Samantha Stosur sees Sabalenka-Gauff as perfect Aussie Open final: “I really like to see their rivalry at the moment”

Samantha Stosur chose the two women she sees as an ideal Australian Open finalist. The defending champion is Aryna Sabalenka - who won the title in 2023 and 2024 - and comes in after finishing a remarkable season at world No. 1. The Belarusian defeated Elena Rybakina and Zheng Qinwen in the finals.

She will have other contenders who can be candidates for the title. In addition to the confidence of Zheng and the hierarchy of Rybakina, Iga Swiatek arrives hungry to get a better result in the Grand Slam that has cost her the most, while Coco Gauff comes as a recent champion of the WTA Finals.

Sabalenka vs. Gauff to reignite rivalry

Former world No. 1 doubles player Sam Stosur recently commented on The Tennis Podcast, what her potential dream Australian Open final would be. “Maybe it wouldn't be a surprise final of Sabalenka and [Coco] Gauff, but I really like to see their rivalry at the moment,” she said. “It's currently 5-4. They've had some very close matches, some huge matches, obviously the US Open final and here at the Australian Open in the semifinals last year.

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“It kind of could go either way on any given day. I think seeing two of the best players in the world go at it time and time again and bringing their best tennis is exciting,” added the 2-time Grand Slam doubles champion. “That is probably the rivalry at the moment on the women’s side, so I think we would be in for a treat if we got to see that in Melbourne.”

The Australian Open will start on January 14 and Sabalenka will be the first seed, while Gauff will be the third. Nothing guarantees that they will not be on opposite sides of the draw, but anyway they could not face each other until an eventual semifinal. At the moment the h2h is in favor of the American by 5-4, with only one precedent in a final: back in 2023 US Open when Gauff lifted her first Grand Slam title.

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This year they met three times, with Sabalenka winning the semifinals of the Aussie Open and World Open, while Gauff won the semifinals of the WTA Finals. In all of them, the winner ended up taking the title in the final.

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