The Australian Open has joined Wimbledon in introducing a final set tiebreak from next year's competition, following the "most extensive" consultation in the event's history, tournament director Craig Tiley said on Friday.
Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley has defended giving Roger Federer 'prime time' treatment at the year's first Grand Slam, saying it was a matter of meeting fans and broadcasters' demands for the 'box office' athlete.
Tennis Australia (TA) planned for players and their entourages to arrive in Victoria in mid-December to have time to undertake a mandatory two-week quarantine period before competing in January.
World number one Novak Djokovic was released from Australian immigration detention on Monday after winning a court challenge to revive his bid to win a record 21st Grand Slam title at the upcoming Australian Open.
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.
The five-day lockdown, ordered after a new COVID-19 outbreak at a hotel, was due to start at midnight.
Organisers hope the anxious buildup will be forgotten when the action begins.
'She wants to come back in 2018 and defend her title and she's in training now'
Tennis World No. 1 Novak Djokovic spent Orthodox Christmas in Australian immigration detention on Friday as his lawyers fought a government decision to remove him from the country that could scupper his shot at a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam.
Wimbledon was scrapped for the first time since World War Two on Wednesday due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the suspension of professional tennis extended to July 13. The 38-year-old Federer is well insulated from the shutdown's financial fallout it could well impact his hopes of adding to his record haul of 20 Grand Slam titles.
Roger Federer will help launch an Australian-developed fast format of tennis when he plays an exhibition match against Lleyton Hewitt in Sydney in January, Tennis Australia said on Tuesday.
Djokovic, a vocal opponent of vaccine mandates hoping to win his 21st Grand Slam at the Australian Open, has been holed up since Thursday in a modest Melbourne hotel after his visa was cancelled due to problems with the exemption.
The Australian Open will hike total prizemoney 10 percent in 2014 to A$33 million, organisers said on Wednesday, offsetting a depreciation in the local currency.
Bopanna has empathy for the organisers but can't hide his own frustration either.
'We've said every year that we're the 'happy slam'. But now we're saying we're the 'very safe and happy slam'.'
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.
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.
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.
Tomic dropped from Davis Cup after blast at officials.
Canada's Denis Shapovalov said he would flat out refuse to go on court if forced to compete in poor air quality and believed other leading players at the tournament will similarly decline to risk their health.
John Tomic, father and coach of Australian tennis player Bernard Tomic, will be barred from the Australian Open as he continues his suspension from the ATP tour for assaulting his son's former training partner.
Former champions Stanislas Wawrinka and Rafael Nadal gave Australian Open organisers a massive boost on Tuesday when they both said they were looking forward to next week's season opening Grand Slam after battling long-term injuries.
Serena Williams reluctantly pulled out of this year's Australian Open on Friday, the American saying that while she was close to regaining full fitness after giving birth to her first child in September, she was not fully ready to defend her title.
The games were scheduled to start at 1000 am local time (2300 GMT) but did not get underway until about 1130 after Victoria state's environment watchdog said air quality had plunged to "hazardous" levels overnight.
Simona Halep finds the prospect of 14 days of quarantine ahead of the Australian Open daunting
Perry said she had been in touch with the local organising team on a daily basis as they prepare to start the tournament on October 19, pending government approval and confirmation that players will be able to travel.
Images from Day 4 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Thursday.
Bencic hopes Open organisers make it fair for players in isolation.
Former champion Maria Sharapova found inspiration in a change of dress to put away unseeded American Lauren Davis 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-0 at the Australian Open on Friday and set up an intriguing fourth round match with rising Swiss talent Belinda Bencic.
World number one Angelique Kerber got the birthday gift she wanted Wednesday by making the Australian Open third round, but she had to work hard against fellow German Carina Witthoeft.
American tennis player Serena Williams is all set to make her comeback at the Australian Open, organisers confirmed.
Six-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic has distanced himself from reports that he called for a boycott of next year's tournament unless there was an increase in prize money.
amiliar names, however, are tipped to take off with the winners' trophies. The following is a list of talking points at the Australian Open:
Tomic slams 'disrespectful' Tennis Australia.
Australian Open organisers have tweaked their 'Extreme Heat Policy' for next year's tournament after being accused of forcing players to perform in "inhuman" conditions during a heatwave in January.
'There have been a lot of ups and downs and I feel really happy, I've always kept belief'
A summary of sports events and sportspersons, who made news on Tuesday.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Friday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news 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.
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