The Winners
Adelaide
Felix Auger-Aliassime was a man in desperate need of some success, and victory in Adelaide will hopefully give him the boost he needs to kick on. The Canadian defeated Sebastian Korda 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in the final to grab his sixth ATP title and just his first on an outdoor court.
Once seen as one of the most talented young players in men's tennis, his development hasn't gone to plan at all, and his game has been wildly erratic. But a first title since 2023 as well as a victory over the No. 1 seed Tommy Paul in the semi-finals showcased the raw ability he possesses.
It was also a wonderful week for Madison Keys. The American was in pristine touch, defeating Beatriz Haddad Maia, Jelena Ostapenko, Daria Kasatkina, Liudmila Samsonova, and then fellow American Jessica Pegula 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 in the final as she clinched her ninth WTA title.
At her best, Keys is a superb player, but often struggles for consistency. However, she now heads into the Australian Open in top form, and will be aiming to go on a deep run after missing the tournament last year with injury. She is also on the opposite end of the draw to two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.
Auckland
Veteran Frenchman Gael Monfils etched his name into the history books, becoming the oldest tour-level champion since Ken Rosewell in 1977 after defeating Zizou Bergs 6-3, 6-4 in the Auckland final. A remarkable achievement for a fan favourite, who continues to prove that age is just a number with his freakish athleticism.
Bear in mind, Monfils was trailing 1-6, 2-5 in his opening round match against Pedro Martinez too before mounting a seismic comeback.
Hobart
McCartney Kessler won her second WTA title after a brilliant run in Hobart, which saw her beat No. 1 seed Dayana Yastremska in the quarter-finals and No. 2 seed Elise Mertens 6-4, 3-6, 6-0 in the final.
Interestingly, her previous title came last year in Cleveland a few days before the start of the US Open. She clearly enjoys playing in tournaments on the eve of slams.
The Strugglers
Two Americans unfortunately make this section this week.
Emma Navarro was named the WTA Most Improved Player of the Year in 2024 after a fantastic breakthrough season which saw her reach the semi-finals of the US Open. However, her recent form hasn't been great at all.
In Adelaide, No. 2 seed Navarro was beaten in straight sets at the hands of Samsonova in the quarter-finals, a week after she suffered a second-round loss in Brisbane.
Since she reached the last four of the US Open, Navarro has one win and four losses at tour level, so she is clearly scrapping for her best form ahead of the first Slam of the year.
Meanwhile, on the men's side, Ben Shelton was in action for the first time this season, and it did not go to plan.
Shelton had an extremely tricky second-round clash against the up-and-coming Jakub Mensik, and after two hours and 40 minutes of high-quality tennis, he fell to a 6-7(2), 6-4, 5-7 defeat.
Not the ideal preparation for either player.
Rallies of the week
Our rallies of the week both come from Auckland, with Nuno Borges brilliantly turning defence into attack, while Roberto Carballes Baena sealed a win with a scintillating rally.
Moments of the week
It is fair to say that Danielle Collins isn't the biggest fan of Iga Swiatek. After their meeting at the Olympics last year which saw Collins retire from the clash, the American had a word or two to say to her opponent when they shook hands, and later accused the Pole of being 'insincere' and showing 'fakeness'.
At the United Cup at the start of the year, the USA took on Poland in the final, with Collins sitting on the sidelines for her country. During the team handshake prior to the contest getting underway, she wore a pretty disgusted expression when she crossed paths with her rival.
Social media was quick to react to it, and Collins a few days later changed her Instagram profile picture to that exact moment. Who doesn't love a bit of drama?
Back in Auckland, Monfils received a very special and unique trophy ceremony after his victory, keeping in New Zealand traditions.
Upcoming events
The tennis world will be solely focused on the Australian Open for the next fortnight, as the first Grand Slam of the year begins in Melbourne.
On the men's side, defending champion and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner will be the big favourite, and has been handed a favourable draw as he sits on the opposite side of Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic.
Speaking of, a victory in Australia for Alcaraz would make him the youngest man in history to complete the career Grand Slam. But he could face 10-time champion Djokovic in the quarter-finals, who is now being coached by Andy Murray in what is a jaw-dropping partnership. Whether the Serb has the ability to beat Sinner and Alcaraz anymore, we will have to wait and see.
Over on the women's side, two-time champion Aryna Sabalenka is also the big favourite, as she has dominated on the hard courts in a similar fashion to Sinner.
However, Coco Gauff will surely give her the sternest of tests. The American has been in remarkable form since the US Open last year, with her game looking in a really complete place. She has been handed a very tricky draw though, and will face Sofia Kenin in the first round.
Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina will also be in the mix, with both playing under new coaches. There is a lot of controversy surrounding the latter though, with her former coach Stefano Vukov currently suspended due to an investigation over a potential breach of its code of conduct. Rybakina continues to completely deny that he mistreated her.
Last year's runner-up and the ever-improving Qinwen Zheng will be looking to go a step further this time around, but could face Sabalenka in the quarter-finals - who has proven to be a massive match-up problem for her.