Spain's Rafael Nadal was at his dominant best against Pablo Carreno Busta on Saturday, brushing aside his compatriot 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 to move into the fourth round at the Australian Open. Images from Day 6 of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Saturday.
Rafael Nadal's hopes of completing a rare calendar year Grand Slam ended on Thursday when the Spaniard pulled out of his highly-anticipated Wimbledon semi-final showdown against Australian Nick Kyrgios with an abdominal strain.
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said his government will not apply for travel permits to allow unvaccinated tennis players to compete at the Australian Open in the state after Prime Minister Scott Morrison indicated they would be allowed into the country.
In the email, the WTA said it wanted to "clear up false and misleading information" about the conditions players would face at the Australian Open.
Andy Murray embarks on his first Grand Slam campaign as world number one with much stronger title credentials, even if he has lost five finals at Melbourne Park.
Factbox on Switzerland's Roger Federer,
Garbine Muguruza has to be the one taking charge in the Australian Open final against "fighter" Sofia Kenin if she is to win her third Grand Slam title, the Spaniard's coach Conchita Martinez said.
'When it's easy it's going to be no problem. When it gets tough that's when you know what's going to hold up and what's not'
Relief was at hand, however, with a cool change blowing over the city and the temperature expected to fall back below 30 by the evening.
The second round match against Argentine Federico Delbonis lacked nothing in quality power tennis but was almost entirely devoid of drama and the most notable incident came late in the third set when the ball flew off top seed Nadal's racket and hit a ballgirl on the head.
Patrick Mouratoglou said he and Serena Williams had decided not to do any on-court coaching, even at the tournaments on the professional women's WTA circuit where it is permitted.
'They're just trying to shove us on the court because we're qualifiers'
Roger Federer strolled into the second round of the Australian Open with a clinical 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 rout of Taiwan's Lu Yen-Hsun under the lights of Rod Laver Arena on Monday.
Images from Sunday's action at the Australian Open, in Melbourne.
The Serbian top seed won a fourth successive title at the All England Club to take his overall Grand Slam tally to 21.
Garbine Muguruza is doing her best to stay grounded ahead of the Australian Open after a breakout 2015 season brought a wave of attention and suggestions that she was a Grand Slam champion in waiting.
Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews on Monday said his government is negotiating with Cricket Australia and Tennis Australia to have crowd attendance for the city's iconic sports events -- Boxing Day Test involving India and the Australian Open.
All players who want a visa to compete in the Australian Open will need to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, the country's immigration minister said on Wednesday, putting Novak Djokovic's title defence and Grand Slam record bid in doubt.
Melbourne on Friday completed 28 days since the last reported locally-acquired case of novel coronavirus infection.
No sooner had Novak Djokovic claimed his 17th Grand Slam trophy by triumphing at the Australian Open for the eighth time on Sunday, the Serb was already setting himself a deadline to claim the record of major titles. Djokovic's 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory in a thriller over fifth seed Dominic Thiem drew him within three slams of Roger Federer's haul of 20 and two behind second-placed Rafa Nadal's 19.
Dominic Thiem fell in straight sets to Rafael Nadal in the 2018 French Open final but took the 12-time Roland Garros champion to four sets last June. On Sunday, the Austrian appeared to be heading towards a four-set victory before Djokovic mounted a spectacular comeback to deny him again.
Roger Federer, who suffered a groin problem in the quarter-final against Tennys Sandgren, bowed out of the Australian Open after a comprehensive 7-6(1), 6-4, 6-3 defeat to the defending champion Novak Djokovic.
Images from all the action on Day 4 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Thursday
Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic led the tennis world in mourning for "mentor" Kobe Bryant on Monday after Melbourne Park awoke to the news that the NBA great had died in a helicopter crash along with his daughter and seven others. Djokovic had spoken fondly of his relationship with the former Los Angeles Laker in an interview at the weekend and the 16-times Grand Slam champion signed off his Tweet of condolence with the words: "RIP my friend".
Djokovic is clubbed with Federer, Juan Martin Del Potro, David Goffin and Alexander Zverev.
'If I win the Australian Open, I will be the happiest person on the planet. I think that the (money) will be in much better use in the hands that know what to do with it, and know how to help others.'
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.
With the victory, Herbert and Mahut added the Melbourne Park title to their US Open, Wimbledon and French Open crowns to complete the career Grand 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.
Images from Day 8 of the 2022 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Monday.
Local hope Nick Kyrgios has been elevated to the Rod Laver Arena for his meeting with childhood hero Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the Australian Open on Friday, when Melbourne Park is again expected to swelter.
Tennis Australia and government authorities had arranged for players to serve a 14-day mandatory quarantine at the Westin Melbourne ahead of the Feb. 8-21 Australian Open.
Roger Federer is practising pain-free after undergoing two knee surgeries this year and says he expects to return to the circuit at the Australian Open in January.
Petra Kvitova takes on Naomi Osaka in Saturday's Australian Open final with one of them set to emerge as a fresh champion at Melbourne Park as well as the new world number one.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion has not played a tournament since his Australian Open semi-final exit against Novak Djokovic last year, undergoing two knee surgeries since.
The six-time champion's agent said he will continue to work his way back to fitness from two knee operations.
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.
In fact, barring 2014 when Stan Wawrinka won the title, no player apart from the quartet has even been involved in the men's final at Melbourne Park since 2008.
Yet the warrior-like instincts kicked in and we were all reminded that Nadal, as long as he is standing, remains a physical and psychological force of nature on a tennis court.
Serena displayed great mobility to win successive points after long rallies -- one of 21 shots, one of 13 -- and secure what proved to be a decisive break of serve.
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