A debilitating back injury that sent the former world No.2’s ranking plummeting to outside the top 100 last year has been well documented.

Somewhat forgotten is how Badosa was the first player to test positive to COVID-19 during her compulsory stint in quarantine before the 2022 Open and her complaints of having to live with mice in her room.

Those dark days are very much behind her, but they have also helped shape the Spaniard while instilling the New York-born 27-year-old with resilience.

“I’m a fighter,” Badosa said after taking out third seed Coco Gauff. “I’ve been through so many things in my life. I think it helped me to appreciate the moment more.”

Badosa and Sabalenka may be best friends, but the 11th-seeded underdog will shove sentiment to the side when she attempts to snap the Belarusian’s 19-match winning streak at Melbourne Park and make the final.

“I’m never going to feel freedom until I win the tournament,” said Badosa, a former junior prodigy and French Open girls’ champion. “I will step on the court in the semi-finals, I don’t care against who, and I will want to win so badly. That’s part of me.”

AAP

Obviously, Alex de Minaur’s quarter-final did not pan out as he had hoped on Wednesday night, with the Australian’s dream of reaching the semi-finals thwarted in imperious fashion by Italian world No.1 Jannik Sinner. More on that here.

Clearly, the Aussie was disappointed in himself. And he had a sharp response for one person who felt the need to post on social media about the Demon’s “awful” performance.

“Hey mate it’s a shame that you never became a good enough player to experience playing Jannik,” de Minaur wrote in response.

“I’m sure you would have put up a better performance and know exactly how to beat him. Wishing you all the best!!!”

Speaking of live action, here’s the semi-final schedule for Melbourne Park today.

While we wait for those clashes, there’s plenty happening on Rod Laver Arena and the other courts, with juniors, wheelchair and quad wheelchair singles and doubles, and some blasts from the past all taking to the courts. Here are some of the highlights:

Rod Laver Arena: (not before 12.30pm)
AO Legends’ Cup men’s doubles: Mark Philippoussis/Pat Rafter v Marcos Baghdatis/Tommy Haas

Margaret Court Arena: (second match)
AO Legends’ Cup women’s doubles: Casey Dellacqua/Alicia Molik v Daniel Hantuchova/Iva Majoli
Followed by girls’ quarter-final: Wakana Sonobi-4 (JPN) v Tahlia Kokkinis-WC (AUS)

Kia Arena:
Men’s wheelchair singles semi-final: Tokito Oda-1 (JPN) v Martin de la Puente-3 (SPN)

1573 Arena: (second match)
Girls’ quarter-final: Emerson Jones-1 (AUS) v Lilli Tagger (AUT)

Court six: (not before 12.30pm)
Boys’ quarter-final: Jagger Leach-5 (US) v William Rejchtman Vinciguerra-14 (SWE)

Good morning everyone, and welcome to our coverage of day 12 of the Australian Open.

“Demon Day” didn’t quite go as hoped last night, but the tournament rolls on with the women’s semi-finals being held tonight.

As always, there’s plenty of news, live action and colour from Melbourne Park to come, as well as catching up on the fallout from day 11.

Thanks for joining us, and enjoy the tennis!