Tag: Australian Open

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

NEW DELHI: India’s leading men’s tennis player Sumit Nagal has revealed that China denied him a visa just weeks before he was scheduled to compete in the Australian Open Asia-Pacific Wildcard Playoff in Sichuan, leaving his participation in jeopardy.

Nagal, ranked 275 in the world, took to the social media platform X on Monday to express his frustration over the development.

“I am supposed to fly to China soon to represent India at the Australian Open Playoff. But my visa was rejected without reason,” the 28-year-old wrote.

The week-long qualifying tournament, which begins on November 24, offers players from the Asia-Pacific region a chance to secure direct entry into the main draw of the 2026 Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year.

Nagal, who reached a career-high ranking of 68 in 2024, has represented India at both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics.

He previously featured in the main draw at Melbourne Park twice, losing in the first round earlier this year and in the second round the year before.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The tournament organisers have stated that players “should contact the Chinese consulate for information regarding visa requirements” and may request an official letter of invitation if needed.

However, they have yet to respond to inquiries from AFP regarding Nagal’s situation.

AFP also reached out to Nagal’s agent and China’s foreign ministry for comment, but received no immediate response.

The incident comes at a time when India and China are still working to rebuild ties strained by years of geopolitical tension.

The two nations, which share a long and disputed Himalayan border, only recently resumed direct flights after a five-year suspension following the pandemic and the deadly 2020 border clash in Ladakh.

READ: Zimbabwe arrive in Pakistan for T20I tri-series

Defending champion Jannik Sinner blew past Ben Shelton 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 6-2 in the Australian Open semi-finals on Friday to set up a showdown with Alexander Zverev for the title.

The top-ranked Italian will face the German second seed, who went through to Sunday’s final when Novak Djokovic retired injured from their last-four clash.

Sinner had to save two set points in a tight opening act, but once he took it on a tiebreak he raced past the 22-year-old in 2hr 36min on Rod Laver Arena, despite cramping late in the match.

The centre court crowd had been disappointed earlier when Djokovic called it a day after losing a gruelling first set against Zverev, leaving his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam crown in tatters.

The 37-year-old Serbian great’s upper left leg was heavily taped and, after he shook hands, he departed to some boos after going down 7-6 (7/5).

Djokovic hinted that he may have played his last Australian Open. “There is a chance. Who knows?” Djokovic said when asked if he may have graced the Melbourne Park courts for the last time.

“I normally like to come to Australia to play. I’ve had the biggest success in my career here. So if I’m fit, healthy, motivated, I don’t see a reason why I wouldn’t come,” he added.

Djokovic has now gone five Grand Slams without winning the title he needs to surpass Margaret Court’s 24 and become the all-time leader.

“I actually thought I played really well, as well as I played the last 12 months,” he said of his Melbourne run. “I liked my chances if I was physically fit and ready to battle.”

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Sinner is on the cusp of a first successful Grand Slam title defence after winning his maiden major crown in Melbourne last year.

He had won the last four of his five career meetings with the explosive young American.

The Italian was not at his best in the opening set, dropping his serve twice and having to dig deep to save two set points with Shelton serving at 6-5.

But the 23-year-old easily took control of the tiebreak to move a set ahead after 71 minutes.

He broke Shelton right at the start of the second and ran away with it in 42 minutes.

The all-action Shelton raised himself for one last effort in the third, lashing running forehand winners in an attempt to turn the tide.

Sinner was not moving freely, seemingly troubled by either cramp or his groin, but he saved two break points and when Shelton then dropped his serve to go 3-2 down, the Italian sprinted to the finish line.

The final will be a battle of the top two seeds with Zverev in his first Australian Open final.

The German has been a Grand Slam runner-up twice before, at last year’s French Open and the 2020 US Open, but has never lifted one of the big four majors.

READ: Aqib Javed responds to criticism on Pakistan’s spin-spiced strategy in Test cricket

Andy Murray is prepared to face the pressure from Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open, as he believes that the “unique opportunity” to coach him is worth it.

The Serbian 24-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic made the shock decision to hire Murray in November, just months after the Scot called time on his playing career.

In his first comments since then, fellow former number one Murray, who has known Djokovic since their junior playing days, said the call came out of the blue.

“I said to him: ‘Look, I need to think about it and talk to my family,'” the BBC quoted Murray as saying.

“So I spoke to them and after a couple of days I thought that it was a pretty unique opportunity and experience.

“I thought it would be a good idea to try it.”

Andy Murray is himself a three-time major winner — and five-time finalist in Australia — with both players members of the so-called “Big Four”, along with Rafael Nadal, who retired last year, and Roger Federer, who left the sport in 2022.

Djokovic and Murray faced each other 36 times in their careers with the Serb winning 25 of them.

Nineteen of those clashes came in finals, with both men known for sounding off at their box in pressure moments. This time it could be Murray on the receiving end.

“I know it’s not easy out there — it’s stressful and at times he’s going to want to vent towards his team and his box,” said Murray.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“Providing that he’s giving his best effort and trying as hard as he can, I’m absolutely fine with him expressing himself how he wants.”

Djokovic said Murray inspired him and he was enjoying the collaboration.

“I think that his unique perspective on my game is the fact that he has played me for 25 years,” the Serbian star said on Friday. “He knows the evolution of my game, I guess the weaknesses and strengths of my game.”

“He also knows the game, the tennis game, of the biggest players in the world right now because he has just recently retired as a player.

“I’m excited to start the tournament with him,” he added.

With Novak Djokovic chasing an 11th Australian Open title and record 25th major, Murray made clear he was not in town for a holiday.

“At times it’s very enjoyable. But high performance is not supposed to be laughs and jokes and messing around,” he said.

“In all the times I’ve been on tour, I haven’t seen that from any of the best players in the world.

“I’ve seen it from some of the lower-ranked players, and that’s one of the reasons why they’re not there.”

READ: Faham-ul-Haq named in emerging players category ahead of PSL 10 Draft

MELBOURNE: An emotional Novak Djokovic beat Stefanos Tsitsipas Sunday to claim a 10th Australian Open title and equal Rafael Nadal’s 22 Grand Slam crowns, a victory that returned him to world number one.

The Serbian star overcame a hamstring injury and off-court drama on his return to Melbourne Park to sweep past the Greek third seed 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/5) on Rod Laver Arena.

He surged to victory without father Srdjan in the stands after he sparked controversy by posing with a fan carrying a Russian flag featuring Vladimir Putin’s face following his son’s quarter-final win.

Djokovic climbed to his player’s box after the win to embrace his mother and broke down in uncontrollable tears, collapsing to the ground sobbing.

It capped a remarkable comeback by the 35-year-old fourth seed, who missed last year’s tournament when he was deported over his Covid vaccination stance.

After a three-year ban from Australia was lifted, Djokovic won the lead-up Adelaide International before reinforcing his stature as an all-time great in Melbourne.

The emphatic win drew him level with Nadal on a record 22 Slams, two clear of Roger Federer.

The Spanish great made a shock second-round exit with a hip injury, but is targeting a return for the clay-court season and another crack at the French Open, and with it a 23rd Slam title.

Nadal, though, is set to slide down the rankings when they are released on Monday, in contrast to Djokovic, who will dethrone Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz and return to the top for the first time since June. Tsitsipas will climb one place to three.

Both men were back on a court that helped them rise to stardom.

Djokovic won his first Grand Slam in 2008 on Rod Laver Arena while Tsitsipas burst on the scene in 2019 when he stunned defending champion Federer in the last 16.

With sizeable Greek and Serbian communities in Melbourne, and Rod Laver in attendance, there was a raucous atmosphere.

Djokovic came into the match with his confidence high having won all nine of his previous Australian Open finals and with a 10-2 career advantage over the Greek.

Moving freely with only minimal strapping on his troublesome left hamstring, he opened with a comfortable hold after being greeted by huge cheers.

Djokovic worked two break points on Tsitsipas’s opening serve, to no avail, but kept probing and the Greek handed him a break for 3-1 with a careless double fault.

Tsitsipas, in only his second Grand Slam final to Djokovic’s 33rd, appeared nervous, losing the first set in just 36 minutes.

But he battled back into contention in a much closer second set as his confidence grew, improving his serve and winning some pressure points.

He earned his first break point — and set point — when Djokovic blasted a backhand wide.

But the Serb clung on to keep the set on serve and it went to a tiebreak, where his greater experience came to the fore.

Against the odds, Tsitsipas broke for the first time on Djokovic’s opening serve in set three, only to relinquish the advantage immediately after a gripping rally, furious with himself.

It again went to a tiebreak, where Djokovic once again raised a level to claim another title.

READ: WATCH: Fatima Sana finally meets her inspiration Ellyse Perry

MELBOURNE: Belarusian professional tennis trailblazer Aryna Sabalenka scripted an astounding comeback from a set down to edge reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina to win the Australian Open 2023.

The Belarusian tennis player fought hard for her first grand slam title with an astounding 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 triumph in the enthralling final that lasted 2hr 28min at Rod Laver Arena.

Unlike the final outcome, Sabalenka got off to a shaky start as Rybakina breezed through the first set in a mere 34 minutes, but the Belarusian fought back in the second set, which lasted 57 minutes, to force a nail-biting decider.

The nail-biting decider then lived up to its title with both players pushing each other rigorously but Sabalenka held her composure to eventually sail through.

Following her first grand slam title, Sabalenka will now rise to the second spot in the WTA Rankings, equalling her career high.

Meanwhile, the reigning Wimbledon champion and Australia Open runner-up Rybakina will enter the Top 10 for the first time.

The Kazakhstan-hailed tennis player earned no ranking points for her Wimbledon glory because of the ban on Russian and Belarusian players in the most coveted tennis grand slam.

READ: Pakistan women’s team gears up for third Australia T20I

MELBOURNE: A rampant Novak Djokovic surged into a 10th Australian Open final Friday to close in on a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam crown, with only Stefanos Tsitsipas now standing in his way.

The Serbian fourth seed overcame an early wobble to romp past unseeded American Tommy Paul 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena in style.

Another title on Sunday will move him alongside Rafael Nadal with 22 Slam wins and see the 35-year-old return to world number one for the first time since last June.

Greek third seed Tsitsipas, who ground past Russian 18th seed Karen Khachanov 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 in the other semi-final, can also become the top-ranked player should he lift the trophy.

Djokovic played the clash without father Srdjan courtside after he was filmed posing with a man holding a Russian flag featuring Vladimir Putin’s face following his son’s quarter-final win on Wednesday.

The incident sparked a backlash from Ukraine and led to calls for Djokovic’s father to be banned from the tournament.

Srdjan issued a statement ahead of the semi-final saying he would stay away, insisting he “wishes only for peace” and never wanted to cause “disruption”.

There was an empty seat next to his mother Dijana during the match.

“I’m really thankful that I have enough gas in my legs to be able to play at this level on one of the biggest tennis courts in the world,” said Djokovic, who is now 11-0 for the season and into a 33rd Grand Slam final.

“Of course, I’m not as fresh as the beginning of the tournament but we put in a lot of hours in the off-season on fitness in order to be in a good condition to play best of five (sets).

“I know what’s expected of me, I’ve been in this situation so many times in my career. Experience helps also,” he added of being in another final.

The win extended his unbeaten streak at the Australian Open to 27 matches to claim sole ownership of the Open-era record at Melbourne Park ahead of Andre Agassi.

Djokovic had never played Paul before and said he was wary of a “very explosive, very dynamic player”, with the American initially refusing to go quietly.

The Serb, a hot favourite, attacked his opponent’s straight away for an early break, then broke again when the 35th-ranked Paul fired a forehand long to race 5-1 in front.

A run-in with the umpire over using his towel between points seemed to rattle Djokovic and he was broken twice in a row as Paul came surging back to 5-5.

Djokovic regrouped to hold serve and break again and take the set in 59 minutes.

After that wobble, it was all business, despite clutching his strapped hamstring several times, romping through the next two sets with minimal resistence.

He will meet Tsitsipas next after the Greek battled into his first Australian final and only second at a Grand Slam.

In the previous one, at Roland Garros in 2021, he fell to Djokovic in five sets after holding a 2-0 lead.

At 24, Tsitsipas is the youngest man to reach the Melbourne final since a 23-year-old Djokovic in 2011.

“I dreamed as a kid to maybe one day get to play in this court against the best players in the world,” said Tsitsipas, who is also unbeaten this season with a 10-0 record.

“I’m extremely happy that I’m in the final now and let’s see what happens.”

Tsitsipas has thrived in Melbourne throughout his career after bursting on the scene at the 2019 event as a 20-year-old when he dethroned defending champion Roger Federer in the last 16.

He went on to reach the semi-finals that year and again in 2021 and 2022.

He came into his clash with Khachanov brimming with confidence.

Despite failing to get over the line when serving for the match at 5-4 in the third set, then with two match points in the tiebreak, he kept his cool to secure the win and a date with Djokovic.

READ: Arthur’s Derbyshire sign Haider Ali for 2023 season

MELBOURNE: Stefanos Tsitsipas said he was living the dream after reaching the Australian Open final Friday for a first time and standing on the cusp of becoming world number one.

The Greek third seed showed grit to defeat Russia’s Karen Khachanov and set up a final against either nine-time Melbourne champion Novak Djokovic or American Tommy Paul.

The 18th-seeded Khachanov threatened a comeback after saving two match points to force the semi-final into a fourth set, before Tsitsipas triumphed 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3.

Tsitsipas can top the world rankings if he wins his first Grand Slam crown on Sunday.

“I dreamed as a kid to maybe one day get to play in this court against the best players in the world,” Tsitsipas told a sunny Rod Laver Arena after winning an Australian Open semi-final at the fourth attempt.

“So I’m happy with the fight I put out there today. I feel blessed, blessed that I’m able to play tennis at this level.

“I’ve been wanting for many years now to put Greek tennis on the map.”

At 24, Tsitsipas is the youngest man to reach the Australian Open final since a 23-year-old Djokovic in 2011.

Tsitsipas has thrived in Melbourne throughout his career, after bursting on the scene at the 2019 event as a 20-year-old when he dethroned defending champion Roger Federer in the last 16.

He went on to reach the semi-finals that year and again in 2021 and 2022, falling one match short on each occasion.

A Grand Slam crown has remained elusive, with his runner-up showing at Roland Garros in 2021 his best result so far, falling to Djokovic in five sets after holding a 2-0 lead.

‘Couldn’t be more ready’

A confident Tsitsipas opened with a serve to love and applied early pressure, earning a break in game four when US Open semi-finalist Khachanov made a baseline error.

But the advantage didn’t last, with the 26-year-old Russian immediately striking back to level it up when Tsitsipas netted a forehand.

The Greek star was unrelenting on the forehand and forced another break for a 5-3 lead, only for Khachanov to again roar back.

It went to a tiebreak, with Tsitsipas quickly wrapping it up.

Khachanov repelled three break points early in a second set which went with serve until Tsitsipas earned another two after a 22-shot rally at 4-4, and this time he made no mistake.

With the bit between his teeth, the world number four ramped up the pressure to secure a break for 2-1 in the third set, then consolidated.

Khachanov looked down and out but in a late twist broke back when Tsitsipas — two points from victory — sent an overhead volley wide as he served for the match.

It propelled the third set to another tiebreak, where the Greek worked two match points on serve, but failed to convert and the Russian pulled out of the mire to drag it to a fourth set.

Tsitsipas quickly snuffed out any chance of a comeback as he reasserted his dominance to seal a spot in the final.

Afterwards, Tsitsipas struck a confident tone — no matter who he meets in the final.

“Couldn’t be more ready for this moment,” said the Greek, who has enjoyed strong support from Melbourne’s large Greek population.

“I’m playing great tennis. I’m enjoying myself. I just see no downside or negativity in what I’m trying to do out there,” he added.

READ: ICC names first-ever all-female panel to officiate Women’s T20 World Cup

MELBOURNE: Indian trailblazer Sania Mirza bowed out of Grand Slam tennis Friday with defeat in the Australian Open mixed-doubles final playing alongside Rohan Bopanna — her first playing partner 22 years ago.

The 36-year-old Mirza, regarded as her country’s greatest women’s tennis player, returned to Melbourne Park for one last hurrah and made it all the way to the decider.

But she and 42-year-old Bopanna were unable to get over the line, losing 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 to Brazilian pair Luisa Stefani and Rafael Matos.

Mirza was in tears in the post-match presentation ceremony.

“Rohan was my first-ever mixed-doubles partner at (aged) 14 and we won the nationals,” said Mirza, a six-time Grand Slam champion, three in doubles and three in mixed.

“It was a long time ago, 22 years ago, and I couldn’t think of a better person — he’s one of my best friends and best partners — to finish my career here and to play the final.

“There’s no better place for me, or person for me, to finish my Grand Slam career.”

Mirza, who is married to former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik, has a young son Izhaan and said it was incredible to play in front of him in a major final.

“I never thought that I would be able to play in front of my child in a Grand Slam final, so it’s truly special to have my four-year-old and my parents here,” she said.

Mirza, known as a feisty convention-breaker, was the first Indian to win a WTA singles title, in 2005 at her hometown Hyderabad.

She reached the fourth round of the US Open the same year and by 2007 was among the women’s top 30.

But a wrist injury caused her to concentrate on doubles, forging a partnership with Swiss great Martina Hingis which produced three Grand Slam titles.

She is due to retire from all tennis after a tournament next month in Dubai, where she has lived for more than a decade and recently launched a tennis academy.

READ: Wahab Riaz named Sports Minister in Punjab’s caretaker government

MELBOURNE: Aryna Sabalenka will face Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open final after overpowering unseeded Magda Linette 7-6 (7/1), 6-2 in a semi-final played in chilly conditions on Rod Laver Arena on Thursday.

Fifth seed Sabalenka’s maiden Grand Slam final appearance will be against the Wimbledon champion, who earlier beat Victoria Azarenka in straight sets.

“I’m super happy, super happy that I was able to get this win,” said the Belarusian, who had been hoping to play her compatriot Azarenka in Saturday’s showpiece.

“Magda’s an unbelievable player. She played really great tennis,” added the 24-year-old.

Sabalenka came into the match as many observers’ favourite for the Melbourne crown but she had never won a Grand Slam semi-final in three previous attempts.

She had led world number one Iga Swiatek 4-2 in the third set of their US Open semi-final in September before a spectacular meltdown where she lost 16 of the last 20 points.

That sort of mental baggage in tennis is always lurking, especially for someone as emotional as Sabalenka, who has admitted to being stymied by nerves in the past.

But the world number five has been in the form of her life since arriving in Australia.

She won the Adelaide International warm-up tournament and has now extended her unbeaten streak to 10 matches, not losing a single set in any of them.

Sabalenka has been exuding a calmer, more assured, persona on court, without losing any of her famed aggression.

It was this new version of Sabalenka that was to undergo a severe examination early against Poland’s surprise-package Linette.

Linette had enjoyed a dream run to her first Grand Slam semi-final at the age of 30, already knocking out four seeded players on the way including world number four Caroline Garcia of France.

The Pole was out of the gate fastest, breaking to love in the opening game and holding for an early lead.

Sabalenka was being made to work hard and showed all her new-found patience to get back on terms with a break of her own, to love, for 2-2 and the set went to a tiebreak.

Sabalenka timed her moment perfectly to up the aggression, and the decibel level, racing to 4-0 with a scream.

An ace that barely clipped the line stretched it to 5-0 and she closed out comfortably after 51 minutes, having smacked 20 winners to just seven from Linette.

“I would say that I didn’t start really well,” admitted Sabalenka.

“And then on the tiebreak I kind of found my rhythm and just started trusting myself, started going for the shots. It was great tennis from me in the tiebreak.”

Sabalenka showed no sign of letting up in the second set, breaking Linette and with a scream of “Come on!” holding for a 3-1 advantage.

A second break took her within sight of the finish line, which she raced across in 1hr 33min.

Linette, who had been flying the flag for Poland after the shock exit of world number one Swiatek, will have the consolation of soaring to a career-high 22nd in the world when the new rankings come out on Monday.

READ: ‘Can’t express my feelings in words,’ says ICC Cricketer of the Year Babar