Factbox on Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka, who beat China's Zheng Qinwen in the Australian Open final on Saturday
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.
Organisers hope the anxious buildup will be forgotten when the action begins.
Novak Djokovic won a record-extending 10th Australian Open crown, beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in a generational clash in the men's singles final, at Melbourne Park, on Sunday.
Twelve months on and things have not got any easier for Tennis Australia with Omicron spreading through the country just as the first players are set to arrive for warm-up events ahead of the Melbourne Park tournament.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic outclasses Russia's Andrey Rublev to set up a meeting with unseeded Tommy Paul in the semi-finals of the Australian Open on Wednesday.
Djokovic will be nowhere near the centre court after losing his bid to overturn a second visa cancellation.
Kyrgios and Kokkinakis were nicknamed the 'Special Ks' as juniors
Henri Kontinen and John Peers stunned the Bryan twins 7-5, 7-5 to win the Australian Open men's double title at MelbournePark on Saturday.
Penpix of the top men's contenders at the 2021 Australian Open
Rafael Nadal is taking no pleasure from the absence of great rival Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open, even if it means he has a clearer shot at the Grand Slam title record.
Novak Djokovic will begin his quest for a record-extending 10th Australian Open title against Roberto Carballes Baena.
World number one Rafael Nadal, who is struggling to get any match practice before the Australian Open, will play an exhibition event at Melbourne Park in the week leading up to the season opening Grand Slam, organisers said on Monday.
Emma Raducanu says she is not worried about her poor form and will play without pressure at the Australian Open.
Murray has struggled to regain form since undergoing hip surgery last January, and was quickly dismantled by the six-time Australian Open champion at Margaret Court Arena before the players called time on their match after less than an hour.
This year's Australian Open will be allowed to admit up to 30,000 fans a day, around 50% of usual capacity, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
'She's always smiling. I mean, we try in our team to smile everywhere. We make so many funny stuff around the court. She likes it'
Nick Kyrgios said he pulled out of the Sydney Tennis Classic after testing positive for COVID-19
Images from Day 2 of the 2022 Australian Open in Melbourne on Tuesday.
Kim Clijsters won her second straight Grand Slam title and the fourth of her career beating China's Li Na to clinch the Australian Open crown on Saturday.
Even putting on socks and shoes caused him severe pain, the three time Grand Slam winner revealed.
Bopanna was forced into searching for a new partner after Joao Sousa was unable to travel to Australia on time after testing COVID-19 positive.
Daniil Medvedev fired Russia into the final of the ATP Cup on Saturday with a tense 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over an injury-hampered Alexander Zverev after the German destroyed a racket in frustration over a lost service break.
Djokovic's official website also confirmed his participation in the Dubai tournament.
Nadal believes he had no reason to feel alarmed ahead of the season's first Grand Slam starting in two weeks.
Images from Day 1 of the fourth Test between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.
Players complained about the conditions, with France's Alize Cornet stating extreme the heat policy could be endangering the safety of players, this, after she suffered dizzy spells during her third round match against Elise Mertens on Friday.
New coach Rainer Schuettler's experience as a former player at the top level has been invaluable for Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber and the world number two believes her poor end to last season is truly behind her.
'We're absolutely confident the Australian Open will go ahead'
Russia's fourth seed Daniil Medvedev crushed Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets to set up a title clash with Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Friday.
The 33-year-old, a record eight-time winner on the Melbourne Park Arena, slipped during the third set of Friday's third-round match against Taylor Fritz and disappeared off Rod Laver Arena for treatment.
Roger Federer will make his return to the tennis circuit from a double knee surgery at an ATP 250 tournament in Qatar in March, having not played since last year's Australian Open.
The three-time major winner would be given a protected ranking of number two, the Australian Open organisers said
Trailblazing India tennis star Sania Mirza's swansong appearance at the Australian Open ended with a quarter-final loss to local pair Jaimee Fourlis and Jason Kubler in the mixed doubles in Melbourne on Tuesday.
Images from Day 8 of the 2024 Australian Open in Melbourne on Sunday.
Daniil Medvedev was philosophical about his loss to Jannik Sinner in Sunday's Australian Open final, rationalising that at least he had made it to the title-decider and not crashed out in an earlier round.
A prodigious yet polarising talent, former quarter-finalist Nick Kyrgios suffered his earliest exit from Melbourne Park.
The Belarusian became the first woman since her compatriot Victoria Azarenka in 2013 to retain the title
The 34-year-old practised for an hour on Thursday evening at the Rod Laver Arena and his fitness was improving "little by little, step by step", sources close to Nadal told Reuters.
