Category: Australian Open

Wawrinka not focused on potential Kyrgios clash

The 2014 Australian Open champion is likely to have a straightforward path through the opening rounds in his quest to add a fourth grand slam tournament title to his collection. But he could face a major challenge from Kyrgios, who has already beaten him twice and is likely to await him in the round of 16 should he overcome the knee injury that has troubled him in the lead-up.

Record-seeking Djokovic deflects Becker jab

Novak Djokovic said he wasn’t planning to replace Boric Becker in his coaching team and deflected criticism from the German about his work-rate as he prepared to defend his Australian Open title on Saturday. MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic said he wasn’t planning to replace Boric Becker in his coaching team and deflected criticism from the German about his work-rate as he prepared to defend his Australian Open title on Saturday.

Johanna Konta: Champion in Sydney

Konta triumphed 6-4 6-2 against the Pole to claim only the second WTA title of her career, giving her the perfect platform heading into next week’s Australian Open. The Briton, playing in the city of her birth, will now head to Melbourne where her title bid will get under way against Kirsten Flipkens on Tuesday.

Best day ever: Destanee hits with Serena, her inspiration

United States’ Serena Williams, left, talks with Australian player Destanee Aiava during a promotional event on Margaret Court Arena ahead of the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017. Aiava will be the first player born this century to play in the main draw match at a tennis major.

With an eye on title No. 7, Novak Djokovic comes into Australian Open ‘feeling phenomenal’

Novak Djokovic of Serbia hits a backhand volley during a practice session ahead of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 12, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia Novak Djokovic has no pretensions to being a super spy but the number 007 has got the Australian Open champion “pumped” ahead of the year’s first grand slam. The 29-year-old Serbian joined Roy Emerson as the most successful men’s champion at the Australian Open last year when he beat Andy Murray for his sixth title at Melbourne Park.

Fall in rankings has Federer seeded 17th at Australian Open

A long injury layoff and a fall in the rankings have created a tougher draw for 17-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer at the Australian Open Fall in rankings has Federer seeded 17th at Australian Open A long injury layoff and a fall in the rankings have created a tougher draw for 17-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer at the Australian Open Check out this story on USATODAY.com: http://usat.ly/2jxDXiq Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts during his Qatar Open 2017 final tennis match against Britain’s Andy Murray in Doha, Qatar, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017. MELBOURNE, Australia – A long injury layoff and a fall in the rankings have created a tougher draw for 17-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer at the Australian Open.

Bouchard advances to Sydney quarter-finals

Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard continued her resurgent run heading into the Australian Open with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Dominika Cibulkova on Tuesday to reach the quarter-finals at the Sydney International. Bouchard improved her career record to 4-1 against Cibulkova, who was ranked No.

Australian player banned for 7 years for match-fixing

A former Australian Open junior boys’ finalist has been banned from the sport for seven years by the Tennis Integrity Unit after being found guilty of match-fixing offenses at a minor tournament in 2013. Police in New South Wales state charged Nick Lindahl with intentionally losing a tennis match on which friends had placed bets at an ITF futures tournament at Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, in September 2013.

Murray enhances rankings position

Andy Murray has enhanced his position as world No 1 despite losing for the first time in 29 tournament matches at the weekend. Andy Murray was runner-up in Doha but that has still enabled him to improve his hold on the world No 1 spot Murray was beaten for the first time since Kei Nishikori defeated him in the quarter-finals of the US Open in September when Novak Djokovic won Sunday’s Qatar Open final in three sets.

Bryan brothers still in winning form

BOB Bryan was even serious when he talked about the legendary Bryan brothers being under the radar for the doubles crown at the Australian Open. Identical twins Bob and Mike may have slipped to No.3 in the world rankings, but sorry Bob, any attempt to claim the underdog tag is wasted.

Wild-card entry Bouchard wins 1st-round match at Sydney

Eugenie Bouchard made the most of her wild-card entry to the Sydney International, beating Zhang Shuai of China 7-6 , 6-2 on Sunday in a first-round match. Bouchard, a 22-year-old former Wimbledon finalist, was beaten in the first round of the Brisbane International last week in her first warmup tournament for the Australian Open, which begins on Jan. 16 and where she was a surprise semifinalist in 2014.

Dimitrov vs Nishikori in Brisbane; Murray-Djokovic face off in Doha

IMAGE: Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov reacts after winning his match against Canada’s Milos Raonic at the Brisbane International semi-final at the Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane on Saturday. Photograph: Steve Holland/Reuters ulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov upset top seed and defending champion Milos Raonic of Canada at the Brisbane International on Saturday to set up a title clash against Japan’s Kei Nishikori.

Defending champ Djokovic to face top-ranked Murray in final

Defending champion Novak Djokovic survived five match points to beat Fernando Verdasco and set up a final against top-ranked Andy Murray, who had far less trouble winning his semifinal as he recorded a seventh straight victory against Tomas Berdych. On another day of chilly and windy weather Friday, Djokovic prevailed 4-6, 7-6 , 6-3 after the 42nd-ranked Verdasco, a crafty left-hander and former top-10 player, controlled the first two sets until the latter stages of the tiebreaker.

Raonic beats Nadal, keeps Brisbane title defence on track

Rafael Nadal was up a set and had a break point against defending champion Milos Raonic when he sent a forehand just wide. Raonic made the most of the reprieve, holding serve in that fifth game of the second set and then attacking Nadal’s serve in the eighth to swing the momentum his way in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 quarterfinal win Friday at the Brisbane International.

Raonic beats Nadal, keeps Brisbane title defense on track

Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts after winning a point in his quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic of Canada at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Friday, Jan. 6, 2017. Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts after winning a point in his quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic of Canada at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Friday, Jan. 6, 2017.

Will Serena Williams Return As the No. 1 Player in 2017?

Serena Williams lost a second-round match at the ASB Classic on Wednesday, but it will only awaken the American superstar to find her form before the Australian Open draw on Jan. 13. After not playing competitive tour tennis since the U.S. Open and all but relinquishing her No. 1 ranking to Angelique Kerber, Serena is putting on her game face.

Classic a reminder of sport’s unpredictability

At the start of this week, no one could have predicted the semifinal lineup that we will have on Friday, with all four players outside the top 40. With two days of the tournament still to play, the top six seeds have gone, including Serena Williams, sister Venus and another former World No 1 Caroline Wozniacki. It’s been a mini-disaster for the organisers, who would have ideally wanted one or two of their big names to be around on Saturday.

Wozniacki beaten in ASB Classic quarterfinals

” The ASB Tennis Classic was shorn of the last of its big-name contenders on Thursday when former world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki wasted a match-winning position and lost 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the quarterfinals to Germany’s Julia Goerges. The tournament had boasted the strongest field in its history when four former No.

Frustrated Serena Williams loses in second round at Auckland

Serena Williams lost her second-round match Wednesday at the ASB Classic and the 22-time Grand Slam singles champion didn’t leave quietly Frustrated Serena Williams loses in second round at Auckland Serena Williams lost her second-round match Wednesday at the ASB Classic and the 22-time Grand Slam singles champion didn’t leave quietly Check out this story on USATODAY.com: http://usat.ly/2hQWIzj AUCKLAND, New Zealand – Serena Williams lost her second-round match at the ASB Classic and the 22-time Grand Slam singles champion, frustrated by swirling winds, didn’t leave quietly. “At least I can get out of these conditions,” No.

Hopman Cup 2017: Old man Federer beaten by young gun Zverev in three-set thriller

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Sport24.co.za | Serena bundled out of Auckland Classic

Top seed Serena Williams suffered a shock defeat to fellow American Madison Brengle in the second round of the WTA Auckland Classic on Wednesday to bring an abrupt end to her return to the court. In her first tournament since losing in the semi-finals of the US Open four months ago, Williams was bundled out 6-4, 6-7 , 6-4 by the world number 72 in a two-hour, 13-minute arm wrestle.

Nadal continues comeback with a first win in Brisbane

Rafael Nadal was in need of some sleep, so he didn’t waste much time against Alexandr Dolgopolov on Tuesday. The 14-time major champion, playing his opening match at the Brisbane International a day after arriving in Australia following a win in an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi, beat the Ukrainian 6-3, 6-3 after getting on court at almost 10:30 p.m. local time.

My heart wasn’t in it anymore, says Ivanovic

Former women’s tennis world number one Ana Ivanovic admitted Saturday she retired this week because she felt both physically and mentally unfit to carry on after years of battling injuries. Ana Ivanovic was world number one for a spell in 2008, the same year she won her sole Grand Slam title at the French Open The 29-year-old Serbian — whose sole Grand Slam success came in the 2008 French Open one of her 15 WTA titles — added she wanted to retire while she still loved the sport.

Andy Murray is a five-time runner up at the Australian Open

World number one Andy Murray returns to the court in Abu Dhabi on Friday hoping a change of preparations can help deliver an elusive Australian Open title next month. The Scot ended the 2016 tour at the top of the ATP Rankings after claiming both the Wimbledon and Olympic crowns, and defeating previous top seed Novak Djokovic to win the year-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London.