Roger Federer has never struggled for ways to win matches at the Australian Open but in beating John Millman to chalk up his 100th on the Melbourne hardcourts the 38-year-old Swiss found himself in uncharted territory on Friday. For the first time Federer experienced the Australian Open's unique system for ending prolonged contests, a so-called 'super breaker' -- a first to 10-point tiebreak activated when the score reaches six games all in deciding sets.
'Whether or not I can reach a calendar slam, that's still a possibility. But I don't think about it right now. Right now I just try to enjoy this experience of winning the trophy that I had never won before'
Penpix of the top men's contenders at the 2021 Australian Open
Serena Williams squandered four match points and blew a 5-1 lead in the decider to fall to seventh seed Karolina Pliskova 6-4 4-6 7-5 in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.
Reigning champion and top seed Angelique Kerber was knocked out of the fourth round of the Australian Open on Sunday, losing 6-2, 6-3 to American Coco Vandeweghe on Rod Laver Arena.
Glancing up at the legends of tennis can make 17-times Grand Slam champion Roger Federer push too hard for the "wow" factor, so new coach Stefan Edberg can expect a cold shoulder from the cool Swiss when watching from the stands.
Novak Djokovic will meet Andy Murray in the final of the Australian Open. The Serb beat defending champion Stanislas Wawrinka 7-6(1), 3-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 in the semi-final on Friday.
He went on to lift the US Open title in 1994 and, after shaving his head on the advice of his then actress girlfriend Brooke Shields, the Australian Open crown in 1995 before adding an Olympic gold at Atlanta 1996.
IMAGES from Australian Open matches played at Melbourne Park on Friday
So it is over. Two weeks of intriguing tennis where the world's best competed for the year's first Grand Slam. While the match-fixing report cast a shadow over the start of the Australian Open, the tournament gained momentum as it progressed. Rediff.com encapsulates the best moments from the Rod Laver Arena.
Simona Halep's powers of recovery will be put to the test on day eight of the Australian Open on Monday when the world number one meets Japan's Naomi Osaka in a tricky fourth round clash.
While Ferrell provided bonus comedy, Federer again proved that when it comes to tennis he is the king of the jungle.
Six times a men's singles champion Down Under, the Serbian will be joined in making a return at MelbournePark by 2008 women's champion Maria Sharapova, who missed last year's tournament because of a doping ban.
'It's a positive start with a good result. If I do months without playing an official match, it's always a little bit more difficult.'
Six weeks after completing one of the greatest seasons in tennis history, Novak Djokovic begins his 2016 campaign and warm-up for his Australian Open defense in Qatar.
Images from Day 3 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Wednesday
Images from Day 6 of the 2022 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Saturday.
Fifth seed Juan Martin Del Potro, whose match was shunted back to the late evening by the disruptions, was the first major casualty of the men's draw when he lostto 62nd ranked Spaniard Roberto Bautista at the Australian Open.
If Rafael Nadal's Australian Open semi-final win over Greek sensation Stefanos Tsitsipas was one-sided, Novak Djokovic showed he could be even more brutal in his victory against Lucas Pouille on Friday.
Pliskova was down 5-1 against Williams in the final set before the seventh seed produced a fight-back for the ages to claim a 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 quarter-final win over the American great.
Having toppled 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer in the fourth round of the Australian Open on Sunday, an overwhelmed Stefanos Tsitsipas felt thrilled to have turned his idol into a 'rival'.
Ash Barty carries a nation's hopes of ending the long wait for a home champion into the Australian Open
Serena Williams powered into the fourth round of the Australian Open on Saturday with a 6-2, 6-1 demolition of Dayana Yastremska then consoled the Ukrainian teenager after leaving her in tears.
Novak Djokovic endured a fierce challenge to his Melbourne Park reign before overhauling Dominic Thiem 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday to clinch an eighth Australian Open crown and reclaim the world number one ranking. He captured the decisive break in the third game of the final set, then held firm as Thiem made desperate assaults on his serve. Going for broke in a nerve-shredding final game, the fifth seeded Austrian went for the lines but missed twice to hand Djokovic one of his most hard-earnt triumphs.
American Sofia Kenin counter-punched her way back from a set down against Garbine Muguruza to win her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win in Melbourne on Saturday. The 21-year-old Kenin, seeded 14th at Melbourne Park, converted her second matchpoint against the twice Grand Slam champion, who double faulted on the final point, to end an engrossing contest that lasted more than two hours.
Garbine Muguruza outclassed former finalist Simona Halep in straight sets to enter the final of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Thursday. Meanwhile, Sofia Kenin sent world number one Ash Barty spinning out of the Melbourne Park semi-finals 7-6, 7-5 on Thursday, crushing Australian hopes of a first home-grown champion at the Grand Slam in 42 years. The 21-year-old Kenin showed her frustration at times, throwing her racquet on court, but managed to hang in and saved three breakpoints to hold for 3-3 and eventually force a tiebreaker.
Karolina Pliskova reached the Australian Open quarter-finals for the first time on Monday and is keen to prove right those tipping her for Grand Slam success.
Serena Williams creates ripples with her latest outfit.
Djokovic may never feel the affections of the crowd savoured by Federer and Spaniard Rafael Nadal but his record of 16 Grand Slam titles is proof that tennis is no popularity contest.
Frenchman Julien Benneteau caused a stir during an interview on French radio station RMC Sport on Sunday in which he said tournament referees were often kinder to Federer when it came to scheduling his matches.
After some patchy form in the opening rounds Dimitrov hit top form to beat home hope Nick Kyrgios in the last 16, fuelling hopes of a first grand slam final appearance.
'Baby Fed' steals hearts with the same ease that he wins matches.
IMAGES from all the action on Day 8 the Australian Open on Monday
Roger Federer is no longer chasing the top ranking and would rather be a contender at Grand Slams than battling Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal to be world number one, the Swiss tennis great said.
No tennis for four months, no problem for Rafael Nadal.
Maria Sharapova joined Serena Williams in making an early exit from the Australian Open on Monday but defending champion Victoria Azarenka swept into the quarter-finals with an 18th straight victory at Melbourne Park.
The seventh seeded Indo-Swiss pair turned back the clock to serve past third seeds Daniel Nestor and Kristina Mladenovic 6-4, 6-3 in 62 minutes at the Rod Laver Arena.
IMAGES of the all the action from Day 1 of the Australian Open played at Melbourne Park on Monday
World No 1 Rafael Nadal thinks Melbourne Park's resurfaced hardcourts are playing faster than ever and may not provide a good show for fans when the Australian Open begins on Monday.
Second seed Roger Federer was dumped out of the Australian Open third round by Italy's Andreas Seppi on Friday.
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