Australian Open 2025 LIVE: Latest results and set-by-set updates as serious concerns rise for Novak Djokovic ahead of semi-final clash as besties Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa prepare to put friendship aside

An update, of sorts, on Novak Djokovic’s fitness. After a suspected hamstring injury in his quarter-final win over Carlos Alcaraz, he admitted he was ‘concerned’. He was not on site on Wednesday and after being down to practice today at 2pm his name suddenly disappeared off the schedule, raising fears over his fitness.

We have been told he did not practice at Melbourne Park and, while it is possible he has hit off-site somewhere, it is likely he has given his injury two full days of rest.

The Serb is down to practice at 1pm tomorrow before facing Alexander Zverev at 2.30pm.

Djokovic also delivered a surprise offer to British star Jacob Fearnley this week.

That looked worrying at first but the Spaniard is OK!

She appeared to trip over and fall face-first to the ground as she attempted to return a shot from Sabalenka.

Her racket went flying as she fell there but the good news is that Badosa held her thumb up to signal that she was OK.

She even was able to laugh about it afterwards with her good friend, Sabalenka, who will no doubt give her some stick after the match for the trip!

A clinical display from the Serbian. She bounces back after going 2-0 down to beat her good friend Badosa and clinch the first set.

Badosa just couldn’t hold against her good friend as Sabalenka switched up her game, utilising her immense power as well as some cute drop shots, spin and brilliant court awareness.

She’s now one set away from a three-peat.

Tyra Banks is embracing a surprising new life in Australia and the 51-year-old is looking to make a big telly comeback Down Under.

Currently living in Sydney, Banks has called in today to check out the tennis at Melbourne Park but admitted she had embraced the Aussie way of life as she plots her next career step.

‘I think I’m going to go back to do some TV,’ she teased. ‘I might even do stuff here—morning shows, hosting, something. When I do, it’s going to feel like home.’

Check out the full interview below!

Ahead of tonight’s match, Tyra Banks stopped for a quick photo shoot in the tunnel at the Rod Laver Arena.

She’s out on court watching as Sabalenka takes a commanding 5-3 lead in this match.

The American actress, who has featured in shows including the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Gossip Girl and Coyote Ugly has also recently revealed plans to make a comeback to screens Down Under!

The Belarusian takes the lead at 3-2!

Paula Badosa gallantly saved three breakpoints there but just couldn’t hold out against the Belarusian, hitting a shot into the net to concede an advantage before placing a return in between the tramlines to concede the break.

Aryna Sabalenka, meanwhile, seems to have found her groove after a slow start in this match.

She played some incredibly powerful groundstrokes in that last game and Badosa struggled to temper the ball.

Meanwhile, it’s raining in Melbourne. It’s been a little chilly here so I am surprised the roof wasn’t shut before this match kicked off but in any event, we’re just having a little break in play while the ballkids mop up the droplets on the court and it looks like we’ll be getting back underway pretty quickly here.

Meanwhile, Sabalenka got audiences laughing earlier this week after the defending champion danced on court after her first-round victory against Sloane Stephens.

Check out the funny moment below…

Aryna Sabalenka pulls the first set back to 2-2 and her service game is looking much better now after being broken early on.

Badosa, meanwhile, spoke earlier this week about how the pair would approach playing together, considering that they are such good friends.

We deal with it pretty normal. Plenty of times we had messages before the match. It’s pretty chill. We know how to separate things very well.

We spoke about it so many times. We admire, respect each other. It’s going to be a battle inside the court, of course, but outside, it’s super normal.

She’s right, this match is shaping up to be a huge tussle between the pair!

A massive break and she’s bounding with confidence here.

She races to a 40-15 lead before breaking the Belarusian.

And the Spaniard gives a huge fist bump to the air. She’s been solid at the start of this match.

But she cannot hold serve. The Belarusian hits back with a break of her own, capitalising on a few errors from her good pal Badosa.

While it may be an awkward one for the pair, considering their strong friendship, playing against each other is not something that will be new for Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa.

The pair have played each other seven times during their careers, with Sabalenka winning five of those matches.

Their most recent match came in the round of 32 at Roland Garros, with Sabalenka securing victory against Badosa before the Belarusian was knocked out at the quarter-finals.

But it’s Badosa who takes the lead, holding service in the first game, while saving a break point against the world No 1.

Only a slight head nod between Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa as they stand in the tunnel, ready to step out onto court.

But both look absolutely in the zone here, despite being best friends.

The first women’s semi-final is less than 10 minutes away!

Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa have long been close friends. And tonight will not be the first time they will have gone head-to-head on the tennis court.

The pair are set to go up against each other in about 10 minutes time at the Rod Laver Arena and I’ve just seen Badosa and her boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas backstage at Melbourne Park sharing a quick hug.

Sabalenka and Badosa, though, first formed a bond after facing each other for the first time back at the 2021 Cincinnati Masters.

And even amid their rivalry, the pair have gone on to brand themselves ‘soulmates’ with the duo regularly being spotted away from the court together attending events and going out for dinner.

Sabalenka has even expressed her gratitude to have a friend like Badosa on the tennis circuit.

‘It is very difficult. It doesn’t happen very often that you can find your soulmate on the circuit because we compete against each other. But we had this deal: on the court we are opponents, we can shout whatever we want, but off the court we are friends again,’ Aryna Sabalenka said (via puntodebreak).

Read more about their friendship here!

So we have got a jam-packed evening coming for you tonight with the women’s semi-finals set to get underway at around 7:30pm AEDT (8:30am GMT).

Defending Australian Open Aryna Sabalenka and her close friend Paula Badosa will go head-to-head in a huge match that will see their friendship tested.

After that, American star Madison Keys will look to secure her passage to the women’s singles final. But in her way stands five-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek, who sensationally is yet to drop a set at the tournament so far.

The players are in the house and we’ll be getting underway in the next 30 minutes.

Australian Open boss Craig Tiley said in the week that the tournament will have a strong Australia Day presence on Sunday.

The men’s singles finals will take place on Sunday, with Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Ben Shelton and Alexander Zverev all gunning for a place in the showpiece event.

‘I’m proud of the fact that we are an event that always has been and always will be inclusive, diverse and offer equal opportunity for all,’ he said.

‘You will see the welcoming and the recognition of the Australian of the Year, on-court green and gold, the Australian flag as well.

‘We will have pre-ceremonies and special guests which we are going to announce and the Australian national anthem.

‘Australia Day does this year fall on the final day of the event, and so we anticipate to have a recognition.’

But some have hit out at the plans, including former Australian tennis star Sam Groth, who called for ‘more than just flags and the national anthem.’

Groth, 37, retired in 2018 but now works as the deputy leader of the Victorian Liberal Party.

‘[It] would absolutely be more appropriate to have something more major than just the flags, and…singing the national anthem,’ he said.

‘Yes, we can acknowledge some of the flaws of our country, but give those that want to celebrate, that come on site, the opportunity to.’

In the past, Tennis Australia has removed formal recognition of the national day, amid a push to change its date.

‘We are mindful there are differing views, and at the Australian Open we are inclusive and respectful of all,’ a Tennis Australia spokesperson had previously said.

‘We acknowledge the historical significance and deep spiritual connection our First Peoples have to this land, and recognise this with a Welcome to Country on stadium screens prior to both the day and night session daily.’

Good afternoon and some news just in at Melbourne Park for you.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has hit out at any potential plans for protesters to disrupt the men’s singles final at the Australian Open on Sunday afternoon.

It comes as rumours have been circling around the tennis precinct in days that some Australia Day protesters were planning to disrupt proceedings on Sunday, January 26.

Protests have been planned for Melbourne’s CBD, but organisers have claimed there is no plan to make their way to Melbourne Park and will follow the same route that has been used in the past.

Ms Allan, though, branded any attempts to cause trouble at the tennis ‘disgusting’ before adding that a large police presence will be seen around the city and the tennis precinct in order to control crowds.

Approximately 30,000 people are expected to take to the streets on Australia Day amid the protests.

Ms Allan called on all parties to show respect, no matter their stance on Australia Day.

‘I think we can all find space in our hearts to respect that, to understand that,’ the Premier said.

‘Respect also goes both ways. We’ve got to make sure that for those who want to acknowledge the day in their own way have the space to do that.’

Read the full story below…