On Monday, the 32 seeded players for the upcoming Australian Open will be decided, and the coveted spots among the top-8 have now been finalized. Daria Kasatkina’s defeat secured the top-8 spots, with Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek leading the field, while Emma Navarro closed the list.
The top-seeded positions are highly sought after as they allow the best players to avoid tough opponents in the early rounds. Gradually, the draw for the first Grand Slam of the year is taking shape, with Sabalenka as the top favorite to defend her titles from 2023 and 2024.
Sabalenka and Swiatek lead top-8 seeds for Australian Open
The seeding order always plays a significant role in tournament draws, especially in Grand Slams, where the top players can avoid facing each other until the later rounds. There are 32 players that earn seeded positions, but the top-8 are the most desired.
The first week of competition had clear implications for the next Australian Open draw, where, for example, Daria Kasatkina had the chance to move Emma Navarro out of the top eight. However, her loss to Polina Kudermetova ended all hopes for her privileged position.
At the top are Aryna Sabalenka (1st) and Iga Swiatek, who will be placed on opposite sides of the draw, meaning they can only meet in a potential final. Additionally, they will avoid facing Coco Gauff (3rd) and Jasmine Paolini (4th) until a possible semifinal clash.
