By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday January 21, 2025

It’s quarterfinal time down under! Day 11 of the Australian Open will feature last-eight matchups for the bottom half on the women’s side and the top half on the men’s side.



When the day is done, we’ll be down to semifinals in both the men’s and women’s draws.

The full Day 11 order of play is here:

Here’s what we’ll be keeping close tabs on…

Keys vs Svitolina
Head-to-Head: Svitolina leads 3-2

Two resurgent players that have been flying under the radar until now will have their moment in the sun on Wednesday as Madison Keys takes on Elina Svitolina for a chance in the semifinals.

Keys has been red hot so far in 2025. Perhaps it is her new, more maneuverable racquet which she claims is allowing her to relax on her baseline and swing a little easier. Whatever she’s done to get ready for 2025 it has clearly worked for the 29-year-old. She has won nine matches on the trot and 11 of 12 for the year.

Svitolina has recovered miraculously from ankle surgery last September and is playing at top form once again. The former World No.3 has struck the ball with authority and is moving as well as she ever has. Mental toughness, as always, is still her calling card – Svitolina is never out of a match and she’s always focused with a great next-point mentality. Keye has the potential to hit anyone off the court, but on the flipside the Ukrainian has what it takes to move Keys around and expose her advantage in mobility.

It’s an interesting matchup and it’ll come down to serve, execution and courage.

Swiatek vs Navarro
Head-to-Head: Swiatek leads 1-0

Emma Navarro has won four consecutive three-setters to reach her first Australian open quarterfinal but she hasn’t faced anybody like Iga Swiatek yet in Melbourne. The Pole has dropped just 11 games through four matches and looks very comfortable on the hardcourt at Melbourne Park. Could this be the year she breaks through and finally gets beyond the semifinals at the Australian open?

With Elena Rybakina out of the draw already, her chances go up. But don’t count Navarro out. The American has been very steady at the majors of late and she has the fitness and the footwork to keep Swiatek in points longer than most. Navarro last faced the pole in 2018 at an 80K challenger event. That didn’t go so well but this is a different Navarro we’re talking about.

‘When I look back at my tennis career, I feel like there were not too many times when I was totally blown off the court, and I definitely was kind of blown off the court playing her,” Navarro said on Monday in Melbourne. “I think maybe at the time she was ranked 200 or something. We played at my home club in Charleston. I was, like, ‘Wow, this girl is pretty good.’

Seven years later, Navarro is eager to show how far she’s come.

“Circumstances are definitely different now,” she said. “I feel like I'm pretty good, too. You know, I'm ready for a good challenge.”

Shelton vs Sonego
Head-to-Head: Tied 1-1

Ben Shelton continues to prove, time and time again, that he is a legitimate force at the Grand Slams. The Florida native plays the big points so well and is supremely fit and built to withstand the physical rigors of five set matches. He’ll be the favorite against Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego, but the Italian is a shot maker extraordinaire, and an extremely gifted player who has broken through to reach his first grand slam quarterfinal in Melbourne.

If he can stay loose and play his best tennis, he’ll have a shot against Shelton. If not, look for the American to reach his second major semifinal.

Sinner vs De Minaur
Head-to-Head: Sinner leads 9-0.

Alex De Minaur always makes the most of his talent, and once again the man known as “The Demon” has maximized it this week in Australia, reaching his first quarterfinal at his home Slam. But Demon’s next test will be about as difficult as it gets. Facing Jannik Sinner is a problem for any player, but particularly for the Aussie, who has lost all nine of his meetings against the Italian juggernaut. There will be some scar tissue to go with the distinct advantage that Sinner holds due to his power and his serve advantage.

Sinner has won 18 consecutive matches and he is now just three wins from a successful Australian open title defense. He struggled in his last outing due to physical issues, but if he can put those issues behind him, expect him to sail into the semifinals with relative ease.

That said, never count De Minaur out. The Aussie is certainly not ready to lose this match in the locker room:

“The great thing about tennis is that once you step out on the court, you both start at 0-0, right?” De Minaur said. “It's a whole new day, a whole new match, and anything can happen. Sports is unpredictable.That's exactly the mindset I'm going to have going into that match.

“I'm looking forward to it. That's the matches I want to be playing. Ultimately, if there is anything, it's going to be my first match this whole tournament where I'm the underdog and don't have all the pressure and expectation of, you know, having to win. So it's quite exciting, and I'm looking forward to that.”