Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams are among a number of players who will feature in an exhibition match ahead of this month's Australian Open to raise funds for bushfire relief efforts, organisers announced on Wednesday. All funds raised from the two-and-a-half hour event on January 15 at Rod Laver Arena -- called AO Rally for Relief -- will be donated to the relief cause with tickets priced at A$54 ($37.09).
Djokovic has never failed to win the tournament after making the semi-finals and he will be heavily favoured to claim a record-extending ninth title at his favourite Slam on Sunday.
Barty staved off a fightback from Collins to pick up her third Grand Slam title
Rafael Nadal will become the first man to win 21 Grand Slam titles if he defeats the Russian in Melbourne.
Images from Day 7 of the 2022 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Sunday.
Images from Day 1 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Monday.
Images from Day 6 of the 2024 Australian Open in Melbourne on Friday.
World number one Novak Djokovic, bidding for a record-equalling sixth title at the event, is in the Tokyo group with Russian Daniil Medvedev, Germany's Alexander Zverev and Argentine first-time Diego Schwartzman.
The tennis greats announced on Wednesday that they had committed to lead the teams for the first three years of the new competition, patterned after golf's Ryder Cup
A win for Djokovic would move him past Pete Sampras (14) to outright third on the list of Grand Slam title winners.
Nadal pulled off his greatest escape to deny Daniil Medvedev again, less than three years after leaving the Russian heartbroken in five sets at the 2019 US Open final.
Novak Djokovic's father Srdjan said on Friday he would not attend his son's Australian Open semi-final and would instead "watch from home".
Ash Barty ended Australia's 44-year wait for a home winner at the Australian Open when the world number one staved off a fightback from American Danielle Collins to complete a 6-3, 7-6(2) win on Saturday and pick up her third Grand Slam title.
World No 1 Novak Djokovic won a record-extending 6th Australian Open title after defeating Briton Andy Murray in straight sets at Melbourne Park on Sunday.
Medvedev will be glad to play the role of dream wrecker once again.
'The fact that I wasn't playing for several months beginning of last year allowed me to really get together with my team and work on my body, on my strokes, which has later helped me to achieve some great results.'
Images from Day 1 of the 2023 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Monday.
Players competed at empty stadiums at Melbourne Park through the five-day lockdown but reduced capacity crowds of 7,477 have been permitted in each of Thursday's two sessions and the same number for the singles finals sessions on Saturday and Sunday.
So Djokovic will certainly not be letting his guard slip when he plays American Denis Kudla on Friday.
Daniil Medvedev fired Russia to victory in the $7.5 million ATP Cup with a dominant performance against Italy in Melbourne on Sunday.
'He's a bit of God, I'm not gonna lie'
Naomi Osaka will defend her title at the US Open, organisers said on Wednesday, after she withdrew from this year's French Open and Wimbledon on mental health grounds.
Nadal appeared close to retiring mid-match on Wednesday on Centre Court but he found the will to beat Fritz
Images from Day 6 of the 2023 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Saturday.
Novak Djokovic's ability to play his best tennis under pressure can help him win at least five more Grand Slam titles, John McEnroe said after the World No.1 tied Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's record with his 20th major at Wimbledon on Sunday.
Images from Day 5 of the 2023 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Friday.
Immigration Minister Alex Hawke's office said he was still considering whether to use his discretionary power to cancel Novak Djokovic's visa.
It was the first Grand Slam triumph for Polasek, 35, who came out of retirement in 2018
Nadal was able to see the funny side and kept on laughing.
Naomi Osaka gave Jennifer Brady a lesson in Grand Slam tennis as she cruised to a 6-4, 6-3 win to claim her second Australian Open title on Saturday and cement her standing as the new queen of the women's game.
Images from the quarter-final matches played at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Tuesday
Novak Djokovic has declined to disclose his vaccination status despite everyone at Melbourne Park needing to be inoculated against COVID-19.
Images from Day 10 of the 2022 Australian Open in Melbourne on Wednesday.
Newly crowned Australian Open champion NOvak Djokovic was not short of energy as he overpowered Andy Murray to claim his sixth Australian Open title.
So prior to their Melbourne Park rematch, former champion Sharapova said she was primed and ready for another drawn out dog-fight against the 14th seed.
Badosa said she felt in good shape even if she was having to get used to being the hunted
Aryna Sabalenka bludgeoned her way to a maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Kazakh 22nd seed Elena Rybakina on Saturday in a thrilling final .
Elena Rybakina stormed to her first Australian Open final with a 7-6(4), 6-3 win over Victoria Azarenka on Thursday, wearing the twice champion down in a cagey first set before dominating to close out the match.
A disbelieving Magda Linette continued her dream run at the Australian Open on Wednesday with a stunning victory over former world number one Karolina Pliskova to move into the semi-finals.
Images from Day 3 of the 2022 Australian Open in Melbourne on Wednesday.
