The Australian Open, the year's opening Grand Slam tournament, moves into its crucial fourth round on Sunday, with top seeds Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka taking centre stage in Melbourne. The action-packed day eight features a stellar lineup of matches as players battle for coveted quarter-final berths.
Star-Studded Day Eight Schedule
The afternoon session on Rod Laver Arena promises high-octane tennis, headlined by world number one Aryna Sabalenka. The Belarusian powerhouse opens proceedings against Victoria Mboko, a talented 17th-seeded Canadian teenager making her first appearance in the second week of a Grand Slam. This match represents a significant test for the young rising star against an established champion.
Following that encounter, Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz continues his quest to complete a career Grand Slam. The men's top seed faces a challenging opponent in 19th-seeded American Tommy Paul, known for his aggressive baseline game. Alcaraz will need to be at his explosive best to advance further in the tournament.
Evening Entertainment and Other Key Matches
The night session on Rod Laver Arena offers compelling narratives, beginning with home favourite Alex de Minaur. The Australian sixth seed will enjoy passionate local support as he takes on Kazakhstan's tenth seed Alexander Bublik, whose unpredictable style promises an entertaining contest.
Perhaps the most politically charged match of the day follows, as Ukrainian 12th seed Elina Svitolina meets Russian eighth seed Mirra Andreeva. This Russian-Ukrainian clash carries significance beyond tennis, adding an intense layer to what is already a mouthwatering fourth-round encounter between two highly skilled competitors.
Elsewhere, women's third seed Coco Gauff aims to secure her quarter-final spot against Czech 19th seed Karolina Muchova on Margaret Court Arena. On the men's side, German third seed Alexander Zverev faces Argentina's 18th seed Francisco Cerundolo on John Cain Arena, while Russian 11th seed Daniil Medvedev takes on American 25th seed Learner Tien.
Complete Order of Play for Sunday 25 January
Rod Laver Arena
- 12:30 AM GMT: Aryna Sabalenka [1] vs Victoria Mboko (CAN) [17]
- Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) [1] vs Tommy Paul (USA) [19]
- 8:00 AM GMT: Alexander Bublik (KAZ) [10] vs Alex de Minaur (AUS) [6]
- Elina Svitolina (UKR) [12] vs Mirra Andreeva [8]
Margaret Court Arena
- 12:30 AM GMT: Laura Siegemund (GER) / Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) vs Olivia Gadecki (AUS) / John Peers (AUS)
- Storm Hunter (AUS) / Maya Joint (AUS) vs Anna Danilina (KAZ) / Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) [7]
- Coco Gauff (USA) [3] vs Karolina Muchova (CZE) [19]
- 5:00 AM GMT: Daniil Medvedev [11] vs Learner Tien (USA) [25]
John Cain Arena
- 12:30 AM GMT: Robert Cash (USA) / JJ Tracy (USA) [14] vs Marcel Granollers (ESP) / Horacio Zeballos (ARG) [3]
- Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) vs Iva Jovic (USA) [29]
- Adam Pavlasek (CZE) / John-Patrick Smith (AUS) vs Luke Johnson (GBR) / Jan Zielinski (POL)
- 6:00 AM GMT: Alexander Zverev (GER) [3] vs Francisco Cerundolo (ARG) [18]
Australian Open Tournament Schedule Overview
The fourth round on Sunday 25 January features four men's singles and four women's singles matches, alongside third-round doubles contests and second-round mixed doubles. The junior events also commence with first-round boys' and girls' singles.
The tournament progresses through the week with quarter-finals scheduled for Tuesday 27 January and Wednesday 28 January. The women's singles semi-finals take place on Thursday 29 January, followed by the men's singles semi-finals on Friday 30 January, which also hosts the mixed doubles final and wheelchair doubles finals.
The climax arrives over the weekend: Saturday 31 January showcases the women's singles final, men's and women's doubles finals, and wheelchair singles finals. The tournament concludes on Sunday 1 February with the men's singles final and the boys' and girls' singles finals, wrapping up two weeks of world-class tennis in Melbourne.
