Victoria Azarenka's quest for her third successive Australian Open title took a little while to get going before she finally overcame a feisty Johanna Larsson 7-6, 6-2 in their first round match at Melbourne Park on Tuesday.
Images from Day 8 of the 2022 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Monday.
Garbine Muguruza has to be the one taking charge in the Australian Open final against "fighter" Sofia Kenin if she is to win her third Grand Slam title, the Spaniard's coach Conchita Martinez said.
Victoria Azarenka holds a 5-4 record over Li Na and has won their last four matches, however, the Chinese is 2-0 up in Grand Slam encounters.
World No 1 Novak Djokovic will kick off the defence of his Australian Open title with a first round tie against unseeded Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu after the draw was made for the first Grand Slam of the season on Friday.
The second round match against Argentine Federico Delbonis lacked nothing in quality power tennis but was almost entirely devoid of drama and the most notable incident came late in the third set when the ball flew off top seed Nadal's racket and hit a ballgirl on the head.
'They're just trying to shove us on the court because we're qualifiers'
Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews on Monday said his government is negotiating with Cricket Australia and Tennis Australia to have crowd attendance for the city's iconic sports events -- Boxing Day Test involving India and the Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic will bid to extend his Australian Open reign to a third straight year on Sunday in the final against Andy Murray, who will aim to end Britain's 79-year wait for a men's champion at Melbourne Park.
China's Li Na sent a wayward Maria Sharapova crashing out of the Australian Open semi-finals on Thursday and says there will be no repeat of her capitulation to Kim Clijsters in the 2011 Melbourne Park final.
Melbourne on Friday completed 28 days since the last reported locally-acquired case of novel coronavirus infection.
Patrick Mouratoglou said he and Serena Williams had decided not to do any on-court coaching, even at the tournaments on the professional women's WTA circuit where it is permitted.
Yet the warrior-like instincts kicked in and we were all reminded that Nadal, as long as he is standing, remains a physical and psychological force of nature on a tennis court.
Andy Murray embarks on his first Grand Slam campaign as world number one with much stronger title credentials, even if he has lost five finals at Melbourne Park.
The 2011 US Open champion could not wait to join her friend for the 'Barty Party'.
Factbox on Switzerland's Roger Federer,
'I'm happy to have the chance to try to stop, one more time, somebody from making history.'
'When it's easy it's going to be no problem. When it gets tough that's when you know what's going to hold up and what's not'
Nadal plays Berrettini in one semifinal, knowing he's potentially two match wins from a 21st major title.
Ash Barty has become the first local woman to reach the final of an Australian Open in 42 years.
Relief was at hand, however, with a cool change blowing over the city and the temperature expected to fall back below 30 by the evening.
The players have been allowed out to practise for five hours a day during their quarantine but Djokovic said he had headed to a local park on his first morning in Australia without restrictions.
Images from Sunday's action at the Australian Open, in Melbourne.
No sooner had Novak Djokovic claimed his 17th Grand Slam trophy by triumphing at the Australian Open for the eighth time on Sunday, the Serb was already setting himself a deadline to claim the record of major titles. Djokovic's 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory in a thriller over fifth seed Dominic Thiem drew him within three slams of Roger Federer's haul of 20 and two behind second-placed Rafa Nadal's 19.
Dominic Thiem fell in straight sets to Rafael Nadal in the 2018 French Open final but took the 12-time Roland Garros champion to four sets last June. On Sunday, the Austrian appeared to be heading towards a four-set victory before Djokovic mounted a spectacular comeback to deny him again.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion has not played a tournament since his Australian Open semi-final exit against Novak Djokovic last year, undergoing two knee surgeries since.
Tennis Australia and government authorities had arranged for players to serve a 14-day mandatory quarantine at the Westin Melbourne ahead of the Feb. 8-21 Australian Open.
Roger Federer, who suffered a groin problem in the quarter-final against Tennys Sandgren, bowed out of the Australian Open after a comprehensive 7-6(1), 6-4, 6-3 defeat to the defending champion Novak Djokovic.
Novak Djokovic will spend Saturday night in immigration detention before the world's tennis number one seeks a court ruling to stop his deportation and keep alive his bid for a record 21st major title at the Australian Open.
Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic led the tennis world in mourning for "mentor" Kobe Bryant on Monday after Melbourne Park awoke to the news that the NBA great had died in a helicopter crash along with his daughter and seven others. Djokovic had spoken fondly of his relationship with the former Los Angeles Laker in an interview at the weekend and the 16-times Grand Slam champion signed off his Tweet of condolence with the words: "RIP my friend".
Roger Federer is practising pain-free after undergoing two knee surgeries this year and says he expects to return to the circuit at the Australian Open in January.
'If I win the Australian Open, I will be the happiest person on the planet. I think that the (money) will be in much better use in the hands that know what to do with it, and know how to help others.'
The six-time champion's agent said he will continue to work his way back to fitness from two knee operations.
Roger Federer strolled into the second round of the Australian Open with a clinical 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 rout of Taiwan's Lu Yen-Hsun under the lights of Rod Laver Arena on Monday.
Serena displayed great mobility to win successive points after long rallies -- one of 21 shots, one of 13 -- and secure what proved to be a decisive break of serve.
Garbine Muguruza is doing her best to stay grounded ahead of the Australian Open after a breakout 2015 season brought a wave of attention and suggestions that she was a Grand Slam champion in waiting.
With the victory, Herbert and Mahut added the Melbourne Park title to their US Open, Wimbledon and French Open crowns to complete the career Grand Slam.
Djokovic is clubbed with Federer, Juan Martin Del Potro, David Goffin and Alexander Zverev.
Images from all the action on Day 4 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Thursday
Medvedev will be glad to play the role of dream wrecker once again.
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