Tag: Tennis

Nadal in Rut, Djokovic on Roll as Australian Open Approaches

MELBOURNE, Australia—Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic own the two largest collections of Grand Slam trophies in the history of men’s tennis. They are their sport’s two most prominent active figures; no one else is even close. Both are in their mid-30s; no one knows how much longer they’ll be at the top of the game….


Djokovic Says Deportation Drama Paved Way to Success

MELBOURNE—Novak Djokovic said his controversial deportation ahead of last year’s Australian Open proved an unlikely catalyst for success in 2022, allowing him to regroup on the practice court before bouncing back with key titles. The Serb trained hard in the months after he was deported and while barred from competing in the United States for…


Djokovic Receives Warm Welcome in Melbourne Return

MELBOURNE, Australia—Novak Djokovic received a warm and enthusiastic welcome in his return to Melbourne during an exhibition match against Nick Kyrgios on Friday. Djokovic’s visa for entering Australia was revoked and he was deported ahead of last year’s Australian Open because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19. He still hasn’t gotten the shots, but the…


Djokovic, Nadal Can Only Meet in Final at Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia—Rivals Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal were placed on opposite halves of the Australian Open bracket in the draw Thursday, meaning the owners of a combined 43 Grand Slam singles titles could only meet in the final at Melbourne Park. Djokovic, a nine-time champion in Australia, returns to the hard-court tournament after missing it…


Naomi Osaka Pregnant, Sitting out 2023 Tennis Season

Former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka is pregnant and taking the year off from tennis, vowing to return at the 2024 Australian Open. She announced Wednesday in a social media post that she billed as a “little life update” that she is skipping play in 2023, without specifically mentioning her pregnancy. However, she included a…


Is the GOAT of Tennis a Meaningless Competition?

Commentary As the Australian Open will be played in Melbourne from Jan. 16 to Jan. 29, it is time to consider an interesting question on Quora that observers of the tennis world will be interested in: “Isn’t the whole GOAT debate in tennis just pointless and a waste of time? Any true tennis fan would…


Players Could Play at Australian Open With COVID: Tournament Director Tiley

MELBOURNE—Players at this month’s Australian Open will not be required to take COVID-19 tests and could play even if they had the virus, tournament director Craig Tiley said on Monday. The health policy, which Tiley said reflected what was happening in the wider community, is a marked change from strict protocols which surrounded the tournament…


‘Frenemies’ Djokovic and Kyrgios to Play Practice Match Before Australian Open

Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios will rekindle their bromance by playing a practice match before the Australian Open, giving the latter a chance to stretch his legs before the year’s first Grand Slam. Kyrgios, ranked 22nd in the world and runner-up at last year’s Wimbledon, has not played since October. He missed the United Cup…


Team USA Beats Italy to Win Inaugural United Cup

SYDNEY—The United States claimed the inaugural United Cup on Sunday in convincing fashion with an overpowering display over Italy in the final of the mixed teams event. No. 9-ranked Taylor Fritz gave the U.S. an unassailable 3–0 lead in the best-of-five matchup when edging former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini 7–6 (4), 7–6 (7). Italy’s Matteo…


Djokovic Saves Match Point to Beat Korda for Adelaide Crown

ADELAIDE, Australia—Novak Djokovic dug deep to save a match point on the way to a battling 6–7(8) 7–6(3) 6–4 victory over Sebastian Korda in the Adelaide International 1 final on Sunday ahead of this month’s Australian Open. A day after he overwhelmed Daniil Medvedev in the semifinal despite sustaining a hamstring injury, Djokovic moved freely…