Tennis

Australian Open 2022

In a major upset of the day, defending champion and 13th-seeded Naomi Osaka was knocked out of the Australian Open after suffering a 4-6, 6-3, 7 (10)-6 (5) defeat against USA’s Amanda Anisimova in the third round on January 21 (Friday).&nbsp;The world number three Alexander Zverev advanced to the fourth round of Australian Open men’s singles after defeating Romanian tennis player Radu Albot on Friday (January 21) at the John Cain Arena.&nbsp;Zverev did not lose a single set against his Romanian opponent as the world number three won his third round fixture 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 rather comfortably.&nbsp;&nbsp;Big fourth round matchThe German tennis player will now face Canada’s Denis Shapovalov in the next round. The 22-year-old tennis player defeated USA’s Relly Opelka 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. The 14th seed player looked impressive throughout the match.&nbsp;7th seed Italian Marco Berrettini on the other hand, had a challenging task against Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz. Berrettini won the match 6-2, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 2-6, 7-6&nbsp; (5). The Spanish teenager saved a match point and was set to script a major upset, after coming back strongly being down by two sets.&nbsp;&nbsp;But eventually, the Italian used his experience and managed to win the final set in order to advance to the next round.&nbsp;25th-seeded Lorenzo Sonego was defeated by Miomir Kecmanovic 6-4, 6 (8)-7 (10), 6-2, 7-5 in a third round clash.&nbsp;French tennis player Gael Monfils defeated Cristian Garin 7 (7)-6, 6-1, 6-3 to qualify for the fourth round.&nbsp;Barty winsOn the other hand, top seed Ashleigh Barty advanced to the fourth round of Australian Open women’s singles after defeating Camila Giorgi of Italy. The Wimbledon champion had an easy fixture in the third round and won 6-2, 6-3.&nbsp;&nbsp;Barty is scheduled to face Anisimova in the fourth round fixture.&nbsp;&nbsp;Victoria Azarenka on the other hand, defeated 15th-seeded Elina Svitolina 6-0, 6-2 to qualify for the fourth round.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the men’s double section, Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis produced a huge setback after they defeated world number 1 Croatian pair Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic in straight sets.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Aussie pair won the match 7-6 (8), 6-3 to advance to the third round of the Australian Open.

australian-open-17-jan-2022

Big upset; defending champion Naomi Osaka knocked out of Australian Open

After a tense and exciting battle at the Rod Laver Arena, former World No. 1 and 14th-seeded Simona Halep, was knocked out by the unseeded Alize Cornet in the Australian Open (AO). The fourth round match that lasted for two and a half hours saw the 32-year-old break down in emotions and was seen in tears after the 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win. This is the first time that she has made it to the quarterfinals of a major tournament in her 17-year career. It took her 63 attempts to reach this stage of a major.&nbsp;Cornet's words“It feels amazing. The battle that we had with Simona today with this heat and after 30 minutes of game, we were both dying on the court and we kept going for 2.5 hours, with all our hearts. Congrats to Simona. I know she struggled a lot. I admire this player so much. She’s such a fighter and she’s an example for me and to beat her today, to go to my first quarterfinal, it’s just a dream come true. I don’t know what to say, it’s just magic,” an emotional Cornet said in the post-match interview. Both Cornet and Halep rallied on their big forehands and serves, with Cornet taking the first and Halep bagging the second set. But it was the decisive break in the final set that turned the tables in favour of the French tennis player as she raced to book her place in the last eight. “I thought on the other side of the court, you know, she was not feeling much better than me. Of course, my box helped me so much. &nbsp;“They were so present behind me on every point and even you guys, I know you enjoyed the battle today. That’s why we play tennis. &nbsp;“That’s why I keep playing tennis, it’s for this moment where I can share all these emotions on the court you. And while the journey goes on, I mean, I still can’t believe it,” she added.&nbsp;A major upset For Halep this was a crushing blow, as she was considered one of the favourites to go all the way with her major winning experience. The Romanian was one of few players left in the draw to have won a major in the past, having won the Wimbledon in 2019 and Rolland Garros in 2018. Cornet on the other hand, can make history if she can win the Australian Open. Two back-to-back major tournaments have never been won before by unseeded players.&nbsp;&nbsp;Last year Emma Radacanu had won the US Open as an unseeded player. Cornet will now be one of the favourites to win the Australian Open, as she had earlier knocked out third-seeded Garbine Muguruza.&nbsp;&nbsp;Cornet will now face 27th seed Danielle Collins of the USA in the last eight.&nbsp;

Unseeded Alize Cornet breaks down in tears after outclassing former world No.1 Simona Halep to make AO quarterfinals

Defending Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka was knocked out of the Australian Open on Friday (January 21) after she suffered a shocking defeat against unseeded Amanda Anisimova.&nbsp;&nbsp;Osaka started the match on a positive not after she managed to win the first set&nbsp; but things started going against her from the second set and eventually the four-time Grand Slam champion was defeated 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10-5).&nbsp;The Japanese tennis player came back to the Grand Slam after suffering a third-round exit at the US Open last year.&nbsp;Osaka's reactionOsaka said on Friday that she is "not god" and “can't win every match” but she also said that she was “happy” with how the match went.&nbsp;“I would definitely say I’m proud of myself for this,” Osaka told the reporters after her match on January 21.&nbsp;&nbsp;“I’m not God! I can’t win every match. The last match that I played in New York I think I had a completely different attitude.&nbsp;“Of course I lost, but I’m happy with how it went. I just want to go into this year knowing that I’ll play the whole year and I’ll just have the greatest attitude ever,” Osaka added.&nbsp;The 24-year-old tennis player also said that she was “focused throughout the entire match.”&nbsp;“This for me is the biggest step. Even though I lost. I was really focused throughout the entire match, and I didn’t have a dip. So that’s really good. Hopefully as the season continues, I’ll be able to keep this up, and get even better at it.&nbsp;“I fought for every point. I can’t be sad about that,” Osaka said.&nbsp;Sabalenka advancesOn the other hand, second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the fourth round of Australian Open women’s singles after defeating Czech tennis player Marketa Vondrousova 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.&nbsp;14th-seeded Simona Halep also had an easy fixture as she advanced to the next round ousting Chinese tennis player Zhang Shuai 6-2, 6-2.&nbsp;In the men’s singles, second-seeded Daniil Medbvedev qualified for the fourth round as he won his match 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 against Dutch opponent Boltic van de Zandschulp.&nbsp;Fourth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas had to face some fight from French opponent Benoit Paire but the Greek player eventually managed to win the fixture 6-3, 7-5, 6 (2)- 7 (7), 6-4.&nbsp;

'I'm not god,' Naomi Osaka reacts after suffering an early Australian Open exit

Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic is back in detention in Australia. Serbian’s chances of playing in the Australian Open still remains unclear after the ongoing legal matter moved to a higher court on Saturday (January 15) as the top-ranked tennis player appealed the second cancellation of his visa.&nbsp;Another hearing was scheduled for Sunday (January 16) morning.&nbsp;Official draw delayedEarlier, the official draw of the Australian Open was delayed as it was not clear whether the Serbian tennis player would be able to feature in the Australian Open.&nbsp;Previously, Djokovic issued an official statement regarding the incidents that had taken place since he arrived in Australia. 4&nbsp;“I want to address the continuing misinformation about my activities and attendance at events in December in the lead up to my positive PCR COVID test result.&nbsp;“This is misinformation which needs to be corrected, particularly in the interest of alleviating broader concern in the community about my presence in Australia, and to address matters which are very hurtful and concerning to my family,” Djokovic said in an official statement.&nbsp;Mistake in travel declarationDjokovic had also acknowledged that his travel declaration was not correct and there was a “human error” which further caused an administrative mistake.&nbsp;“On the issue of my travel declaration, this was submitted by my support team on my behalf – as I told immigration officials on my arrival - and my agent sincerely apologises for the administrative mistake in ticking the incorrect box about my previous travel before coming to Australia. This was a human error and certainly in a global pandemic and sometimes these mistakes can occur. Today, my team has provided additional information to the Australian Government to clarify this matter."&nbsp;Tennis players like Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal recently spoke on the matter.&nbsp;&nbsp;“It's not a good situation for anyone,” said Andy Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion.&nbsp;"It just seems like it's dragged on for quite a long time now.”&nbsp;&nbsp;On the other hand, according to the Spaniard, he is little “tired” of the situation.&nbsp;"Honestly, I'm little bit tired of the situation because I just believe that it's important to talk about our sport, about tennis," Nadal said.&nbsp;&nbsp;The defending champion will start his Australian Open journey against Miomir Kecmanovi in the first round of the Open.

Djokovic back in detention in Australia after Serbian's appeal of canceled visa moved to higher court

Seven News Melbourne anchors Mike Amor and Rebecca Maddern were heard abusing Novak Djokovic off-air. The anchors referred to him as a "lying, sneaky a**hole" unaware of the fact that they are still being recorded. The foul language was apparently in reference to the Serbian tennis star making an alleged false declaration about his travel history before arriving in Australia.&nbsp;In the off-air conversation which was leaked online, the Seven News presenters were heard criticising Djokovic while sitting in the studio.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Whatever way you look at it, Novak Djokovic is a lying sneaky a***hole," Maddern said.&nbsp;"He got a bullshit f***ing excuse and then fell over his own f***ing lies. It's just what happens, right, that's what happened," her colleague Mike Amor responded. "And then, he now then ticking he didn't go to Spain," Maddern said in reply.&nbsp;According to Daily Mail, Craig McPherson, Seven Network Director of News and Public Affairs, said that there will be an investigation to find the person responsible for leaking the video online. Meanwhile, Maddern has apologised to her bosses for using foul language.&nbsp;The 34-year-old Serb found himself at the center of controversy after arriving in Australia on January 5, carrying a medical exemption from vaccination due to a positive Covid-19 test on December 16 last year. After overnight questioning at Melbourne airport, border officials decided the exemption was not valid, cancelled his visa and transferred him to detention. The visa cancellation was overturned in court on Monday (January 10).&nbsp;Djokovic has conceded he submitted a false declaration to the Australian government about his travel history between flying to Melbourne, blaming it on his agent.&nbsp;"On the issue of my travel declaration, this was submitted by my support team on my behalf," Djokovic said on Instagram.&nbsp;"My agent sincerely apologises for the administrative mistake in ticking the incorrect box about my previous travel before coming to Australia," he said, calling it "human error".&nbsp;Djokovic has won the Australian Open nine times, including the last three events, but his hopes of defending the title and winning a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam title were in danger as his visa was on the verge of being cancelled by the Australian government.&nbsp;

Novak Djokovic is a lying sneaky a****le: TV anchors caught trashing Serbian in leaked video

For Novak Djokovic, last few weeks have been pretty topsy-turvy after the Serbian tennis player was not allowed to take part in the ongoing Australian Open and he was eventually deported from Australia due to his vaccination status.&nbsp;But the Serbian might be a little relieved after the French Government approved new Covid-19 regulations which would permit players to take part in the French Open if the tennis players are still unvaccinated. &nbsp;&nbsp;Previously, Djokovic’s participation in French Open suffered a huge blow after it was decided that the new law will not allow anyone to attend the French Open.&nbsp;&nbsp;Australian Open sagaThe defending Australian Open champion initially did get the permission to enter Australia after he was granted an exemption but later the exemption was found to be invalid and subsequently he had to leave the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;Earlier, Djokovic had talked about the legal matters that unfolded in Autstralia.&nbsp;"I respect the Court's ruling and I will cooperate with the relevant authorities in relation to my departure from the country," Djokovic said in a statement.&nbsp;“I will now be taking some time to rest and to recuperate, before making any further comments beyond this. I am uncomfortable that the focus of the past weeks has been on me and I hope that we can all now focus on the game and tournament I love. I would like to wish the players, tournament officials, staff, volunteers and fans all the best for the tournament.”&nbsp;Tested positive for the virusThe Serbian tennis player was tested positive for the deadly Covid-19 virus back in December 2021 but he still decided not to take the vaccine.&nbsp;The defending French Open champion received a huge backlash after it was found that there were errors in the travel declaration that was submitted by Djokovic and according to him due to “human error” it happened.&nbsp;“On the issue of my travel declaration, this was submitted by my support team on my behalf – as I told immigration officials on my arrival - and my agent sincerely apologises for the administrative mistake in ticking the incorrect box about my previous travel before coming to Australia. This was a human error and certainly in a global pandemic and sometimes these mistakes can occur. Today, my team has provided additional information to the Australian Government to clarify this matter."

Huge relief for Novak Djokovic; can take part in French Open even if not vaccinated

Rafael Nadal on Tuesday (January 25) defeated Canada’s Denis Shapovalov 6-3 6-4 4-6 3-6 6-3 to reach his 36th Grand Slam semi-final. The 35-year-old Spaniard is aiming for his record 21st Grand slam title. Nadal was leading with two sets up, after which Shapovalov fought back levelling the scores. Nadal then clinched the game in the fifth set.&nbsp;A relieved Nadal said, “I was completely destroyed. Very tough day, very warm. I didn't practice for it.”&nbsp;“I was a little bit lucky at the beginning of the fifth. At the beginning of the match, I was playing great but I know how difficult it is to play against a player like Denis.”&nbsp;"For me, it's amazing to be in the semi-finals," the southpaw added.&nbsp;The Spaniard has a couple of days to rest and will try to recover physically before his semi-final against the winner between seventh seeded Matteo Berrettini and no. 17, Gael Monfils.&nbsp;"It's very important (the two-day break). I'm not 21 anymore!"&nbsp;"After this . . . great to have two days off. I felt quite good physically in terms of movement. At least it was a great test. I really believe I'm going to be ready for the semifinals," he said after the match.&nbsp;Nadal overcame an abdominal injury during the fourth set, due to which he was seen leaving the court for nearly seven minutes for a medical examination and a toilet break.&nbsp;"I started to feel not very well in my stomach," said the sixth seed.&nbsp;&nbsp;"I think I was lucky that I was serving great in the fifth. It was a great test and I really believe I'm going to be ready for that semi-final." Nadal added.&nbsp;Nadal also spoke about his uncertainty to return back on the court as he spent a major part of 2021 battling injuries.&nbsp;"The real truth is that 2 months ago we didn't know if we would be able to be back on tour, at all. So here I am. For me, it is a present of life that I am playing tennis again," a relieved Nadal said.&nbsp;Nadal had lost from being two sets up against Stefanos Tsitsipas at the same stage last year and it appeared something similar would happen when Shapovalov fought back and took the game to the final set. However, the 35-year-old used his experience to turn things around in the decider set.

Nadal overcomes abdominal injury to reach his 36th Grand Slam semi-final with dramatic win over Shapovalov 

India's decorated tennis player Sania Mirza bid farewell to the Australian Open (AO) for one last time on Tuesday (January 25) after she lost in the mixed doubles quarter-finals. After a 6-4, 7-6 defeat to Australian wildcard pair of Jason Kubler and Jaimee Fourlis, she marked her exit from the Australian Open. Earlier she had announced, it will be her last season on the WTA tour. Few days later, Sania has expressed that she regrets making the announcement as all the talks have been about her retirement in the last few days. "I am not actually thinking about that at every match to be honest, I think that I made the announcement too soon to be very honest, I am kind of regretting it because that's all I am being asked right now," Sania told Sony Sports Network after getting knocked out of the tournament. The 35-year-old was constantly reminded about her retirement plans and wanted to focus on winning the matches rather than focusing on her future. "I am playing tennis to win matches and until I play, I am going to try and win every match I play, so it (retirement) is not something that is on my mind constantly. "I enjoy playing tennis, I have always enjoyed it, win or lose, and I still have the same outlook to it, I give my 100 (per cent), sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't but I am still in it 100 per cent for the rest of the year and I don't want to really think about what's going to happen at the end of the year," she added in the conversation," the former doubles world no.1 player said. Sania reached a career-high ranking of 27 in August 2007 and won six major titles, including two at the Australian Open. She won the mixed doubles title in 2009 with Mahesh Bhupathi and in 2016 won the women's doubles titles with Martina Hingis. Sania is on a mission for 2022, where she can complete a career grand slam in both mixed doubles and women's doubles. The French Open remains the only title missing from her trophy cabinet in women's doubles while the prestigious Wimbledon title has still eluded her in mixed doubles.

I am kind of regretting it: Sania Mirza regrets her retirement announcement after public attention

Rafael Nadal will have a shot at history on Sunday (January 30) in the men's singles final of the Australian Open after he outclassed seventh seed Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in the semi-final. A win on Sunday will see Nadal go past Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic for most Grand Slam (21) in the men's department. He will face Daniil Medvedev in the final showdown on Sunday.&nbsp;Nadal up to the challengeNadal started on the front foot and took advantage of the early break in the first set. He pocketed the first set without losing his serve and it was the same pattern in the second set as he kept his serve by winning 64 per cent first serves. The Italian, who finished runners-up at the Wimbledon last year needed to bring his 'A-game' to stay in the match.&nbsp;Berrettini made a storming comeback with the wind in his sail by keeping his serve and breaking Nadal twice as he won the third set 6-3. But that joy didn't last long as the Spaniard came back roaring and broke the Italian in the decisive eighth game of the fourth set. Leading 5-3 by that time, Nadal served for the match and made sure he books his ticket in the grand finale at the Rod Laver Arena on Sunday.&nbsp;Stroke of fortuneAs per the draw, Nadal was scheduled to face Novak Djokovic in the semi-final of the Australian Open, but the no.1 seed was deported because he was not vaccinated against Covid-19 and was not allowed to participate in the tournament. Nadal, on the other hand, knew this could be his best shot to reclaim the glory after 13 years as he was the only former champion in the men's draw at Melbourne Park this year.&nbsp; Can the 13-year drought end?Despite being a dominant performer on the ATP tours and in majors, Nadal has won only one Australian Open title. An epic win against old foe Federer in 2009, when the latter was seen in tears after losing the final, remains the Spaniard's only triumph at the Melbourne Park. He did make it to the final on four occasions after that but ended as second-best on each occasion. Sunday's final will be his sixth final at the Australian Open.&nbsp;In the post-match interview“For me it’s all about the Australian Open more than anything else,” Nadal told Channel Nine in the on-court interview.&nbsp;“It’s just an amazing event. As I said a couple of days ago now, I have been a little bit unlucky in my career with some injuries. I played good finals against Novak in 2012 and Roger in 2017. I was lucky to win once in 2009.&nbsp;“But I never thought about another chance in 2022,” the 35-year-old concluded.&nbsp;Mixed doublesOn the other hand, Australian pair of Jaimee Fourlis and Jason Kubler lost in the final of the mixed doubles against European pair of Kristina Mladenovic and Ivan Dodig. The Aussie duo lost the final match by 3-6, 4-6.

Nadal on the brink of historic 21st Grand Slam after reaching sixth Australian Open final

Iga Swiatek is into her first Australian Open semi-final after coming from a set down to beat Kaia Kanepi 4-6 7-6(2) 6-3 in three hours and one minute on Rod Laver Arena. The 20-year-old will face no.27 seed Danielle Collins, who beat Alize Cornet in straight sets in the semi-finals.&nbsp;"I'm really glad that I still have my voice because I was shouting so loud," Swiatek said on court after the match.&nbsp;"This match was crazy,'' said the 20-year-old 2020 French Open winner. "First set I think my mistake was I had so many break points, I felt like I missed my chances. In the second set, I felt like she's playing so fast that I can't be tight. I had to finish my forehands.''&nbsp;&nbsp;Swiatek, the 2020 champion at Roland Garros, rallied from a set and a break down in brutal heat to overpower Kanepi, despite committing 12 double faults.&nbsp;“I wasn’t even thinking a lot, I was just running,” Swiatek said. “I was actually thinking: ‘Where is like the biggest probability where she can hit the smash?’ It’s luck that you’re going to go the right way. There is that probability, but you never know what your opponent is going to do,” she added.&nbsp;115-ranked Kanepi made her Grand Slam debut in 2006 but was playing in the quarterfinals in Australia for the first time. Estonian Kanepi has a long-standing reputation for upsetting big names at Grand Slams, with her fourth-round victory over second seed Aryna Sabalenka her ninth against a top 10 player at the majors.&nbsp;American Danielle Collins who will now face&nbsp;Swiatek in the top-four clash,&nbsp;won the opening match on Rod Laver Arena, swinging it in her favor with a key service break in the final game of the opening set on her way to a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Alize Cornet.&nbsp;&nbsp;The American's win held extra significance for her as it came after a tumultuous year. She had to undergo emergency surgery for endometriosis, a health condition in which the tissue that normally lines the uterus starts to grow in other areas.&nbsp;“I think any time you're going to have a surgery like I had, any athlete would find it less than ideal and nerve-racking knowing how your body is going to recover after that type of surgery," she said.&nbsp;"It's extremely painful and scary," she continued. "Because there is a lot of important things in life that you learn about during those surgeries." She further added.

Swiatek marches into her first Australian Open semi-final, will face America's Collins

With less than 24 hours remaining for the Australian Open to start, defending Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic's appeal has been upheld by the Australian court as the player loses the legal battle to be part of the first major of the year.&nbsp;Djokovic, detained after getting his visa canceled by the Australian authorities for the second time took to the court to enter the Australian Open. However, the latest developments see the appeal upheld and now it means that Djokovic will not be able to defend his crown in the 2022 edition.&nbsp;The legal matterA three-judge panel dismissed Djokovic's appeal to represent at this year's Australian Open as he is considered a potential threat to public health. The Serb arrived in Melbourne last Wednesday (January 5) and was unvaccinated, but was given special exemption by the Australian tennis authority to compete. But upon his arrival, the airport and public health authority of Australia denied him a direct entry and Djokovic faced deportation.&nbsp;His visa was canceled initially, but after taking to the Court he somehow managed to escape and earn a ticket to the tournament. The situation was then widely criticised in media by several other sports athletes as Djokovic was contracted with Covid-19 in December and shouldn't have been allowed to participate. The brawl saw Australia's Prime Minister also jump into the matter while former Australia spinner Shane Warne suggested, Djokovic shouldn't have been granted permission to participate.&nbsp;A big blowSunday's twist will come as a major blow to Djokovic as he was determined to win his 10th title. The 20-time major champion will now have to sit out with less than 24 hours remaining for the start of the 2022 edition. The No.1 seed is also likely to face a three-year ban from traveling to Australia and causing a threat to public health.&nbsp;The Djokovic saga was unsurprisingly not limited to the Serbian tennis player and the event only as previously the official draw of the event was delayed as it was not clear whether Djokovic will be able to take part in the event or not.&nbsp;Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal had earlier spoken on the matter and said that he was “tired” of the issue.&nbsp;“Australian Open is much more important than any player. If he's playing finally, OK. If he's not playing, Australian Open will be great, with or without him. That's my point of view," Nadal told the reporters at the Melbourne Park on Saturday (January 15).&nbsp;“Honestly, I'm little bit tired of the situation because I just believe that it's important to talk about our sport, about tennis," added the Spaniard.

Novak Djokovic loses legal battle, unlikely to play the Australian Open

Novak Djokovic has been deported from Australia after losing a last-ditch court battle to stay in the country.&nbsp;The world number one's hopes of defending his Australian Open title and winning a record 21st Grand Slam in Melbourne are over. Judges rejected a challenge launched by the unvaccinated tennis star after the government cancelled his visa on "health and good order" grounds.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Serbian player was also spotted at the airport in Melbourne just hours later. Federal agents escorted him and his team from the business lounge to the gate, where he boarded an Emirates flight bound for Dubai. The flight took off shortly before 11 p.m. (12:00 GMT).&nbsp;Novak's statement The 34-year-old Serbian made a statement post the courts judgement-&nbsp;"I would like to make a brief statement to address the outcomes of today’s Court hearing. I will now be taking some time to rest and to recuperate, before making any further comments beyond this.&nbsp;"I am extremely disappointed with the Court ruling to dismiss my application for judicial review of the Minister’s decision to cancel my visa, which means I cannot stay in Australia and participate in the Australian Open.&nbsp;"I respect the Court’s ruling and I will cooperate with the relevant authorities in relation to my departure from the country.&nbsp;"I am uncomfortable that the focus of the past weeks has been on me and I hope that we can all now focus on the game and tournament I love. I would like to wish the players, tournament officials, staff, volunteers and fans all the best for the tournament.&nbsp;"Finally, I would like to thank my family, friends, team, supporters, fans and my fellow Serbians for your continued support. You have all been a great source of strength to me."&nbsp;Court battleChief Justice James Allsop said the court ruling was based on the lawfulness and legality of the minister’s decision in the context of the three grounds of appeal Djokovic’s legal team lodged.&nbsp;Djokovic had been granted a visa to enter Australia, with a Covid-19 infection on December 16 providing the basis for a medical exemption from Australia’s requirements that all visitors be vaccinated. The exemption was organised through Tennis Australia.&nbsp;That exemption prompted widespread anger in Australia, which has undergone some of the world’s toughest Covid-19 lockdowns and where more than 90% of adults are vaccinated. The government said recent infection alone did not meet its standards for an exemption.

Djokovic deported: Grand Slam winner flies out of Melbourne

It was yet another upset at the Australian Open (AO) that became a huge talking point as unseeded Madison Keys derailed defending French Open champion and fourth-seeded Barbora Krejcikova in straight sets by 6-3, 6-2. The quarterfinal clash which lasted 85 minutes saw Keys make her first AO semifinal since 2015. Her giant-killing form has so far seen her oust eighth seed Paula Badosa in fourth round. Keys will now face Australia's Ashleigh Barty in the semi-final.&nbsp;&nbsp;Barty's victoryThe top-seeded Australian did not have a tough task in beating her American opponent Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-0 in the quarter-finals of AO. Barty secured her semi-final spot in 1 hour and 3 minutes.&nbsp;The 27-year-old American tennis player managed to win two games in the first set but a dominating performance from Barty did not give Pegula any chance to clinch a single game in the second set.&nbsp;Keys dominatesOn the other hjand, both Keys and Krejcikova entered the court having dropped only one set throughout the tournament but it was the USA tennis player that started on a positive note after dominating initial games. The decisive point arrived when Krejcikova hit her forehand wide in the sixth game of the opening set which saw her lose her serve. This set the tone for Keys to dominate as she encountered nine aces and 73 per cent first serves, which saw her pocket the first set 6-3.&nbsp;Things only got better in the second set as Keys won the opening game by breaking Krejcikova. The same pattern followed in the third and seventh game as well after the the 26-year-old American tennis player won three break points. Once again it was the first serves that let the defending French Open champion down, as she could muster only 57 per cent first serves compared to Keys' 71 per cent.&nbsp;The US star is now determined to go one better from her 2015 exploits when she exited at the semifinal stage. Her only appearance at a major final was in the US Open, back in 2017 when she was defeated by fellow compatriot Sloane Stephens.&nbsp;In her post-match reaction, she was full of determination and spoke about how difficult it was for her to get here.&nbsp;Keys speaks“I think I'm going to cry. It means a lot and last year was really hard. I did everything that I could with my team to just really reset this off-season and focus on starting fresh and new, really just starting from zero and not worrying about last year,” Keys said.&nbsp;"I will say it's been kind of nice to be the underdog for the first time in a long time. It's really just not even in my head about winning and losing. It's really just going out, competing, trying to do what the game plan is.&nbsp;“If that's not working, going to plan B. The rest is kind of not even getting into my brain,” she added.&nbsp;

Unseeded Madison Keys continues giant-killing form; knocks out Roland Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova

It was an emotional outing for Sania Mirza on Tuesday (January 25) as she took the court at the Australian Open (AO) for one final time. She along with Rajeev Ram of the USA were knocked out in straight sets 7-6, 6-4 by Australian wildcard pair Jason Kubler and Jaimee Fourlis in the mixed doubles quarter-finals. The exit brought to an end an illustrious chapter of the Australian Open in Sania's career, as she had earlier announced that the 2022 WTA tour will be her last.&nbsp;After a mix start to the match it was the Australian pair who took an early lead of 2-0, but Sania and Ram fought back to win three games in a row. However, the eighth game of the first set proved decisive as Kubler and Fourlis broke Sania to take a 4-3 lead, which was maintained till the end of the set as the Australian pair won the first set 6-4. Kubler and Fourlis won two out of two break points in the first set, whereas Sania and Ram won one break point from eight.&nbsp;The second set started on a positive note for the Indo-US pair as they raced away with an early 4-1 lead, things looked great until that point. But a series of unforced errors saw Sania and Ram win only two games from the next seven, as they were steering down the barrel at 6-6.&nbsp;Tiebreaker brings down curtains on Sania's Australian Open careerIt was a thrilling end to the tiebreaker as the score dwelled at only a one-point lead before Kubler and Fourlis took a 5-3 lead in the tie break. A backhand winner at 6-5 saw Sania and Ram's defence stumble as the pair exited to the wildcard entrants. This proved to be the final straw for Sania as she bowed out of the Australian Open for one last time.&nbsp;Sania was earlier knocked out of the women's doubles in the first round, after which she announced her decision to call time on her Tennis career after the 2022 WTA tour. In a career spanning 19 years, she won six doubles titles at major tournaments. Her best Australian Open result came in 2009 when she won the mixed doubles titles with Mahesh Bhupathi and in 2016 when she won the Women's doubles title with Martina Hingis. Her best finish in the singles competition came in 2008 when she reached the third round, losing to Venus Williams.&nbsp;"There's a bunch reasons for it. It's not as simple as 'okay I'm not going to play'. I do feel my recovery is taking longer, I do feel, considering my son is three years old, I'm putting him at risk by travelling so much with him, that's something I have to take into account," Sania quoted after her first round exit in women’s doubles.&nbsp;"My body is wearing down. My knee was really hurting today and I'm not saying that's the reason we lost but I do think that it is taking time to recover as I'm getting older," she added when she announced her retirement.&nbsp;

Sania Mirza bids farewell to final Australian Open after quarterfinal exit in mixed doubles

Daniil Medvedev's story has come a full circle with the events of last 12 months as he reached the Australian Open final on Friday (January 28), a year after he had reached his first-ever major final, also at the Melbourne Park. In a four-set thriller, Medvedev dispatched Rolland Garros runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1. He will now face the 2009 champion, Rafael Nadal, on Sunday (January 30) to determine who wins the first Grand Slam of the year.&nbsp;Medvedev shines bright in Australian summerIt was the pair’s ninth meeting, with Medvedev leading 6-2 from their previous eight encounters. With history on his side, the Russian was full of confidence and could have won the set before the tiebreaker as he lost four break points. The second set though was evenly matched as the Greek pulled out some terrific forehands, when presented with the opportunity to break Medvedev, Tsitsipas didn't hesitate as he won both the break points and eventually the set.&nbsp;The third set was evenly poised as both Medvedev and Tsitsipas had control over their serve, but it was the tenth game of the fourth set, where the Russian raised his game to break the French Open runner-up. With the ball in his hand, Medvedev made no mistake to take the set and lead 2-1. Things only got better for the US Open champion as he rallied through the fourth set in ease unleashing his forehand, while there was no gas left in Tsitsipas' tank. Medvedev will look to go one better this time, as he will now play in his second consecutive Australian Open final.&nbsp;Could history repeat?The last Russian to reach the Australian Open final was Marat Safin in 2005 when he beat home favourite, Lleyton Hewitt, in the final. Like Medvedev, Safin also lost in the final a year before to Thomas Johansson of Sweden. So a win on Sunday will see him become the first Russian in 17 years to win the Australian Open and repeat the history.&nbsp;&nbsp;Third final in 12 monthsThe Sunday showdown will be Medvedev's third final in 12 months at a major tournament. He played in the final last year losing to nine-time champion Novak Djokovic in three straight sets. But revenge was served nicely in New York as Medvedev prevented the world no. 1 from winning a Grand Slam by winning the US Open. Interestingly, he could have faced the defending champion, but after he was deported for not having the vaccine jab, it will be Nadal who awaits him in the final.&nbsp;Post-match thoughts“Some matches are very even,” Medvedev said in the post-match.&nbsp;“I missed some balls at a few moments where I could have got a break and he missed a few at the start of the third set. Then from 5-4 in the third [set] I just found some momentum and started to read his serve and put every ball in. I hit some very important passing shots and his energy went down because of this and my energy went up,” the second seed concluded.

Daniil Medvedev reaches back-to-back Australian Open final to become Rafael Nadal's last hurdle to win 21st Grand Slam

Canada’s Denis Shapovalov has accused the Australian Open officials for giving&nbsp;unfair advantage to his quarter-final opponent Rafael Nadal. Shapovalov went down to the Spanish veteran in the decider set.&nbsp;Being two set down, the Canadian fought back winning two sets straight to eventually lose the game in the final set. Nadal progressed to his 36th&nbsp;Grand Slam with a 6-3 6-4 4-6 3-6 6-3 win on Rod Laver Arena.&nbsp;Canadian tennis explains calling chair umpire “corrupt”“I misspoke when I said he’s corrupt or whatever I said,” Shapovalov clarified after the match. “It’s definitely emotional but I do stand by my side. I think it’s unfair, you know, how much Rafa is getting away with. &nbsp;There’s got to be some boundaries, some rules set. It’s just so frustrating as a player. You know, you feel like you’re not just playing against the player. You’re playing against the umpires, you’re playing against so much more. "&nbsp;“I’m not trying to take away anything they’ve done, of course, they’re great champions, they’re the legends of the game. But at the end of the day, when you step on the court it should be equal for everyone,” he added.&nbsp;Shapovalov was unhappy with the amount of time he thought Nadal was taking between points and twice complained to umpire Carlos Bernardes.&nbsp;“I'm completely ready to play and the clock is ticking 3, 2, 1, clicking towards zero.”&nbsp;“I'm looking at the umpire and obviously I'm going to speak up and say something.”&nbsp;“I've been ready to play for a minute and a half, and he tells me he's not going to give him a code violation because I'm not ready to play. To me, it's a big joke if somebody says that,” the 22-year-old Candian said.&nbsp;Players are allowed 25 seconds between points and two minutes between sets and all of this is timed by a shot clock.&nbsp;Replying to the accusations made by the Canadian youngster, Nadal &nbsp;said, “It’s always in the mind that the top players get bigger advantages.”&nbsp;&nbsp;“and honestly on court (it) is not true… I never feel that I had advantages on court, and I really believe that he’s wrong in that case.&nbsp;“I really believe that on the court you don’t deserve better treatment than the others. And I really don’t want it and I don’t feel I have it.&nbsp;&nbsp;“I think he played a great match for a long time. I wish him all the very best… I make a lot of mistakes too when I was younger, and probably he will understand later on after he thinks the proper way that probably he was not right today,” the Spaniard added..&nbsp;Nadal will now plav the semi-finals against seventh seeded Matteo Berrettini.&nbsp;The Italian defeated Gael Monfils 6-4 6-4 3-6 3-6 6-2 in the quarter-final clash.

It’s unfair, you know, how much Rafa is getting away with: Shapovalov accuses umpires for favouring Nadal

Daniil Medvedev turned things around in the most dramatic fashion after going two sets down to Felix Auger-Aliassime in the Australian Open quarter-final. Medvedev saved a match point and stormed into semi-final with 6-7(3) 3-6 7-6(2) 7-5 6-4 victory on Wednesday (January 26). The Russian now faces Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas in the top four.&nbsp;The 25-year-old Russian is aiming to go one step further than last year when he lost the final to Serbia's Novak Djokovic, who has not played at Melbourne Park this year.&nbsp;&nbsp;After the match, Medvedev disclosed that he asked himself “What would Novak do?” after he struggled to get going in the opening two sets of the match.&nbsp;"I was not playing my best and Felix was playing unbelievable, serving unbelievable, I didn't really know what to do, so I don't know if people will like it but I told myself 'What would Novak do?'" he continued, as fans at Rod Laver Arena booed at the mention of the nine-time champion's name got embroiled in a controversy after he wanted to participate in the tournament unvaccinated which led to him getting deported.&nbsp;Referencing the rest of the big three, Medvedev then received a huge cheer as he added, "Or Rafa or Roger to be honest, they won so many matches like this. So I thought 'OK, I am going to make him work, fight to the last point'."&nbsp;&nbsp;Medvedev narrowly survived a shock exit in the Australian Open quarter-final after going two sets down to Auger-Aliassime and also saving a match point in the fourth set.&nbsp;“It’s the semi-final of a grand slam so even if if I am tired I am going to give it everything. Last year I managed to play pretty well. Let’s hope we can have a good match,” the 25-year-old said.&nbsp;The Russian faces Tsitsipas now, who he played in the semis last year. He won that game in three straight sets with 6-4 6-2 7-5. Now, Tsitsipas has the opportunity to avenge that defeat against the Russian and reach his first Australian Open final.&nbsp;“Stefanos is a tough player, we have had a lot of tough matches already. I hope to serve well and show my best.” Medvedev said.&nbsp;Greece's Tsitsipas had earlier dominated Italian 11th seed Jannik Sinner 6-3 6-4 6-2 to reach the Melbourne semi-finals for the third time.&nbsp;"I am very, very happy with the way I served today and used my tactics," said Tsitsipas, who was also pleased with how he adapted to the roof closing.&nbsp;"It is part of the game. You never know what to expect from the weather. I knew I was heading towards the right direction,” he added.

After going 2 sets down, Medvedev stages an unreal comeback to setup yet another semi-final clash with Tsitsipas 

Ashleigh Barty has become the first Australian in 44 years to win the Australian Open after she overcame USA's Danielle Collins in straight sets in the women's singles summit clash. A 6-3, 7-6 victory saw her put a halt to a four-decade drought for an Australian to win the prestigious tournament. Remarkably she came from 1-5 down in the second set and didn’t lose a single set on her way to glory. The win saw her join the likes of Margaret Court, Chris O'Neil, Evonne Goolagong and others from her homeland to win at the Melbourne Park.&nbsp;Ruthless start by BartyThings could not have started on a better note for the no.1 seed, as she kept her serve intact in the first set. Collins did have a break point in the fifth game, but Barty saved and it broke her opponent in the very next game to take a 4-2 lead. A staggering 94 per cent first-serve saw her clinch the first set, giving her opponent no chance.&nbsp;Collins started on front foot in the second setA pumped-up Collins, showed no signs of nervousness in the second set as she took a 3-0 lead by winning the first three games of the set. Things only got better for Collins as she raced to a 5-1 lead and broke Barty twice, as the match looked like was heading to a deciding third set.&nbsp;Barty produces comeback of all comebacks1-5 down and serving to stay in the set, the Australian crowd got right behind the 25-year-old home favourite. She pulled out every tool in her arsenal to make a remarkable comeback and level the score at 5-5. Collins would eventually hold her serve at 6-5, but Barty made sure that the set was heading to the tiebreaker.&nbsp;Glory clinched with four championship pointsBarty, 1-5 down to 6-6, had momentum on her side and also the support of the home faithful who gathered at the Rod Laver Arena at the Melbourne Park. She would dominate the tiebreak and produce four championship points. Her winner in the 87th minute of the match made sure she brought to an end a 44-year wait to be crowned a home Australian Open champion. Chris O'Neil was the last Australian to win at the Melbourne Park. Remarkably, she also defeated a US star, Betsey Nagelsen in the final.&nbsp;First Australian Open champion on hard courtBarty's win is the first time that an Australian has won the tournament on hard court. Chris O'Neil's win in 1978 came on the grass-court as the Australian Open used to be a lawn tournament until 1987. Change in surface since 1988, saw no Australian make it to the finals of the singles tournament until 2005. Lleyton Hewitt, who won the Wimbledon in 2002, came close but lost to Marat Safin in the men's singles final.&nbsp;Post-match reaction“You guys have been nothing short of exceptional. You relaxed me and forced me to play my best tennis," the 2022 Australian Open champion said in her post-match speech.&nbsp;“This is just a dream come true. I’m so proud to be an Aussie,” she added.

Ashleigh Barty ends 44-year drought to claim Australian Open crown

It was double delight for the Australian crowd on Saturday (January 29) as the pair of Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis created history to become the first wildcard pair to win men's doubles title at a major tournament. 7-5, 6-4 win over fellow Australian duo of Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell saw them join Ashleigh Barty, who clinched the women's singles title earlier in the day.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyrgios and Kokkinakis right on the money in the first setWith an all Australian Open men's doubles final, the wildcard pair meant business right from the start. Kyrgios, mainly focused on the backhand volleys to keep Ebden and Purcell at bay. With five unforced errors in the first set, Ebden and Purcell gave away four break points in the first set, of which one was converted in the 11th game of the first set. Kyrgios and Kokkinakis made no mistake to close the set by 7-5.&nbsp;Kyrgios serves for gloryEbden and Purcell served first in the second set, which gave a mental advantage to the experienced pair. But that was rubbed off in the seventh game when a forehand winner made all the difference. Again it was the veteran Kyrgios, who made the difference with his serve as they pumped in 94 per cent first serves. Ultimately, it was Kyrgios who had the final say with his relentless service game to create history and win the title.&nbsp;Giant-killing formThe pair were enjoyed the Australian summer with some big giant-killing form. They knocked out no.1 seed and tournament favourites Mektic and Pavic in straight sets in the second round. 15th seed Behar and Escobar gave a tough fight but were dispatched in three sets in the third round. Sixth seed Puetz and Venus were beaten in a &nbsp;tough battle that lasted two hours and 15 minutes. Lastly, in the semi-final, they knocked out third seed Granollers and Zeballos in straight sets to book their place in the final.&nbsp;Icing on the cake with cherries on the top for AustraliaEarlier in the day, home favourite Ashleigh Barty beat Danielle Collins 6-3, 7-6 in a remarkable women's singles final. The win ended Australia's 44-year drought for a singles champion at the Melbourne Park. Kyrgios and Kokkinakis also joined the party with celebrations of their own later in the day.&nbsp;Wildcard major championsThe shades Goran Ivanisevic and Kim Clijsters were freshened, as Kyrgios and Kokkinakis won the Australian Open. Ivanisevic famously won the Wimbledon title in 2001 when he was a wildcard entrant beating Australia's Patrick Rafter in a thrilling final. Kim Clijsters, also repeated the feat when she won the 2009 US Open, beating Caroline Wozniacki in the final.&nbsp;Post-match reaction“Nick I love you brother,” Kokkinakis said on-court after the match.&nbsp;“Man, I can honestly say we did not expect to even come close to this but with the help of you guys all week it has been unbelievable. The coverage it got and the support it got, the coverage, we couldn’t ask for anything more,” Kokkinakis added.&nbsp;“Max has been to a finals twice and Matty has had a hell of a career. I’m just super happy. I don’t even know how we are doing this or what is going on right now to be brutally honest,” Kyrgios said in his post-match interview.

Kyrgios and Kokkinakis create history, become first wildcard pair to win men's doubles title at Australian Open

Mixed doubles team of Indian tennis player Sania Mirza and USA’s Rajeev Ram advanced to the quarter-finals of Australian Open 2022 after defeating the duo of Dutch Matwe Middelkoopa and Australia’s Ellen Perez on Sunday (January 23).&nbsp;Mirza and Ram needed an hour and 27 minutes to oust the Dutch-Aussie combination 7-6 (4), 6-4.&nbsp;Previously Mirza and Ram had defeated Serbian pair of Aleksandra Krunic and Nikola Cacic in the opening round fixture.&nbsp;&nbsp;Zverev crashes outOn the other hand, third-seeded Alexander Zverev was knocked out of the fourth round of Australian Open men’s singles after the German tennis player faced a shocking defeat against Canada’s 14th seeded Denis Shapovalov.&nbsp;Zverev lost to the Canadian tennis player 3-6, 6-7 (5/7), 3-6 in the fourth round match.&nbsp;&nbsp;Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal, on the other hand, qualified for the quarter-finals after defeating French tennis player Adrian Mannarino 7-6 (16-14), 6-2, 6-2. The Spaniard won an epic 28-minute first set tie-break to seal his victory. Later, Nadal called the first set as an “emotional” one.&nbsp;“First set (was) very, very emotional,” Nadal said.&nbsp;“Anything could happen there. I was a little bit lucky at the end. I had chances, he had a lot of chances too.”&nbsp;“I’m very happy I survived that first set, without a doubt. That crazy first set was so important.&nbsp;“Probably the one I least expected to finish in three. Definitely happy with where the game is at. I played pretty smart today,” the Spaniard added.&nbsp;In the quarter-finals, the 35-year-old Nadal will take on Shapovalov.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Azarenka suffers shocking defeatIn the women’s singles, two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka crashed out of the Australian Open after she suffered a 6-2, 6-2 defeat against fourth-seeded Barbora Krejcikova in a fourth round fixture.&nbsp;&nbsp;Fifth-seeded Maria Sakkari also faced a surprise 7 (7)- 6 (0), 6-3 defeat against USA’s 24th seeded Jessica Pegula.&nbsp;In the men’s doubles, Australian pair of Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis advanced to the next stage after defeating Gonzalo Escobar and Ariel Behar by 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.&nbsp;&nbsp;Eighth-seeded Spanish tennis player Paula Badosa defeated USA’s Madison Keys 6-3, 6-1 to win her fourth round fixture. &nbsp;

Australian Open: Sania and Rajiv reach quarter-finals in mixed doubles after defeating Allen-Matwe

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