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Tag: Australian Open

  • Djokovic reaches quarter-finals of Australian Open 2024

    Djokovic reaches quarter-finals of Australian Open 2024

    Top seed Novak Djokovic advanced to the Australian Open quarter-finals with a commanding victory over French 20th seed Adrian Mannarino.

    Djokovic, aiming for a record 25th Grand Slam title, secured a dominant 6-0, 6-0, 6-3 win in just one hour and 44 minutes.

    “The first two sets were the best I have played in a while,” Djokovic said.

    Novak Djokovic, aged 36, is set to face 12th seed Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.

    This comes after Fritz defeated last year’s finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas. Additionally, Italy’s Jannik Sinner secured his spot in the quarter-finals with a 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 win over world number 15 Karen Khachanov.

    Sinner is considered one of the favorites to challenge Djokovic in Melbourne. He will face fifth seed Andrey Rublev in the next round after Rublev won a challenging five-set match against Alex de Minaur, ending Australia’s hopes of a home singles champion.

    Djokovic is on course for a record-extending 11th men’s singles title in Melbourne

    ‘I played great from first point to last’

    Until Mannarino won the second game of the third set, Djokovic was on course to be the first player to win all three sets without dropping a game at a Grand Slam since 1993 – a feat never achieved at the Australian Open.

    When Mannarino did clinch the game, the Rod Laver Arena crowd cheered wildly and the Frenchman broke into a huge smile.

    “I really wanted to lose that game because the tension was building up in the stadium,” Djokovic joked afterwards.

    “I needed to get that one out of the way so I could refocus on what I needed to do to close out the match. I played great from the first to the last point.”

    Novak Djokovic is on the quest for an 11th title in Melbourne, which would surpass Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Grand Slam wins.

    Djokovic had faced some challenges in the early rounds, dropping sets and mentioning struggles with illness. However, he found his form in the third round against Tomas Martin Etcheverry, and his recent dominant win over Adrian Mannarino has positioned him well for the remainder of the tournament.

    “The last couple of days have been really good,” Djokovic said.

    “It is going in a positive direction health-wise and tennis-wise so I am really pleased with where I am at the moment.

    “All in all, a great performance.”

  • Nick Kyrgios explains his decision to skip Australian Open

    Nick Kyrgios explains his decision to skip Australian Open

    Nick Kyrgios won’t be able to play in the Australian Open for the second year in a row because he is still recovering from his injuries.

    In January, the Australian player couldn’t participate in the first big tournament of the year because he had surgery on his knee. He had to rest for five months after that.

    He missed the French Open because of a foot injury and couldn’t play in Wimbledon and the US Open because of a wrist problem.

    The 28-year-old only played one game in 2023 and was not chosen to play in the main competition in January.

    Kyrgios said on his Only Fans page that he won’t play in Melbourne in the New Year because he’s still recovering from injuries.

    Kyrgios said he is sad that he can’t play in the 2024 Australian Open.

    Certainly, very sad. I have a lot of great memories there, and I just want to get back to playing really well. I just need some more time.

    I almost won a Grand Slam. I want to make sure my body has enough time to recover, so please be patient with me.

    Kyrgios will probably be on TV next month, even though he can’t play. He may have a job talking about the games.

    Even though I won’t be playing in the competition this year, I will still be there to talk about and explain the matches. I have some exciting plans, so please get excited.

    Kyrgios has signed up to Only Fans, where he will have a free account and plans to show a new side to his fans.

    “He said there will be tennis balls, tips, tricks, and behind-the-scenes stuff. They will also get to see different sides of me. ”

    “I will share my love for gaming, tattoos, and my personal side with my fans. They can join me on this journey. ”

    Kyrgios did really well at the Australian Open in 2015. He got to the quarter-final. He also won the men’s doubles with Thanasi Kokkinakis in 2022.

    Before getting hurt this year, he made it to the 2022 Wimbledon final where he lost to Novak Djokovic. It was his best finish so far.

    The Australian Open starts on January 14 and the men’s final will be on January 28.

  • Rybakina wins 10 games in Indian Wells Open championship

    Rybakina wins 10 games in Indian Wells Open championship

    Last week’s Indian Wells Open champion Elena Rybakina has extended her winning streak to 10 matches after defeating Paula Badosa 3-6 7-5 6-3 in Saturday’s Miami Open third round.

    Kazakhstan’s Rybakina, who is also the reigning Wimbledon Champion and Australian Open finalist, got the better of Badosa for the second time during her current run, also eliminating her from Indian Wells. 

    The 23-year-old has to be considered one of the favourites to go all the way, having knocked off world number one Iga Swiatek and world number two Aryna Sabalenka to lift the trophy in California.

    Rybakina will meet Belgium’s Elise Mertens in the fourth round after she beat Croatia’s Petra Martic 6-4 6-3.

    Meanwhile, the biggest upset of the day was delivered by Russia’s Anastasia Potapova, bouncing sixth seed Coco Gauff 6-7 (8-10) 7-5 6-2.

    Potapova, who has never won a tournament above the WTA 250 level, will face China’s Zheng Qinwen for a spot in the quarter-finals after her three-hour 5-7 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 triumph over Liudmila Samsonova.

    Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko, the 24th seed, eliminated Brazilian 13th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-2 4-6 6-3, while 20th seed Magda Linette of Poland knocked out Belarusian 14th seed Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (7-3) 2-6 6-4.

    Unseeded American Clare Liu went down 4-6 7-5 6-4 against Italy’s Martina Trevisan, but third seed Jessica Pegula will continue to fly the flag for the United States after advancing 6-1 7-6 (7-0) in her all-American showdown with Danielle Collins.

  • Rafael Nadal misses world top 10

    Rafael Nadal misses world top 10

    For the first time in almost 18 years, Rafael Nadal is no longer ranked among the top 10 male tennis players in the world.

    Since April 2005, Nadal had consistently ranked in the top 10, but due to an injury that prevented him from competing in Indian Wells, he dropped to number 13 on Monday.

    After defeating Daniil Medvedev in the Indian Wells final on Sunday, the 36-year-run old’s came to an end on the same day his young compatriot Carlos Alcaraz recovered the top ranking from Novak Djokovic.

    Since losing to Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open in January, Nadal has struggled with a hip issue from which he has not yet fully recovered.

    Though the 22-time grand slam winner could return to the top 10 once he is back in action, it will not be in the next month as he has also withdrawn from the Miami Masters.

    The latest ATP rankings saw Djokovic drop to second place, while Medvedev moved from sixth to fifth, Felix Auger-Aliassime leapt from 10th to sixth, Hubert Hurkacz nudged into the top 10 as he moved up two places to ninth, while Taylor Fritz dropped from fifth to 10th.

  • Tennis star, Nick Kyrgios escapes conviction after admitting to assaulting ex-girlfriend

    Tennis star, Nick Kyrgios escapes conviction after admitting to assaulting ex-girlfriend

    Tennis player Nick Kyrgios from Australia has admitted to assaulting an ex-girlfriend but has escaped punishment.

    The 27-year-old entered a guilty plea in a Canberra court after his attorneys were unsuccessful in getting the charge dropped due to his mental health.

    During a quarrel in Canberra in 2021, Mr. Kyrgios pushed Chiara Passari onto the sidewalk, the court heard.

    When sparing him a criminal record, the magistrate referred to the incident as “a single act of stupidity or frustration.”

    In a statement following the decision, Mr. Kyrgios expressed his appreciation to the court for dismissing the charges without finding him guilty.

    “I was not in good place when this happened and I reacted to a difficult situation in a way I deeply regret,” he said.

    “I know it wasn’t OK and I’m sincerely sorry for the hurt I caused.”

    Agreed facts tendered to the court say Mr Kyrgios pushed Ms Passari after she stopped his car from driving away while they were arguing on 10 January 2021.

    Ms Passari reported the incident to police the next month but did not make a formal complaint. The couple reconciled and resumed a relationship, but after they broke up, Ms Passari made a formal complaint in December 2021.

    Mr Kyrgios’ lawyer argued his client had been trying to de-escalate the fight by calling an Uber and had repeatedly tried to “lawfully” move Ms Passari away from the car.

    “It is in that context and the frustration that resulted, that my client reacted and the offence occurred,” Michael Kukulies-Smith said.

    The court heard Mr Kyrgios had sworn at Ms Passari and told her to go away. He then put his hands on her hips and moved her an arms length from the door, but Ms Passari stepped back.

    The tennis star then said: “I’m serious. I’m going to…” before pushing Ms Passari in the shoulder, causing her to fall.

    According to the court, Ms Passari felt some pain and later noticed grazing on her knee.

    The court heard Mr Kyrgios apologised the next day—an act that showed he accepted responsibility for his actions, his lawyer said.

    Mr Kukulies-Smith also told the court on Friday there was: “a relationship between the mental health and the offending – even though he no longer suffers it to the same extent today.”

    Mr Kyrgios’ psychologist, Sam Borenstein, told the court the tennis player’s mental illness was “recurrent” and he had suffered from thoughts of self harm – but his condition had been improving.

    When sentencing Mr Kygrios, Magistrate Beth Campbell said he had been “a young man trying to extricate himself from a heighted emotional situation”.

    “You acted in the heat of the moment,” she said.

    “I am dealing with you in the same way I would deal with any young man in this court. You are a young man who happens to hit a tennis ball particularly well.”

    She told Mr Kyrgios that references from family showed he had a lot of “love and support” around him.

    The tennis player arrived at court on Friday on crutches following recent knee surgery. An injury forced him to withdraw from the Australian Open last month.

  • Djokovic overcomes early wobble and injury worry to reach 10th final

    Djokovic overcomes early wobble and injury worry to reach 10th final

    After defeating Tommy Paul in Melbourne on Friday, Novak Djokovic entered his 10th Australian Open final with a record-breaking 27th straight victory.

    Djokovic, who has never lost in either a semi-final or a final in the first major of the year, prevailed 7-5 6-1 6-2 to break the winning streak Andre Agassi shared with him after defeating Andrey Rublev in the last eight.

    This match, despite having a similar final score, was not quite as easy as that first one, especially in the opening set, which the nine-time champion nearly lost.

    Djokovic’s hamstring problem, which had affected his preparation for the competition, also seemed to be bothering him once more, but he still has one match left, against Stefanos Tsitsipas, to win another championship.

    The semi ended as it started, with Djokovic in control, yet there was a blip when he looked to be coasting through the opener.

    Having just passed up his first set point, Djokovic confronted the umpire when he was not allowed time to take a towel and appeared to lose his focus, allowing Paul to win the next seven points en route to consecutive breaks – the second clinched with a stunning 30-stroke rally.

    Finally, with the set level, Djokovic regained some composure and soon enough took a long-awaited second set point before cupping his ear to the Melbourne crowd and being greeted with jeers in return.

    It quickly became clear Paul had missed his chance as Djokovic cruised, his primary foe now that troublesome injury.

    After stretching out his leg during the first-set collapse, the Serbian appeared in discomfort throughout a dominant second, asking for ice at 5-0 up ahead of Paul’s sole hold in the set.

    That ailment did not prove enough to derail Djokovic, though, as the third set followed a similar theme in an ultimately commanding semi success.

    Data Slam: Djokovic closing on career-best streak

    Now the sole owner of the longest Open Era winning streak in the main draw of the men’s singles tournament at the Australian Open, Djokovic will match his best run at any grand slam if he beats Tsitsipas, having claimed 28 straight victories at Wimbledon.

    Only Roger Federer (40 at the US Open and 40 at Wimbledon) and Bjorn Borg (41 at Wimbledon and 28 at the French Open) have previously had 27-match win sequences at two different majors.

    ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS

    Djokovic – 12/5
    Paul – 4/0

    WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS

    Djokovic – 31/39
    Paul – 18/32

    BREAK POINTS WON

    Djokovic – 7/11
    Paul – 2/9

  • Kyrgios undergoes knee surgery after missing Australian Open

    Kyrgios undergoes knee surgery after missing Australian Open

    After undergoing knee surgery, Nick Kyrgios is prepared to do all he can do to return to his best.

    When he had to drop out of the Australian Open, the Wimbledon runner-up from last year was “devastated.”

    After an MRI of his knee revealed a cyst caused by a little lateral meniscus tear, Kyrgios was disqualified from his home grand slam.

    The world number 21 disclosed on Monday that he had surgery and is eager to get started on the road to recovery.

    He posted on Instagram: “Surgery complete. I’ll be doing everything I can do get back to my best. To the real ones checking in and sending the vibes…. I love you.”

    Kyrgios won the seventh ATP Tour singles title of his career in Washington last August and claimed the Australian Open men’s doubles title with Thanasi Kokkinakis in his homeland 12 months ago.

    The 27-year-old was beaten by Novak Djokovic in his maiden major singles final at the All England Club last July.

  • Australian Open bans Russian and Belarusian flags from tournament

    Australian Open bans Russian and Belarusian flags from tournament

    Following a courtside incident, the Australian Open tennis tournament has banned the use of the Russian and Belarusian flags.
    The flags could initially be brought into Melbourne Park by spectators as long as they didn’t cause “disruption.”

    But on Tuesday, after spectators waved a Russian flag during a match between Russian Kamilla Rakhimova and Ukrainian Kateryna Baindl, the organisers changed their minds.

    The prohibition is in effect right away.

    “We will continue to work with the players and our fans to ensure the best possible environment to enjoy the tennis,” Tennis Australia said in a statement.

    Ukrainian fans say they called police and security to the first-round match on Monday, claiming Russian supporters were “taunting” Baindl.

    “This is profoundly unsafe, the war is ongoing,” one fan told local newspaper The Age. “It’s a small court, and the guys were up close and personal with the players, so there was a sense of intimidation.”

    But one of the Russian men involved told The Age his group had simply been cheering their countrywoman on.

    He said: “People can view that as being obnoxious, but we were just being your normal supporters. There was no ridiculing or disrespect.”

    Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia and New Zealand had earlier called on Tennis Australia to take action.

    Russian and Belarusian athletes have not been able to play under their countries’ flags in several sports, including tennis, since the invasion of Ukraine began in February last year.

    While players from the two countries are competing under a neutral white flag during the Australian Open, they were banned from playing at Wimbledon altogether in 2022.

    Organisers were subsequently fined, and the tournament was stripped of its ranking points by the Association of Tennis Professionals and Women’s Tennis Association. The WTA said equal opportunities for players to compete as individuals had to be protected.

    The Victorian state government on Tuesday said Tennis Australia had made the right decision.

    “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is abhorrent,” acting premier Jancinta Allan said. “It breaches international human rights obligations. It’s been enabled and supported by Belarus.

    “[This] sends a very, very clear message that human rights are important, whether it’s in sport, or more broadly in our community.”

    The ban comes after Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk said she would not shake hands with opponents from Russia and Belarus who she believes have not done enough to condemn the invasion.

  • Nadal beats Draper in four sets to begin title defence

    Nadal beats Draper in four sets to begin title defence

    Rafael Nadal defeated Jack Draper 7-5 2-6 6-4 6-1 to earn his first victory of the year and start the Australian Open title defense.

    The top seed did not have an easy time against the Briton, but in the end, the 36-year-maturity old’s and stamina were the deciding factors because Draper, who is 15 years Nadal’s junior, later in the match appeared to be severely afflicted by cramp.

    Nadal entered the match having lost six of his previous seven matches at the tour level, but he took the upper hand when he broke the big-serving Draper at 6-5 in the first set.

    http://backend.theindependentghana.com/rafael-nadal-reveals-new-argentine-coach/

    As a result, Nadal increased his lead to 4-1. However, the Spaniard did not always appear to be playing with the utmost confidence, as some unusual mistakes allowed Draper to come back and tie the score at 4-4.

    Despite Draper breaking service in the first game of the fourth set, Nadal was able to break again to win the set 6-4. Draper’s legs were visibly beginning to hamper his movement and serve, and Nadal found it relatively easy to secure the victory.

    Data slam: Nadal matches Lendl for career wins

    This was the 1,068th win of Nadal’s career, bringing him level with Ivan Lendl.

    The 22-time grand slam winner is now tied for third most victories in the Open Era, behind only Jimmy Connors (1,274) and Roger Federer (1,251).

    WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS

    Nadal – 41/46

    Draper â€“ 35/46

    ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS

    Nadal â€“ 6/3

    Draper â€“ 13/3

    BREAK POINTS WON

    Nadal â€“ 6/12

    Draper â€“ 4/11

  • Alcaraz pulls out from Australian Open

    Alcaraz pulls out from Australian Open

    Due to a leg muscle injury sustained during training, Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the Australian Open.

    The world’s top-ranked player at age 19 won the US Open in September, making him one of the favorites at Melbourne Park and a potential rival for nine-time champion Novak Djokovic.

    Alcaraz, however, declared that he wouldn’t be ready to play in time due to a hamstring issue, keeping him out of the first grand slam of the tennis season.

    He wrote on Twitter: “When I was at my best in preseason, I picked up an injury through a chance, unnatural movement in training.

    “This time it’s the semimembranosus muscle in my right leg. I’d worked so hard to get to my best level for Australia but unfortunately I won’t be able to play the Care A2+ Kooyong or the Australian Open.

    “It’s tough, but I have to be optimistic, recover and look forward. See you in 2024 @australianopen.”

    The Kooyong event is an exhibition tournament ahead of the major, and it is the Australian Open where his absence will be most sorely felt.

    Alcaraz has emerged as the pick of the new generation of players, with his high-intensity game winning him a legion of supporters and bringing him a host of titles already.

    He earned $7.6million and picked up five singles titles last season, including the first grand slam crown of his career in New York, ending the year with a 57-13 win-loss record and the ATP top ranking.

    Alcaraz’s compatriot Rafael Nadal is the defending champion in Melbourne, while Djokovic returns this year after being deported from Australia 12 months ago amid a vaccination saga.

  • Venus Williams withdraws from Australian Open

    Venus Williams withdraws from Australian Open

    Venus Williams withdrew from the Australian Open owing to an injury, raising questions about Iga Swiatek’s ability to compete.

    The American lost his opportunity to compete in the opening grand slam of the year due to injury this week at the ASB Classic.

    After losing to Chinese player Zhu Lin in the tournament’s second round on Thursday in Auckland, it was announced on Saturday that Williams will not be competing at Melbourne Park.

    Seven-time grand slam singles champion and 14-time major doubles champion, the 42-year-old has displayed tremendous endurance during her storied career.

    Williams lost her two singles finals in 2003 and 2017 and won four of her grand slam doubles titles in the Australian Open.

    Williams’ wildcard spot has been given to Australian Kim Birrell nine days before the tournament begins.

    The Adelaide International 2 will take place next week despite the withdrawal of world number one Swiatek owing to a shoulder issue.

    When Swiatek lost against Jessica Pegula in Friday’s United Cup match between Poland and the United States, she broke down in tears.

  • Williams gets wildcard entry into Australian Open

    Tennis legend Venus Williams was given a wildcard admission and will play in her 22nd Australian Open in January, it was confirmed on Sunday.

    Despite being a seven-time Grand Slam singles winner, Williams, 42, only participated in four competitive matches in 2022, all of which she lost.

    Williams is one of the most accomplished players in the sport, having won five Wimbledon titles, two US Open titles, and another 14 Grand Slam doubles championships, including four in Australia.

    She made the singles final in both 2003 and 2017, while she won the Australian Open in the doubles competition in 2001, 2003, 2009, and 2010.

    Williams announced her wildcard and her intention to participate in Melbourne one more in the same press release.

    She said: “I am very excited to be returning to Melbourne to compete at the Australian Open in January.

    “I’ve been competing in the country for over 20 years now and the Australian community has always supported me wholeheartedly.

    “It will be an honour to play for the fans again and I’m looking forward to making more memories at the tournament this year.”

    It remains to be seen if she will be joined by her sister Serena, who is a seven-time singles champion at the event and Venus’ partner for her four doubles successes.

    After her exit from the US Open, Serena heavily implied she was weighing up another go in Australia, saying “I always did love Australia”.

  • ATP Finals: Djokovic confident he will be the man to beat in 2023

    Novak Djokovic has no doubt in his own mind he is the best tennis player in the world, regardless of what the rankings say.

    After clinching a record-equalling sixth ATP Finals title by downing Casper Ruud in Turin, Djokovic reflected on a turbulent 2022 season in which he was unable to play in two of the four grand slam events.

    His refusal to accept a COVID-19 vaccination meant Djokovic was denied permission to compete at the Australian Open and US Open, while the various tennis authorities’ reaction to the Ukraine crisis meant no ranking points were on offer at Wimbledon.

    Indeed, Djokovic successfully defended his title at the All England Club, but in doing so he lost all of his 2,000 points for being the 2021 champion.

    As such, he entered the ATP Finals as the world number eight, with his unbeaten run at the tournament seeing him collect 1,500 points and jump up to fifth on the ATP ranking list.

    Carlos Alcaraz is the number one for now, after a stellar season for the 19-year-old Spaniard in which the highlight was his US Open victory, but Djokovic will be the favourite with many for the Australian Open, with authorities expected to allow him to play next year.

    Asked if he was the world’s best player, Djokovic said: “I’m not. I’m fifth.”

    That came with a smile from the Serbian, who added: “This week I probably am [the best]. Overall the rankings are showing who had the best year, and Alcaraz is the number one in the world. Not much to say about that.

    “But in my mind I always see myself as the best player in the world, of course. I have that kind of mentality and that kind of approach. Regardless of who is across the net, regardless of what the surface is, regardless of what season it is, what number of the professional season in my career we’re facing, I mean, it’s always the same. The ambitions are as high as possible.

    “That kind of approach, I feel it brought me to where I am sitting here today as a 35-year-old, holding one of the biggest trophies in the sport.”

    The 21-time grand slam winner, one behind Rafael Nadal on the men’s all-time singles list, said the prospects for future success come down to his “love and passion” for tennis.

    “As long as that’s there I’ll do anything in my power to challenge the young guys for the biggest trophies,” Djokovic said.

    “I don’t know what the future holds, but I know that what I hold in my mind is a huge hunger still to win trophies, make history of this sport, compete on the highest level all around the world, bring good emotions to sports fans, tennis fans.”

    Djokovic was greeted after the final by Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, another sporting evergreen at the age of 41, albeit very much in his career twilight.

    The same cannot be said yet for Djokovic, who may have several seasons left at this high level.

    His coach, former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, watched on admiringly as Djokovic won 7-5 6-3 in Turin against Ruud on Sunday.

    According to Croatian Ivanisevic, the key to Djokovic’s success in his mid-thirties is his relentless work rate.

    “He’s practising even harder than when he was 22,” said Ivanisevic. “That’s why he’s still so good and that’s why he’s still going to be even better.

    “The will to practise, the will to improve, the will to be better is amazing. He’s taking care of his body. In my time we stopped tennis at 30, 31. You were already an old guy ready to leave.

    “They all talk about, yes, young players are coming. It’s great for tennis. You have the youngest number one in the world who made unbelievable things this year, Carlos. But look at Novak. He’s still hungry, he’s still winning the tournament, playing unbelievable tennis. He’s still already thinking now about preparation for next season.

    “Till he’s like that, in his mind he’s going to be always competitive, favourite to win majors and the big tournaments.”

    Source: Livescore