Category: Tennis

MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic was “a bit emotional” after receiving a warm welcome Friday on his return to Melbourne Park, before facing Nick Kyrgios in a sell-out Australian Open exhibition match.

All 15,000 seats at Rod Laver Arena sold out in 58 minutes, with proceeds going to charity, ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year on Monday.

Djokovic, who was deported a year ago, was given a good reception when he went on to win an Adelaide warm-up tournament last week and it was a similar story at Rod Laver Arena, where he is a nine-time champion.

“Thank you so much, feel a bit emotional right now to be honest,” the former world number one from Serbia told the crowd after his entrance on court was met by cheers and applause.

“I was really looking forward to coming back to this court, so thank you all you guys for coming out tonight for a great cause,” said the 35-year-old, one of the best men’s tennis players of all time.

Djokovic has dominated the Australian Open since his maiden triumph in 2008 but he had his visa cancelled 12 months ago and was deported on the eve of the tournament because of his stance on Covid vaccines.

In a light-hearted encounter against Australia’s Kyrgios, Djokovic wore tape for a left hamstring issue which saw him curtail a practice match against Daniil Medvedev this week.

But he appeared to have no trouble with his movement against Kyrgios and said beforehand that he was “feeling good”. Kyrgios also allayed concerns about an ankle injury which has hampered his preparations.

They each won one shortened set before concluding the friendly knockabout with a tiebreak that also included wheelchair players David Wagner and Heath Davidson.

Djokovic and temperamental showman Kyrgios used to have a frosty relationship.

But that has thawed considerably after Kyrgios became one of the few players to come out publicly and support Djokovic as he unsuccessfully fought deportation in January 2022.

They met in the Wimbledon final last year, with Djokovic winning in four sets for his 21st Grand Slam.

He is hot favourite to win the Melbourne title once again when he begins his campaign against 75th-ranked Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena.

“It’s great to be back in Melbourne, to be back in Australia,” Djokovic said.

“This is the court and the stadium where I created the best memories of my professional career.”

KARACHI: Indian tennis star Sania Mirza has decided to retire after the conclusion of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships next month.

Earlier, Sania had announced that she will bring the curtain down on her professional career after the conclusion of the 2022 season but chose to extend her career because of her elbow injury ahead of the US Open.

“I was going to stop right after the WTA Finals, because we were going to make the WTA Finals, but I tore my tendon in my elbow right before US Open so I had to pull out of everything,” Sania told wtatennis.com.

“And honestly, the person that I am, I like to do things on my own terms. So I don’t want to be forced out by injury. So I’ve been training.

“The plan is to try and retire in Dubai during the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.”

Meanwhile, the Indian Tennis superstar will also be participating in the Australian Open, scheduled this month alongside Kazakhstan’s Anna Danilina in Women’s Doubles.

However, in an interview with Curly Tales Middle East, Sania explained the reason why it is the right time for her to retire.

“I’m 36, and honestly my body is beaten, that is the main reason for it,” said Sania.

“And I really don’t have the capacity in my mind to emotionally push that much anymore. I turned pro in 2003. Priorities change, and now my priority is not to push my body to the limit every single day.”

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SYDNEY: Rafael Nadal lost his opening match of the season Saturday in the countdown to the defence of his Australian Open title, but women’s world number one Iga Swiatek cruised to victory at the United Cup.

Nadal, who was also below-par at the season-ending ATP Finals in November, crashed to Britain’s 14th-ranked Cameron Norrie 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the mixed-teams tournament in Sydney.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion struggled with his first serve, getting just 58 percent in, which ultimately cost him a first defeat to Norrie in their fifth meeting.

“It’s pretty crazy, I never won a set before (against him) so firstly I wanted to do that and I had to stay super patient,” Norrie said after the 2hrs 44mins battle at a packed Ken Rosewall Arena.

“It was a super physical match and huge to get through that and finally beat him. He’s beaten me easy the last few times.”

There was little to separate them in the opening games, with a first break point in game six for Nadal, but Norrie saved with a half-volley.

Nadal’s relentless pressure earned him a second and this time the Spanish world number two converted with a searing cross-court forehand before methodically closing out the set in 52 minutes.

But his poor first-serve was an issue and he was broken to go 4-2 behind in the second set. He saved two set points but Norrie nailed a third on his serve to level at one set-all.

Nadal fired consecutive double faults to open set three and while he recovered to hold, his serve once more deserted him in the fifth game when he was broken and the 36-year-old couldn’t find a way back.

In Brisbane, Swiatek got Poland off to the perfect start with a dominant 6-1, 6-3 win over Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva.

She broke three times in the first set and twice in the second to completely overpower her opponent in just 64 minutes.

“I’m pretty happy with my performance — first matches of the season are always rusty so I’m happy that in the important moments I was very composed,” Swiatek said.

“I feel that representing Poland is always really special. I am willing to focus even more because when I go on court I have goosebumps.

“It’s hard to play so well when you’re so emotional, but I have to get used to it and I’m really proud to represent my country. I feel like this is a really inspiring tournament.”

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PERTH: Stefanos Tsitsipas fired his 12th ace on match point to give Greece a 2-0 lead over Bulgaria with a comeback win against Grigor Dimitrov on Thursday at the inaugural United Cup.

The world number four recovered smoothly after losing the opening set to emerge with a 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) victory in his season-opening match at Perth ahead of the Australian Open.

Greek teammate Despina Papamichail, ranked 158th, gave her country the opening point as she defeated a cramping Isabella Shinikova, also finishing with a fightback to win 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.

The mixed teams tournament features 18 countries playing in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, with each tie consisting of two men’s and two women’s singles rubbers along with a mixed doubles.

Tsitsipas lifted in the final-set tiebreaker against an opponent he has now defeated in six of their seven matches.

“It was extremely close, but I’ll take it,” he said. “It was a good effort from my side.

“It was tough playing in the heat — I’m glad they closed the roof. I had to hang in there and fight, Grigor can compete with the best in the world.

“But I found a little gap and gave myself the chance to do something in the tiebreak.”

In Sydney, American world number nine Taylor Fritz and 11th-ranked Madison Keys cruised through their opening ties against the Czech Republic to also get their seasons off to a winning start.

Fritz got his country away to a flyer with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over world number 74 Jiri Lehecka at Ken Rosewall Arena before Keys saw off Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-3.

The 25-year-old Fritz had a breakthrough year in 2022, beating 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal in the final at Indian Wells to go with titles in Tokyo and Eastbourne.

He burst into the top 10 in 2022, reaching a career-high eight in October.

Fritz had too much firepower for Lehecka, facing only two break points on his way to a comfortable 75-minute win.

The American admitted he had felt some nerves before the match.

“It was the first match of the season and also playing a team event as well adds to it (the nerves),” he said.

“I think in the beginning of the match I handled it much better than maybe my opponent did. I got the early break, then kind of just held on to it.”

Keys, who made the Australian Open semi-finals this year, came back from an early break of serve in both sets to see off Bouzkova.

The former US Open finalist overpowered her Czech opponent from the baseline, taking full advantage of the quick conditions on centre court.

In Brisbane action, Italy and Brazil were locked at one rubber apiece. Beatriz Haddad Maia, the Brazilian world number 15, was far too strong for Martina Trevisan, dropping just two games on her way to a 6-2, 6-0 victory.

“I worked very hard in the pre-season to be as ready as I could today,” Haddad Maia said

Lorenzo Musetti levelled the tie at one-all when he downed Felipe Meligeni Alves 6-3, 6-4.

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SYDNEY: Former world number one Novak Djokovic arrived in Australia on Tuesday almost one year after he was deported for refusing to be vaccinated against Covid-19, tennis officials said.

The nine-time Australian Open champion was initially banned from the country for three years after losing a high-stakes legal battle in January over his vaccine status.

Australia has since lifted its requirement for visitors to show proof of vaccination against Covid.

The government confirmed in November that the unvaccinated Serb was no longer barred and had been granted a visa allowing him to play in the opening Grand Slam of the year, which starts next month.

Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley said he hoped local fans would embrace Djokovic’s return.

“We welcome him back to Australia,” he told reporters.

“I think as we speak he’s landing in Adelaide and I think that he is going to be again the player to beat.

“I have a great deal of confidence in the Australian public. I have a lot of confidence that the fans will react how we hope they will react.”

Tennis Australia confirmed that Djokovic had touched down.

Djokovic, who has won 21 Grand Slams, has been criticised for his part in the saga, which played out as rolling anti-vaccination protests took place in Australia’s major cities.

He is scheduled to play in the Adelaide International, beginning Sunday, as he warms up for the Open in Melbourne.

“Over the years I’ve been really fortunate to start very strong in Australia and I love playing there,” the world number five said in Dubai last week after ending 2022 with a record-equalling sixth ATP Tour Finals crown.

“After obviously what happened earlier this year, hopefully I can have a decent reception there and hopefully that can help me play some good tennis.”

Djokovic last set foot in Australia nearly a year ago, claiming he had obtained a medical exemption to enter the country without being vaccinated because he had recently recovered from Covid-19.

However, Australian border officials said he did not meet the requirements to be exempted from strict vaccination rules and he was detained for five days while pursuing an ultimately fruitless legal appeal.

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PARIS: Carlos Alcaraz said ending the year as the youngest ever tennis world number one was “an amazing achievement” and a reward for his hard work.

The Spaniard will be 19 years, 214 days on 5 December, the 2022 year-end ranking date when he will take the mantle of youngest from Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt, who was 20 years, 275 days in 2001.

Alcaraz was assured of ending as number one on Tuesday when Casper Ruud overcame Taylor Fritz, which ensured Rafael Nadal could not reach the last four at the ATP Finals in Turin. The older Spaniard needed to win the tournament to finish the season number one.

Alcaraz started the year at 32 in the world and made the biggest rise to finish top in 50 years of the rankings. He was unable to play in Turin due to an abdominal injury.

He becomes the first player outside of the Big Four of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal to top the final rankings since Andy Roddick in 2003.

“It means a lot to me. I mean, to get this trophy, the world No. 1, to be part of tennis history along with a lot of legends, for me is an amazing feeling,” Alcaraz told a press conference on Wednesday.

“It’s an amazing achievement. I mean, all the hard work pays off.

“Yeah, for me it’s incredible to lift this trophy today.”

– ‘Improve a lot’ –

Ending the year as the youngest ever number one is just the latest landmark for the modest, muscular star from the small Murcian town of El Palmar.

Alcaraz learned the game at a tennis school run by his father.

Alcaraz hit the giant-killing jackpot at Madrid in May when he became the only man to beat both Nadal and Djokovic at the same clay-court event.

When he broke into the world top five in July, he was the youngest man to do so since 2005.

His coach former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero believes that if Alcaraz stays fit, he is capable of winning 30 Grand Slam titles. Nadal holds the record at 22.

Despite the frustration of being unable to play this week, Alcaraz said he has been encouraged by the speed with which his injury is healing.

“It is going really well,” he said.

“It is going really fast, as well.

“I could say in a week we improve a lot in the injury.

“I’m going to say at the beginning of the season, I’m going to be ready, I’m going to be 100 per cent.”

Alcaraz said he will, after the holidays, dispense with any lead-up tournaments and go straight to the Australian Open which begins on January 16 in Melbourne.

Alcaraz reached the third round in this year’s edition

“After the holidays, I am focused on the pre-season, I’m focused on improving, starting the Australian Open as best I can.

“I don’t know how the injury is going to go. But I could say I go directly to Australian Open.”

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TURIN: Rafael Nadal saved some honour on Thursday, beating Casper Ruud 7-5, 7-5, as he bowed out of the ATP Finals in Turin at the pool stage.

Ruud had already qualified for the semi-finals and he was later joined from the Green Group by the American Taylor Fritz who came through a gruelling winner-take-all encounter with the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (5/7), 6-2.

Nadal, the top seed in the event in the absence of injured world number one Carlos Alcaraz, had opened by losing his first two matches in the Green Group. He was already eliminated when he faced Ruud, who won his first two matches to book a semi-final spot.

“I have been practising well,” said Nadal, who was struggled with injury since scratching from the Wimbledon semi-final in July.

“Just probably not enough matches to be at the level that I needed to be. Not enough confidence, probably, after six tough months. That’s how it is. I accept that the season didn’t end the way that I wanted. At least I finished with a positive victory.”

Nadal, who sits second in the rankings, said he was happy with a season in which he won the first two Grand Slam titles, in Australia and at Roland Garros.

“I can’t ask for more,” said Nadal. “2022 has had a tough six months, two Grand Slams, and finishing the year in a high spot in the rankings.

“At my age, to be able to achieve and be competitive means a lot for me.”

Nadal already has the 2023 season, which begins in January, in his sights.

“For 2023, just let’s try to have the right preparation, work the proper way and start the season with the right energy, the right attitude, to reach the level that I need to be competitive from the beginning. Let’s try it, I am excited about it.”

Norwegian Ruud was not able to break his losing streak against players at the top of rankings and suffered an eighth straight defeat to a player in the top three. He has not won  a set in any of those losses.

Nadal crushed Ruud 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 in the final at Roland-Garros in the spring.

On Thursday, on the very fast court of the Pala Alpitour, Nadal was particularly aggressive. His service was particularly effective, with 16 aces and just one double fault and allowed him to go to the net.

After saving two break points at 4-4, Nadal won the first set by converting his first break point.

The pattern was similar in the second set, except that Nadal was even more imperious on serve, conceding just three points in the set.

And it was with a winning cross-court backhand that he closed the match on Ruud’s serve.

Fritz, who was a late replacement at the Finals for injured world number one Carlos Alcaraz, had made a terrific start to the tournament with victory over Nadal.

But defeat at the hands of Ruud meant that his match with Auger-Aliassime was a play-off for the semi-finals.

Both big servers, they came out all guns blazing and neither player conceded a single break point in the opening set. Fritz quickly took the advantage in the tie-break to lead 6/3, before taking it with his second set point.

The second set was equally tight although this time it was the 22-year-old Canadian who got the advantage in the tie-break.

Fritz finally found a way through his opponent’s serve to go 4-2 in the third, going on to win the match after two hours 44 minutes.

Novak Djokovic has already qualified from the Red Group and he will be joined by the winner of Friday’s match between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev.

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TURIN: Rafael Nadal’s hopes of a first-ever ATP Finals title and becoming year-end world number one hanging by a thread after he lost 6-3, 6-4 to Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime in Turin on Tuesday.

The 36-year-old Spaniard has lost both his matches in Turin — he fell to Taylor Fritz on Sunday — and will need to win his last Green Group match against Casper Ruud to keep alive his chances.

Even then it might be out of his hands.

Ruud — who beat Auger-Aliassime in their opening clash — faces Taylor Fritz later on Tuesday.

Nadal played like someone in just their third singles match since the US Open whereas Auger-Aliassime is in the form of his life having won three titles in October.

“It is great to win against him, and stay alive in the tournament!” said Auger-Aliassime.

“I have played some great tennis in the past month and to then beat a player of his stature is very special.”

Nadal spurned all four of his break points in the first set, though his 22-year-old Canadian opponent produced two superb forehands to stave off a break at 3-3.

Auger-Aliassime by contrast made no mistake breaking the Spaniard with the only one he was offered.

The Canadian was equally clinical when he was presented with two set points converting the first of them.

Nadal fared little better in the second set, as the lack of competitive matches showed  – he had taken a break to spend time with his son, who was born in October.

Auger-Aliassime took the match by the scruff of the neck as he broke Nadal at 1-1, the Spaniard sending a loose volley long.

Auger-Aliassime was hitting the ball with sublime accuracy and could afford a rueful smile when one did not go as smoothly, flying upwards into the roof of the indoor arena.

Nadal had few chances to put Auger-Aliassime under pressure with the Canadian playing so well but he had a break point — the first of the second set for him — on his rival’s serve at 2-3.

However, once again he was unable to seize it and Auger-Aliassime went on to hold his serve and was never troubled from that point on, eventually closing out the match on the first of two match points.

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MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic is eager to play at the Australian Open but it’s up to him to “work out the situation” with the government, tournament chief Craig Tiley said Wednesday, while confirming Russians and Belarusians can compete as neutrals.

This year’s championship was overshadowed by an unvaccinated Djokovic being deported from Australia on the eve of the Grand Slam after a high-stakes legal battle over his visa status.

The nine-time champion from Serbia is currently serving a three-year ban from entering Australia.

It can be overturned at the discretion of the centre-left government, which is different to the conservative coalition in power when he was kicked out. But they have given no indication of whether they would consider this.

Tiley said he spent time with Djokovic recently and the Serbian wanted to return for the first major of the year in January in Melbourne.

“What we’re saying at this point is that Novak and the federal government need to work out the situation. And then we’ll follow any instruction after that,” Tiley told The Age newspaper at the tournament’s official launch.

“I did spend some time with Novak at the Laver Cup. We spoke generally. He said that he’d obviously love to come back to Australia but he knows it’s going to be an ultimate decision for the federal government.

“He’s accepted that position. It’s a private matter between them.”

Opposition politician Karen Andrews, who was home affairs minister when Djokovic was deported, told ABC radio he should not be given special treatment.

“It would be a slap in the face for those people in Australia who did the right thing, got vaccinated, did everything they needed to do if all of a sudden Novak Djokovic is allowed back into the country simply because he is a high-ranking tennis player with many millions of dollars,” Andrews said.

Tiley added that he anticipated no restrictions on players from countries involved in the Ukraine conflict, in contrast to Wimbledon this year, which banned them from competing.

“At this point, Russian and Belarusians will be eligible to play at the Australian Open,” he said.

“The only difference will be that they cannot represent Russia, cannot represent the flag of Russia, cannot participate in any activity such as the anthem of Russia and have to play as independent players.”

Organisers are targeting a record 900,000 spectators at the 2023 event, with one million fans as the ultimate goal.

Tiley said the previous attendance record was an estimated 820,000 people, with ticket pre-sales already strong.

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PARIS: Taylor Fritz has become the first American in almost five years to be ranked in the ATP men’s top 10 due to his win at the Japan Open.

The 24-year-old rose three places to eighth in the rankings released on Monday following his victory over compatriot Frances Tiafoe.

Jack Sock was the last American to break into the top 10 in November 2017.

Tiafoe’s consolation for losing to Fritz is his highest-ever ranking of 17th.

Spain’s US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz retains the top spot despite losing in the first round in Astana last week.

His compatriot Rafael Nadal stays second after a week in which the 36-year-old had something else to celebrate, the birth of a baby boy.

Nadal’s great rival Novak Djokovic won the 90th title of his career in Astana on Sunday but remains in the seventh spot in the rankings.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, who lost to Djokovic in the final, still moves up one place to fifth at the expense of the injured Alexander Zverev.

ATP Rankings:

1. Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) 6740 pts
2. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 5810
3. Casper Ruud (NOR) 5645
4. Daniil Medvedev 5245
5. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 5065 (+1)
6. Alexander Zverev (GER) 5040 (-1)
7. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 4320
8. Taylor Fritz (USA) 3510 (+3)
9. Andrey Rublev 3480
10. Cameron Norrie (GBR) 3445 (-2)