Category: Tennis

Seven-time major singles champion Venus Williams was handed a wildcard to the Australian Open aged 45 on Friday, becoming the oldest woman ever to play at the season-opening Grand Slam.

The American, who has played only a limited number of singles matches in recent years, will compete in the main draw at Melbourne Park for the first time since 2021.

“I’m excited to be back in Australia and looking forward to competing during the Australian summer,” said Williams.

“I’ve had so many incredible memories there, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to return to a place that has meant so much to my career.”

Venus Williams is a five-time Wimbledon champion and has also won two US Opens.

She was an Australian Open singles finalist in 2003 and 2017.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

She will become the oldest woman to play at the Australian Open since Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she lost in the first round in 2015.

Williams, a four-time Australian Open doubles champion, is set to begin her preparations for the January 18-Feb 1 tournament at the Auckland Classic next week, having returned to the circuit at the US Open last year after a 16-month break.

She will then head to the Hobart International immediately before Melbourne.

Two-time Grand Slam champion and fellow American Coco Gauff said it was “incredible” to see Williams still turning up for tournaments.

“She’s a legend of the sport, so it will be cool to see her back in action,” she said.

“It’s incredible the longevity of her career. She’s one of the people I looked up to, so looking forward to seeing her back on court.”

READ: Saim Ayub opens up on his evolution as all-rounder

MADRID: World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz on Wednesday announced the end of his long-standing association with coach Juan Carlos Ferror.

The 22-year-old Alcaraz, who has worked with Juan since childhood, announced the split via a social media post ahead of the 2026 season.

Under his coaching, Alcaraz remained highly successful, becoming a major champion after winning six Grand Slam titles.

Carlos thanked his coach for helping him succeed at the highest level and expressed gratitude for supporting him throughout.

“Thank you for turning childhood dreams into reality. We began this journey when I was barely a child, and throughout all this time, you’ve been with me on this incredible adventure, both on and off the court. I have enjoyed every step of it with you,” Alcaraz wrote in his Instagram post.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“We have reached the top, and I feel that if our paths in tennis were to diverge, it had to be from that very place, the one we always worked towards and aspired to reach,” he said

He also expressed best wishes for Juan Carlos Ferror’s future endeavours in changing times.

“Now, times of change are approaching for both of us, new adventures and new projects. But I’m certain we will both face them in the right way, giving our best, as we’ve always done. Always moving forward. I wish you all the best from the bottom of my heart in everything that comes next,” he wished.

However, no reason was given for the end of a long relation.

Notably, the news comes after a month of Alcaraz’s celebration with Ferrroro and his team at the ATP finals.

READ: FIFA announces major increase in 2026 World Cup prize money

Rafael Nadal has delivered a light-hearted update on his fitness, joking that he will miss the Australian Open 2026, shortly after Roger Federer’s return to the Melbourne Park spotlight was confirmed.

Federer, who retired following the 2022 Laver Cup, is set to appear at the Australian Open’s inaugural opening ceremony next month.

The six-time Australian Open champion will take part in an exhibition event titled Battle of the World No. 1s, alongside Andre Agassi, Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt, as part of the tournament’s new ceremonial launch.

Reflecting on his connection with Melbourne, Federer said the Australian Open holds some of the most special moments of his career, including his emotional comeback title in 2017 and a successful title defence in 2018.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

He expressed excitement about returning to Rod Laver Arena and reconnecting with Australian fans.

While Federer prepares for his ceremonial comeback, his long-time rival, Rafael Nadal, shared a contrasting update on social media.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion posted a photo on Instagram showing his right hand in a brace following surgery, accompanied by a tongue-in-cheek caption suggesting he would not be able to play the Australian Open in 2026.

“Looks like I won’t be able to play the Australian Open 2026,” Nadal joked, adding that the surgery was required to address an issue he had been dealing with for some time and that he hopes to recover fully soon.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Rafa Nadal (@rafaelnadal)

Nadal, who officially retired from professional tennis at the 2024 Davis Cup, remains one of the most decorated players in Australian Open history, having lifted the trophy twice.

READ: President’s Cup: Usman’s 155* propels Sahir Associates to victory

KARACHI: Pakistan Army Hoor Fawad has been crowned the Women’s Singles Champion at the 35th National Games currently underway here in the Metropolitan city.

Competing at the Islamia Club, Hoor delivered a commanding performance in the final, defeating Haiqa Hassan in straight sets, 3–0, to secure the national title.

Throughout the tournament, she demonstrated remarkable form, earning three gold medals and one bronze across multiple events, solidifying her position as one of the country’s leading table tennis athletes.

In the Men’s Singles final, Muhammad Ahmed, also representing Pakistan Army, claimed victory over Shah Khan, further strengthening Pak Army’s dominance in this year’s table tennis competitions.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

With outstanding performances from both its male and female athletes, Pakistan Army emerged as the standout contingent in the table tennis category at the National Games 2025.

Overall, Pakistan Army medals tally rose to 258 which includes 168 golds. Meanwhile, WAPDA is on second position with 169 medals to their name.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Pakistan Olympic Association (@nocpakistan)

For the unversed, the 35th National Games Karachi are currently underway in the metropolitan city, featuring a range of multi-sport events from 6 to 13 December 2025.

The event is bringing together athletes from across the country in a sweeping programme that spans endurance sports, combat disciplines, precision events, and crowd-favourite team competitions.

The event features Olympic mainstays such as athletics, swimming, gymnastics, and fencing. Moreover, Kabaddi, tug of war, netball, and boxing games are also part of the competitions.

It is pertinent to mention that the National Games, first held in 1948, stand among Pakistan’s most prominent multi-sport events and frequently serve as a pathway to international selection.

READ: Arshdeep Singh sets unwanted record with 13-ball over

Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time winner of the French Open, has died at the age of 92, Italy’s tennis federation announced on Monday.

“Italian tennis is mourning an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian inducted into the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died,” said the FITP.

Born in Tunis in 1933 to an Italian father and Russian mother, Pietrangeli was widely considered the country’s greatest ever tennis player until the emergence of current world number two Jannik Sinner.

He was also one of the best clay-court players of his generation, with three titles in Monte Carlo and his home Italian Open tournament in Rome, where a court is named in his honour.

In total, Pietrangeli won 44 singles titles over his career, including his two triumphs at Roland Garros in 1959 and 1960, and reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in the same year as his second French Open title.

An all-round sportsman, Nicola Pietrangeli played for the football team Lazio until he was 18 years old, but he switched to tennis after the Rome-based club tried to send him away on loan.

Pietrangeli’s first victory at Roland Garros was the first time any Italian player had won a Grand Slam and came after he defeated South African Ian Vermaak in the final.

He also won that year’s doubles tournament, which back then was hugely popular, alongside his compatriot Orlando Sirola, with whom he formed a formidable pairing.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Gifted with an excellent backhand, precise ball control, and impressive stamina, he won his second French Open title in 1960 against Chilean Luis Ayala before being beaten twice in the 1961 and 1964 finals by Spaniard Manuel Santana.

During the majority of his career, tennis was divided between amateurs, who played in the traditional top tournaments and the Davis Cup, and professionals who joined a parallel circuit once they established a reputation as a top player.

Unlike his contemporaries Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall, Pietrangeli didn’t turn professional until the beginning of the Open era in 1968, by which time he was in his mid-30s.

After his retirement, Pietrangeli, a fan of the high life, became a media personality, presenting popular sports programme La Domenica Sportiva and appearing in three films.

“If I’d trained harder, I would have won more, but I would have had less fun,” he once said.

Pietrangeli was also a Davis Cup stalwart, playing a record 164 matches for Italy, although he never managed to win it as a player, losing the final in 1960 and 1961.

He racked up those appearances between 1954 and 1972, but he didn’t taste success in the international tournament until 1976, when he captained his country to its first title.

READ: Australia beat Pakistan to clinch Over-40s T20 World Cup

Pakistan’s tennis ace Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi has called time on his professional career, bringing down the curtain on a journey spanning over two decades.

The 45-year-old announced his retirement during the inaugural ATP Challenger Cup in Islamabad.

On this occasion, Aisam reflected on his early days and lauded his family for their unwavering support during his career.

“My parents were my real strength. Their belief, sacrifices , and constant encouragement shaped me into the player I became,” he said.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

He also shared a touching memory about his longtime coach Haseeb Aslam, revealing that he had initially refused to train him, but later agreed at the insistence of Aisam’s mother.

He expressed deep gratitude to all his coaches, mentors, fellow players, and the Pakistan sports media for standing by him throughout his career.

The ceremony also featured the formal introduction of both international and local tennis players, who will be participating in the ATP Challenger Islamabad tournament, making it a historic day for tennis in Pakistan.

Aisam-ul-Haq’s retirement marks the end of an era in Pakistan tennis history, as he leaves behind a legacy of international success, inspiration for young players, and immense contribution to the sport’s growth in the country.

READ: Maresca downplays Chelsea’s Estevao comparison with Yamal

Italy claimed a third Davis Cup in as many years on Sunday after beating Spain 2-0 in front of delighted home fans in Bologna and completing a treble without star player Jannik Sinner.

Flavio Cobolli sparked loud celebrations by coming back from a set down to beat Jaume Munar 1-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 and ensure that Italy retained their title.

Matteo Berrettini had earlier cruised to a 6-3, 6-4 win over Pablo Carreno Busta, setting Filippo Volandri’s team up for victory without the doubles match needing to be played.

“This was my dream, we’re a really united team, and we tried to recreate the spirit of the Italy team that won the (football) World Cup in 2006,” said Cobolli.

“I’m really proud of everyone and our brilliant fans are also part of this team. I’ve been repeating for three days but it’s the best day of my life.”

Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori haven’t been employed in a doubles contest in northern Italy as the hosts won the Davis Cup without losing a match.

It’s an impressive feat by Italy who competed without their two highest-ranked players in superstar Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti.

Both players sit in the top 10 of the men’s world rankings and were major absences for the tournament, especially as they chose not to take part in the title defence on home soil.

“It doesn’t matter who goes out there for us, we have a deep squad and we have a lot of great lads who play great tennis,” said Berrettini.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Spain, too, were missing their top player in world number one Carlos Alcaraz, but the six-time Grand Slam winner would have played had he not suffered a hamstring injury during his ATP Finals showdown with Sinner a week ago.

Their bid for a seventh Davis Cup came up short after returning to the final for the first time since 2019.

“It was a very, very, very close tie,” said Spain captain David Ferrer. “We were really close.”

“Italy, in important moments, they play really good,” he added. “It’s not easy for us to play in Italy against Italy.”

Earlier on Sunday, the head of the International Tennis Federation insisted that top players were not snubbing the competition.

“There’s this false feeling out there that top players don’t represent their nation. That’s not true,” David Haggerty told reporters ahead of the final.

“Some of those top players that played in the qualifier round or the second qualifier round didn’t make it to the finals. And so we had many top players who have played.”

American Taylor Fritz, Australian Alex de Minaur, Dane Holger Rune and Norwegian Casper Ruud, all in the top 20 of the men’s rankings, featured in the early rounds of the competition without managing to reach the finals with their respective nations.

READ: Kane Williamson returns to New Zealand squad for West Indies Tests

Spain’s world number one Carlos Alcaraz will miss the Davis Cup Final 8 tournament in Italy this week due to injury, the two-time Wimbledon champion announced on X on Tuesday.

“I am very sorry to announce that I will not be able to play with Spain in the Davis Cup in Bologna. I have swelling in my right hamstring, and the medical advice is not to play,” the 22-year-old six-time Grand Slam winner said.

“I’ve always said that playing for Spain is the greatest thing there is, and I was really looking forward to helping the team fight for the Davis Cup trophy.”

Alcaraz’s announcement comes two days after he was beaten by his arch-rival Jannik Sinner, the Italian world number two, 7-6 (7/4), 7-5 in the ATP Finals title-decider in Turin.

While both Sinner and Alcaraz breezed into the final, the championship game was an attritional affair, with each player rock-solid on serve until an enthralling tie-break at the end of the first set.

Sinner took the lead thanks to a brilliant lob which set up a set point, and he made no mistake with a missile of a serve which Alcaraz could only limply send wide.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

But Sinner immediately handed Alcaraz the advantage in the second set with two double-faults, which helped hand his opponent a break of serve at the start of the frame.

Sinner hadn’t dropped a service game in the whole tournament up to that point, but he broke back in game six to put the crowd on their feet.

And Sinner collapsed to the ground in joy when Alcaraz sent a backhand wide on the first championship point, before heading into the stands to share his joy with his family amid the roars of the crowd.

Notably, Sinner had already announced he would miss the Davis Cup Final 8 tournament, with hosts Italy aiming for a third title in a row.

Italy’s second-highest-ranked player, Lorenzo Musetti, has also pulled out of Italy’s defence.

Austria, France, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Argentina and Germany are the other countries vying for victory in Bologna.

READ: Pakistan suffer injury blow ahead of T20I tri-series opener

TURIN: Jannik Sinner retained the ATP Finals title on Sunday after beating Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (7/4), 7-5 and ending a turbulent season with victory over his great rival.

Italian Sinner brought the house down in Turin by winning the championship match that tennis fans wanted to see, adding the prestigious year-ending tournament to the Australian Open and a landmark triumph at Wimbledon this season.

The 24-year-old also bounced back from a three-month ban, which chopped out a large chunk of his season despite the World Anti-Doping Agency accepting that the Italian was accidentally contaminated with the banned substance clostebol last year.

Sinner has now won 31 straight matches on indoor hard courts, a run which stretches back to the 2023 championship match at Turin’s Inalpi Arena, which he lost to Novak Djokovic.

Four more wins on indoor hard courts would draw him level with Djokovic’s tally set between 2012 and 2015, the second-highest in the Open era, but some way behind John McEnroe’s record of 47.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

He hasn’t dropped a set at the Finals since losing that final to the Serb two years ago, and he was imperious over the week in northern Italy.

While both Sinner and Alcaraz breezed into the final, the championship game was an attritional affair, with each player rock-solid on serve until an enthralling tie-break at the end of the first set.

Sinner took the lead thanks to a brilliant lob which set up a set point, and he made no mistake with a missile of a serve which Alcaraz could only limply send wide.

But Sinner immediately handed Alcaraz the advantage in the second set with two double-faults, which helped hand his opponent a break of serve at the start of the frame.

Sinner hadn’t dropped a service game in the whole tournament up to that point, but he broke back in game six to put the crowd on their feet.

And Sinner collapsed to the ground in joy when Alcaraz sent a backhand wide on the first championship point, before heading into the stands to share his joy with his family amid the roars of the crowd.

READ: Haaland strikes as Norway thump Italy to reach first World Cup since 1998

Jannik Sinner continued his mastery over Alex de Minaur on Saturday with a straight-sets win to reach the ATP Finals championship match for the third year in a row.

Sinner broke late in the first set and then pulled away from De Minaur to complete a 7-5, 6-2 win, his 13th in as many meetings with the Australian.

The Italian world number two has yet to drop a service game en route to the final but will likely have a tougher test in the final against top seed Carlos Alcaraz, who is the favourite to beat Felix Auger-Aliassime in Saturday’s other semi-final.

“Honestly, every matchup (with Alcaraz) is different. We saw it in Rome and Paris, even if it’s the same surface (clay), it can change,” said Sinner, who lost both of those finals before beating his Spanish rival to win Wimbledon.

“Another final, has been an amazing year for me. I’m looking forward for tomorrow… Also, to see for me where my level really is, but at the same time it’s great before the off-season to have this matchup.

“He still has a match to go against Felix… He loves to play indoors, as we know. Let’s see who is going to win. Anyway, I’m happy to be in the final. Then we see.”

Sinner has won his last 18 sets played in Turin, where he beat Taylor Fritz in last year’s final. The four-time Grand Slam champion is on a 30-match winning streak on indoor hard courts.

The 24-year-old Sinner hasn’t dropped a set at the ATP Finals since losing the 2023 final to Novak Djokovic, while De Minaur ends his year with a more upbeat mood than the one he had after losing to Lorenzo Musetti in the group stage.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

De Minaur admitted that he had been in a “dark place” after that loss, which almost cost him a place in the last four, before he beat Taylor Fritz to set up Saturday’s clash with Sinner.

“I had a little shift in perspective. Of course, like, sitting here right now, I feel like I should have finished my Turin campaign having won two matches instead of one,” De Minaur told reporters.

“But you can’t really change the past. You’ve just got to do your best to learn from it, get back up, and keep on heading forward, right? That’s ultimately the goal now. Obviously, I’m in a much better place.”

De Minaur fought off two break points in the opening game of the semi-final but then failed to convert any of the three he carved out in Sinner’s first service game.

The Australian resisted again when Sinner threatened to break in the seventh and ninth games, but the second seed eventually struck the key blow at 5-5 and snatched the first set.

Sinner surged 4-0 ahead in the second set before wrapping up his ninth straight win at the tournament, becoming the youngest player since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004 to reach three finals at the season-ending event.

If Sinner faces Alcaraz in the final, it will be their sixth meeting of the season. Alcaraz has won four of the five previous matches, triumphing in the French Open and US Open finals.

READ: Breaking the Century Drought: How Babar Azam Mirrors Virat Kohli