Page 3 - Australian Open

Australian Open 2024: 'Mommy' Osaka ready to make her Grand Slam return

Smaller things are getting Naomi Osaka's attention now that she's preparing for her Grand Slam comeback. She's focusing on being more in the moment. More patient. More conscious of who may be watching her play her first major since 2022, and what kind of impression she'll leave. The first 15-day Australian Open, set to start Sunday morning (Saturday night in the U.S. ET), has been hyped as the tournament of comebacks. And Osaka has top billing among the three former No. 1-ranked, former Australian Open champions returning to Melbourne Park for their first time as moms. The attention on that returning trio Osaka, Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki intensified after another prominent storyline fizzled out when Rafael Nadal's attempted comeback from a year-long injury layoff lasted three matches. The 22-time major winner has a small tear in a muscle near his surgically repaired hip and and flew home, leaving Novak Djokovic as the only remaining member of the so-called Big ...

Australian Open 2024: Djokovic and Swiatek get No. 1 seedings as expected

Playing true to their rankings, Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek have been given the respective No. 1 seedings at the Australian Open in the first Grand Slam tournament of the year which begins Sunday at Melbourne Park. Here is a list of the seedings: Men 1. Novak Djokovic 2. Carlos Alcaraz 3. Daniil Medvedev 4. Jannik Sinner 5. Andrey Rublev 6. Alexander Zverev 7. Stefanos Tsitsipas 8. Holger Rune 9. Hubert Hurkacz 10. Alex de Minaur 11. Casper Ruud 12. Taylor Fritz 13. Grigor Dimitrov 14. Tommy Paul 15. Karen Khachanov 16. Ben Shelton 17. Frances Tiafoe 18. Nicholas Jarry 19. Cameron Norrie 20. Adrian Mannarino 21. Ugo Humbert 22. Francisco Cerundolo 23. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 24. Jan-Lennard Struff 25. Lorenzo Musetti 26. Sebastian Baez 27. Felix Auger-Aliassime 28. Tallon Griekspoor 29. Sebastian Korda 30. Tomas Martin Etcheverry 31. Alexander Bublik 32. Jiri Lehecka Women 1. Iga Swiatek 2. Aryna Sabalenka 3. Elena Rybakina 4. Coco Gauff 5

Coco Gauff heads to Australian Open with confidence high after Auckland win

U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff will head to the Australian Open with greater confidence in her form and fitness after beating Elina Svitolina in three sets in the Auckland Classic final. The third-ranked Gauff became only the fourth player to win back-to-back singles in Auckland, achieving the feat at the age of 19. Gauff didn't drop a set on the way to her first Auckland title in 2023 and extended that run to nine matches when she reached Sunday's final, again without dropping a set. But she lost the opening set against second-seeded Svitolina and had to work hard to win the match 6-7 (4), 6-3. 6-3 in just under three hours. Previously, she had spent only four hours on court in four matches and had dropped only 15 games on her way through the semifinals. Her serve, which had been a formidable component of her matches throughout the tournament she served 10 aces in beating American Emma Navarro 6-3, 6-1 in a semifinal deserted her on Sunday. She served only three aces but mixed th

Rafael Nadal pulls out of Australian Open 2024 due to muscle tear injury

Rafael Nadal pulled out of the Australian Open 2024 due to a muscle tear

Nadal misses 3 match points, loses quarterfinal of Brisbane International

Rafael Nadal missed three match points and needed a medical time-out Friday before losing to Jordan Thompson in the quarterfinals of his tournament comeback following a year-long injury layoff. The 22-time major winner failed to convert a match point in the 10th game of the second set and two more in the tiebreaker before No. 55-ranked Thompson rallied to win 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-3 at the Brisbane International. With the Australian Open starting January 14, Nadal's rehabilitation from the hip injury and surgery that sidelined him for most of 2023 will be tested. The 37-year-old Spaniard opened the tournament with straight-sets wins over Dominic Thiem and Jason Kubler but was pushed for 3 hours and 25 minutes by Thompson in what was his third match in four nights. His energy level visibly waned at the start of the third set. And, after Thompson broke in the fourth game and then held for a 4-1 lead, Nadal was assessed by the trainer apparently for his upper left leg. He left the court fo

Nadal comes back from long layoff, reaches Brisbane International last 8

Rafael Nadal's comeback from a year-long injury layoff reached the Brisbane International quarterfinals after dominating Jason Kubler 6-1, 6-2 on Thursday. The 22-time major winner is playing on a wild card after his ranking slipped into the 600s as he recovered from hip surgery, and he's desperate for match time ahead of the Australian Open this month. Nadal's first competitive match since January last year was a win on Tuesday against 2020 U.S. Open champion and former No. 3-ranked Dominic Thiem. It means a lot to me," Nadal said, "and two victories after a long time being outside of the professional tour is something that, yeah, makes me feel good and happy. He was more convincing against Kubler, a hometown favorite who is ranked 63rd after a career interrupted by multiple operations on his knees. Nadal had 20 winners, including some ripping forehands, and eight unforced errors. He hit volleys and half-volleys and overheads. He scrambled to chase drop shots and covered the base

Australian Open tennis tournament increases prize money by $6.8 million

Australian Open tennis officials have announced an increase in prize money by 10 million Australian dollars (USD 6.8 million) for the upcoming tournament which begins on Jan. 14 at Melbourne Park. Tournament director Craig Tiley said in a statement Friday that the Grand Slam tournament will now offer 86.5 Australian dollars (USD58.4 million) in total prize money. The U.S. Open announced in August that it was increasing its total prize money and player compensation to a record USD 65 million, which is the highest among the four Grand Slam tournaments. We've upped prize money for every round at the Australian Open with the major increases in qualifying and the early rounds of singles and doubles, Tiley said. At Melbourne, first-round qualifiers will receive a 20% increase to 31,250 Australian dollars (about USD 21,000). Men's and women's singles champions will receive $3.15 million Australian dollars each (about $2.15 million). The women's final, where Aryna Sabalenka is the defendi

Naomi Osaka sets sight on Tennis return ahead of Brisbane International

Former No. 1 and new mom Naomi Osaka hit the practice court Wednesday ahead of the Brisbane International as she prepared for her much anticipated return to tennis. Osaka will make her WTA comeback at the tournament which begins Sunday at Pat Rafter Arena. A two-time Australian and U.S. Open champion, Osaka pulled out of last year's Australian Open in Melbourne before later revealing she was pregnant. The U.S.-based Japanese player and her American rapper boyfriend Cordae became parents to daughter Shai in Los Angeles in July. Osaka has only played one game since the 2021 U.S. Open in New York. She was leading Daria Gavrilova 1-0 at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in September 2021, before the Australian suffered a serious knee injury and had to retire in the match. Rafael Nadal is also set to return from injury in Brisbane in a 32-man ATP field so strong that Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini and 2020 U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem will have to qualify to feature in it. Thiem

Rafael Nadal to return to playing with Brisbane International in January

Rafael Nadal will return to playing at the Brisbane International in Australia in January, the 22-time Grand Slam champion said Friday. "After a year of not competing, it is time to come back," Nadal said in a video posted on social media. "It will be in Brisbane in the first week of January. See you there." The 37-year-old Spaniard has not played on tour since last January, when he hurt his hip flexor during a loss in the second round of the Australian Open. In May, a little more than a week before the start of the French Open, Nadal announced that he would miss the tournament he's won a record 14 times and wasn't exactly sure when he might return to play.

Australian Open 2024: Rafael Nadal, Naomi Osaka, Wozniacki set to return

Three former Australian Open champions Naomi Osaka, Caroline Wozniacki and Angelique Kerber are set to return to Melbourne Park in January following maternity leave, joined by 2022 winner Rafael Nadal and hometown favorite Nick Kyrgios. Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley told the tournament launch Wednesday that Nadal (left hip flexor) and Kyrgios (knee, wrist) are expected to return from major injuries in a bid to challenge Novak Djokovic's dominance at Rod Laver Arena, where he's clinched 10 of his record 24 Grand Slam titles. "Our 2022 champion Rafa Nadal has been working hard on his rehab for most of this year," Tiley said. "He always brings his best to Melbourne and no one can doubt how hard he competes. I've been in touch with his team and he's now back on the court and looking forward to returning to Melbourne in January." Tiley said Djokovic and No. 2-ranked Carlos Alcaraz are expected to lead the men's contingent, while leading players Aryna Sabalenk a and I

Australian Open Badminton: Hong scripts historic comeback to beat Prannoy

Star Indian shuttler HS Prannoy capped off an impressive week with a runner-up finish at the Australian Open after his gallant fight ended in a heart-breaking loss to China's Weng Hong Yang in a thrilling men's singles final here on Sunday. Following a marathon 90 minutes of play, it was Prannoy who was left to bear the heartache as the 9-21 23-21 20-22 loss against world number 24 Weng robbed him of a chance to win his second BWF title of the season. With the win, the 24-year-old Weng, who had won the Korea Open last year and 2019 China Masters, settled the scores against Prannoy after going down in three games to the Indian at the Malaysia Masters final in May. Eight times this year, Prannoy has recovered from an opening game loss and went on to claim the match six times like he did against World number 2 Anthony Ginting in the quarterfinals. The script seemed to be going the same way before Weng staged a sensational comeback from 14-19 down in the decider. The 31-year-old from

Australia Open badminton: Mithun Manjunath shocks world champ Loh Kean Yew

Unheralded Indian Mithun Manjunath stunned fourth seed and world number seven Kean Yew Loh of Singapore in the opening round while PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth secured straight-game wins at the Australia Open badminton tournament here on Wednesday. Manjunath, ranked 50th in the world, beat Loh 21-19 21-19 in the men's singles first round match that lasted 41 minutes. Manjunath faces the winner of the match between Lee Zii Jia and Leong Jun Hao -- both Malaysians -- in the second round of the BWF Super 500 tournament. Meanwhile, Lakshya Sen conceded his men's singles match against compatriot Kiran George due to an injury. Sen was trailing 0-5 in the opening game when he decided to quit. Fifth seed Sindhu, who has lost in the first round at seven different tour events this season and is playing under a new personal coach in Malaysia's Muhammad Hafiz Hashim, defeated compatriot Ashmita Chaliha 21-18 21-13 in 36 minutes in her opening women's singles match. In other men's singles ..

Belgian tennis great Justine Henin receives the Philippe Chatrier Award

The International Tennis Federation has awarded Justine Henin its highest honor, the Philippe Chatrier Award. Henin won seven Grand Slam singles titles, an Olympic gold medal, and was part of Belgium's team that won the Fed Cup now called the Billie Jean King Cup in 2001. The award, named after the former ITF president, was introduced in 1996 and recognizes people who have made significant contributions to the sport on and off the court. She was one of the best players of her generation on the court and since retirement has made a significant and ongoing contribution to our sport at all levels, ITF president David Haggerty said Saturday. The 41-year-old Henin has established a successful academy in Belgium and a charitable foundation that helps provide sporting opportunities for children with disabilities. The award will be presented Saturday at the ITF World Champions Awards at London's Victoria and Albert Museum. I always gave my very best throughout my career and achieved a

Andy Murray's exhausting Australian Open ends after losing to Roberto

Three-time major champion Andy Murray's exhausting run at the Australian Open ended in the third round after a loss to Roberto Bautista Agut

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal can only meet in final at Australian Open

Rivals Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal were placed on opposite halves of the Australian Open bracket in the draw Thursday, meaning the owners of a combined 43 Grand Slam singles titles could only meet in the final at Melbourne Park. Djokovic, a nine-time champion in Australia, returns to the hard-court tournament after missing it last year when his visa was revoked and he was deported from the country because he isn't vaccinated against COVID-19. He also couldn't compete at the 2022 U.S. Open. Fourth-seeded Djokovic will open his bid for a 10th Australian Open title against Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena in the tournament which begins Monday. Iga Swiatek, the women's No. 1-ranked player, takes on German Jule Niemeier, who is ranked No.68, in the opening round. The Polish player was a semifinalist at Melbourne Park in 2022, a year in which she won the French and U.S. Open titles. But the main first-round focus will be on Nadal, who faces a potentially challenging match against ...

Two time tennis champion Naomi Osaka withdraws from Australian Open

Two-time champion Naomi Osaka has confirmed she will not play at the Australian Open, adding her name to a growing list of notable withdrawals. Organizers confirmed in a tweet on Sunday that Japan's Osaka, the Open champion in 2019 and 2021, will not be playing in Melbourne. Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open. We will miss her at #AO2023, the tweet said. The 25-year-old Osaka's ranking has slipped to 47 and she hasn't played since September after withdrawing during the second round in Tokyo. She won her first round match at that tournament when Australia's Daria Saville withdrew after one game with a knee injury. Osaka won only one completed match since May and was beaten in the first round of her three previous tournaments, including the US Open at which she also is a two-time champion. Last week she posted pictures on social media of a trip to Europe with her United States rapper boyfriend Cordae and had been considered unlikely to play in the first Grand Slam of

Novak Djokovic to start 2023 in Adelaide ahead of Australian Open

Novak Djokovic will open his 2023 campaign in Adelaide as he prepares for a shot at a 10th Australian Open crown a year after having his visa revoked on the eve of his title defense. The 21-time major winner has been granted a visa by the Australian government and has been listed to play at the Adelaide International, which starts Jan. 1. Serbia isn't contesting the inaugural United Cup team competition, leaving Djokovic free to play regular warmup tournaments head of the Jan. 16-29 Australian Open. He'll be joined in the men's draw at Adelaide by Russians Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada and Andy Murray. Ons Jabeur, Aryna Sabalenka will headline the women's draw. Immigration Minister Andrew Giles last month confirmed Djokovic had been granted a visa to compete in Australia in January. The 35-year-old Serbian had been facing a possible three-year ban after being deported last January over his stance against COVID-19 vaccination. Djokovic has won

After Australian Open fiasco, Novak Djokovic set to play in Dubai

Serbian tennis ace Novak Djokovic, will return to competition on Monday when he begins his campaign at the Dubai Open on February 21, after courting controversy at the Australian Open last month.

Federer, Djokovic congratulate Nadal on record 21st Grand Slam title win

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic congratulated Rafael Nadal, who won a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam title after defeating Daniil Medvedev in the final of the Australian Open 2022 in Melbourne.

Rafael Nadal beats Medvedev to win Australian Open for 21st major title

The 35-year-old Spaniard has broken the men's record for most Grand Slam singles titles