Australia's title bid will be tested by injuries and Asian conditions at the T20 World Cup.
Lorenzo Musetti brushed aside Taylor Fritz in straight sets to reach his first Australian Open quarter-final, setting up a blockbuster last-eight clash with Novak Djokovic at Melbourne Park.
IMAGES from Day 4 of the matches played at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.
Arundhati Reddy's 4/22 and Shafali Verma's cameo power India to a 21-run DLS win over Australia in the opening Women's T20I in Sydney.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka enters the Australian Open in her familiar role as the hot favourite but unlike in the past two years the powerful Belarusian arrives without a title to defend or the momentum of a winning run in Melbourne.
Gauff is a fan favourite in Melbourne
'Meg brings a rare combination of experience, clarity, and calmness that sets her apart as a leader.'
Qualifier Arthur Fery delivered a stunning Australian Open win by beating 20th seed Flavio Cobolli on Sunday.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka brushed aside Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 6-3 in the Brisbane International final on Sunday to retain the title without losing a set ahead of her bid to reclaim the Australian Open title this month.
Pakistan grabbed an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match Twenty20 series against Australia after skipper Salman Agha led by example to secure their comprehensive 90-run victory in the second match in Lahore on Saturday.
The Pakistan hockey team faced a severe accommodation crisis in Canberra after their hotel bookings were cancelled due to the Pakistan Hockey Federation's failure to pay the bill. Players were left stranded and forced to find alternative solutions.
Australia, dealing with injury concerns surrounding captain Mitchell Marsh, will face a potentially tricky Zimbabwe side in their upcoming T20 World Cup Group B match. The Aussies are aiming for a Super Eights spot, but Zimbabwe's bowling attack and experienced players could pose a challenge.
Abhishek Sharma has proved to be unstoppable with the bat for India in T20 Internationals, hitting 1297 runs in 33 matches at a strike rate of 194.74.
World number one Carlos Alcaraz arrives in Melbourne with only one mission in mind -- claim a first Australian Open title to become the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam.
Italy registered their first-ever T20 World Cup win, thrashing Nepal by 10 wickets as the Mosca brothers scripted history with an unbeaten 123-run stand.
Opening batsman Travis Head hopes Australia and England will share a drink after the Ashes winds up in Sydney to revive a tradition that fell by the wayside after the 2023 series.
Nepal's captain Rohit Paudel has emphasized the need for increased international cricket engagements for his team following their narrow defeat against England in the T20 World Cup. He believes regular exposure to top teams is crucial for the development of Nepali cricket.
Carlos Alcaraz beat his great rival Jannik Sinner 7-5, 7-6(8) to win their Hyundai Card Super Match exhibition event in Incheon, South Korea, on Saturday that marked the start of the season for the world's top two men's tennis players.
Former Australian cricketer Damien Martyn has woken from an induced coma after being hospitalised for over a week due to meningitis.
Medvedev had said he did not like playing Tien after a trilogy of matches that went the distance last year and the 20-year-old American proved him right with a clinical performance that included 33 winners.
Australia began their T20 World Cup campaign with a thumping 67-run victory over Ireland, in Colombo, on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka beat Australia by eight wickets in a Group B match to qualify for the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup in Pallekele.
Carlos Alcaraz said winning the Australian Open to complete the career Grand Slam is the main goal of his season.
Opener Brian Bennett smashed a half-century and pacer Blessing Muzarabani bagged four wickets as Zimbabwe caused the biggest upset of the T20 World Cup, outclassing Australia by 23 runs.
Cricket legend Steve Waugh believes the European T20 Premier League can unlock new talent and expand cricket's footprint across Europe.
Nepal head coach Stuart Law expressed disappointment over the team's 10-wicket defeat to debutants Italy, saying players had "not shown commitment".
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will look to extend their winning run when they face Gujarat Giants in the WPL 2026 match in Vadodara on Monday.
Former Australian cricketer Damien Martyn has been hospitalised and put into an induced coma following a diagnosis of meningitis, according to cricket.com.au, quoting the Australian Associated Press (AAP).
Kyrgios, the 2018 Brisbane champion, is now ranked 673rd in the world with no protected ranking and will also need a wildcard to compete at Melbourne Park.
Australian batter Phoebe Litchfield's commanding knock of 78 off just 40 balls went in vain as Gujarat Giants beat UP Warriorz by 10 runs in a high-scoring Women's Premier League match, Navi Mumbai, on Saturday.
Australia arrive in Pakistan for three-match T20I series ahead of T20 World Cup
Djokovic brought up set point with an acrobatic backhand and secured the set with an unreturned shot from the same flank to close in on his 399th Grand Slam match victory, and his 101st in Melbourne, leaving him one shy of recordholder Roger Federer.
On a high after beating RCB, Delhi Capitals aim for strong showing against Gujarat Giants
Saim Ayub produced a brilliant all-round display to power Pakistan to a 22-run victory against a largely second-string Australia in the first Twenty20 international between the teams in Lahore on Thursday.
Australia, despite missing key pacers, are overwhelming favorites against Ireland in their T20 World Cup opener.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka began her 2026 campaign with a thumping victory at the Brisbane International on Tuesday while her "Battle of the Sexes" opponent Nick Kyrgios fell short on his return to singles action after nearly a year out.
The four-times Grand Slam champion, who is eyeing her third Australian Open trophy when the tournament begins on January 18 at Melbourne Park, was pushed harder in the next set but edged ahead again at 5-4 to wrap up the win on serve.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hosted players from the Australian and England cricket teams ahead of the final Ashes Test at Kirribilli House for his annual New Year's Day reception on Thursday.
One of the most consistent fast bowlers in world cricket, Hazlewood has been a mainstay across formats for Australia, known for his IPL-style discipline, bounce and accuracy. However, injuries have interrupted his recent run.
'In choosing to be fully himself, even when it was uncomfortable, Usman Khawaja expanded the meaning of representation and conscience in Australian sport,' notes Asif Ullah Khan.
