Tennis

Australian Open 2022

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;

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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

Novak Djokovic is yet to win a match in the Australian Open but the 34-year-old tennis player has already been in the headlines and not because of all the right reasons.&nbsp;&nbsp;Djokovic had been included in the Australian Open draw after a delay but the Serbian still has to wait and watch whether his visa gets cancelled for the second time.&nbsp;&nbsp;Amid all these issues, Greek tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas said that Djokovic has been “playing by his own rules” and “not many players had the guts to do” what the defending Australian Open champion has done.&nbsp;“For sure, he’s been playing by his own rules and has been doing what not many players had the guts to do, especially after the ATP announced certain criteria for players to enter the country,” Greek tennis player Tsitsipas was quote while talking to Indian news channel WION.&nbsp;Novak's vaccination ststusDjokovic’s vaccination status has been an issue of huge debate and Tsitsipas feels that not a single player could have even “thought they could come to Australia unvaccinated.”&nbsp;“No one really thought they could come to Australia unvaccinated and not having to follow the protocols it takes a lot of daring to do and putting the Grand Slam at risk, which I don’t think many players would do,” he explained.&nbsp;Plenty of opinions have been communicated regarding this issue. Some feel that the Serbian tennis player should get the chance to play and critics on the other hand have been vocal in claiming that Djokovic should not be permitted to take part in the Australian Open.&nbsp;'Two ways'In a situation like this, the 23-year-old world number 4 believes that “there are two ways to look” at the incident.&nbsp;“There are two ways to look at it. One side of it is that almost every single player is fully vaccinated and have followed the protocols to play in Australia. On the other hand, it seems not everyone is playing by the rules a very small majority chose to follow their own way, which kind of makes the majority look like fools,” Tsitsipas added.&nbsp;&nbsp;Only time will tell whether Djokovic will have to face another cancellation of his visa and whether he eventually gets the green signal to play in the prestigious tennis tournament.

'Playing by his own rules,' Tsitsipas questions Djokovic's participation in Australian Open

Former Australia spinner Shane Warne has taken a dig at the defending Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic after the World No. 1 failed to provide correct evidences to get a vaccine exemption to enter Australia. Warne opined by stating that the Australian government has all rights for deportation and can throw Djokovic out of the country and subsequently of the Australian Open.&nbsp;&nbsp;The first major tennis event of the year is already in news for Djokovic's vaccination status, after the Serbian was initially given exemption.&nbsp;‘Throw him out’"Novak is a great tennis player &amp; one of the all time greats. No doubt. But he's lied on entry forms, been out in public when he knew he had covid &amp; is now facing legal cases. He's entitled to not be jabbed but Oz is entitled to throw him out ! Agree ? #shambles," the legendary spinner tweeted.&nbsp;The world No. 1, was investigated on his entry last Wednesday (January 5). But he failed to produce the vaccination certification and lied on the forms, as per reports from Australian media. His Visa was canceled and Djokovic faced deportation before a string of legal battles saw him given the visa back.&nbsp;The 20-time major champion was contracted with Covid-19 back in December and needed the necessary vaccine jab to enter Australia. However, he refused to get vaccinated and was likely to miss the Australian Open.&nbsp;&nbsp;Djokovic was also seen having a photoshoot in December, in order to fulfill a long-standing commitment, despite having been tested positive for the Covid-19 virus. The incident took place at his tennis center, in the Serbian capital of Belgrade.&nbsp;Visa cancelled for second timeOn Friday (January 14), Australia decided to cancel the Serbian tennis player’s visa again, for the second time.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Today I exercised my power... to cancel the visa held by Mr Novak Djokovic on health and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so," the Immigration Minister Alex Hawke &nbsp;said in a statement.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Australian Open is due to start on Monday (January 17) with all eyes now firmly on whether the defending champion will return or not. If he does return, it will be interesting to see how he is greeted by the Australian crowd in Melbourne.

‘Oz is entitled to throw him out‘: Shane Warne slams Novak Djokovic

Former Australian Cricketer Shane Warne says he is ‘embarrassed’ with the whole situation surrounding Tennis star Novak Djokovic. Warne's reaction comes after the Serbian star won his legal appeal on procedural grounds on Monday (January 10), quashing the border officer's initial decision to cancel his visa for the Australian Open.&nbsp;Warne on Tuesday (January 11) wrote on Twitter that he would like answers to some simple questions like whether the Serbian Tennis star attended public events despite a Covid-19 infection and who exactly gave him the medical exemption.&nbsp;&nbsp;Warne tweeted: "Are these facts true? As I've read so many different reports in this messy embarrassing saga. Novak tested positive to Covid-19 Dec (December) 16 &amp; attended a public event on the 17th that inc (included) children. Said he hadn't travelled in 14 days before arriving in Oz (Australia) but travelled Jan (January) 2 to Spain?"&nbsp;Warne, born in Victoria, represented Australia in 145 Tests and went on to become one of the most successful spinners picking708 wickets, second only to Muttiah Muralitharan's 800 scalps. The 52-year-old wants to know who cleared the medical exemption for Djokovic.&nbsp;“And did Novak have a medical exemption? If so - has the person who gave it to him been identified? What was that exemption? Just trying to get the facts as I'm embarrassed as a Victorian at this situation. Vic Govt are quiet? Can someone explain to us in plain Eng (English) please,” he further wrote.&nbsp;&nbsp;Djokovic, who is aiming for a historic 21st Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, has been at the centre of a global controversy after landing in Melbourne unvaccinated for Covid-19 on the back of a medical exemption given to him by Tennis Australia.&nbsp;Djokovic has stated that he is "opposed to vaccination" and "wouldn't want to be forced by someone" to take it for travelling or competing.&nbsp;The world number one’s visa was cancelled on landing and he was placed in detention. But the fought a court battle to have it reinstated and was seen having a practice session at the Melbourne Park on Monday.

I'm embarrassed as a Victorian at this situation: Warne on Djokovioc’s controversial visa row

India’s star Tennis player Sania Mirza has announced that the ongoing Australian Open 2022 will be her last Grand Slam. After the defeat in the first round of women’s doubles alongside Ukraine’s Nadiia Kichenok at the Melbourne Park on January 19, Mirza has decided that it will be her last tour of the season.&nbsp;&nbsp;"There's a few 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'm putting my 3-year-old son at risk by travelling so much with him, that's something I have to take into account. I think 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," Mirza was quoted as saying by the Firstpost.&nbsp;The former doubles World no.1 faced a defeat by 4-6, 6-7 to Solvenia’s Kaja Juvan and Tamara Zidansek. The match lasted one hour and 37 minutes at court 5 in the windy conditions of the Melbourne Park.&nbsp;&nbsp;The 35-year-old who has six Grand Slam titles to her name wants to continue till the US Open but is unsure of it because of her fitness issues.&nbsp;&nbsp;"I have a bit of a meniscus issue going on my right knee, woke up with wrist pain couple of days ago. At 35, I am waking up with couple of things that I don't know where they're coming from! I want to finish the season, to at least play until US Open, that is my goal. But I still have to take it week-to-week," she explained.&nbsp;Despite the defeat in closely-fought contest, Mirza will have another chance in the Australian Open when she takes the court with Rajeev Ram on her side in mixed doubles event against Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic and Slovakia’s Filip Polasek. If she retires, her professional Tennis career will last for more than 19 years.&nbsp;&nbsp;"If this is my last Grand Slam, it is a great way to go out to play with someone who I've known since I was 12 years old and we'll just try to have fun on the court," she concluded.

Sania Mirza announces 2022 will be her last season, says 'my body is wearing down'

The Day 3 of the Australian Open (AO) saw an easy passage of play with a win for top women's seed and fellow Australian Ashleigh Barty. While Victoria Azarenka also booked her place into the third round with an easy win, Rafael Nadal found a way to break the German qualifier Yannick Hanfmannin to advance. Alexander Zverev got the better of home player John Millman.&nbsp; Barty didn't have many troubles in round two as she beat Lucia Bronzetti of Italy 6-1, 6-1; dropping only two games on her way through to the next round. She will be joined by eighth seed Paula Badosa of Spain, who also bettered another Italian, Martina Trevisan, beating her 6-0, 6-3 in under an hour. Two-time AO champion Azarenka made light work of her opponent Jil Teichmann of Switzerland by winning 6-1, 6-2. &nbsp;15th seed Elina Svitlonina of Ukraine was given a walkover after she led 5-1 in the third set. Her French opponent Harmony Tan had to withdraw despite winning the second set as the final score read 6-3, 5-7, 5-1.&nbsp;Nadal put on a clinical performance to ease past German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 and reach the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday (January 19) as the Spaniard remained on course for a men's record 21st Grand Slam title. The only former champion left in the men's draw at Melbourne Park, Nadal is tied at 20 majors with Swiss Roger Federer and world no.1 Novak Djokovic, who are both absent from the tournament. &nbsp;Zverev shrugged off a rowdy centre court crowd at a floodlit Rod Laver Arena to sail into the third round of the Australian Open with an impressive 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 win over local journeyman Millman. The German appeared determined to belt the cover off the ball through the two-hour romp, and Millman was powerless to withstand the firepower despite enjoying rowdy support in the terraces.&nbsp;Canada's Denis Shapovalov is on to the third round of the Australian Open. Shapovalov, from Richmond Hill, beat South Korea's Kwon Soon-woo 7-6 (6), 6-7 (3), 6-7 (6), 7-5, 6-2. Shapovalov beat Soon-woo when the Korean sailed a backhand return high and wide. The tightly contested match lasted nearly 4 ½ hours. Shapovalov had 29 aces to Soon-woo's three in the win.

Australian Open Day 3: Nadal takes another step towards glory; Barty, Osaka advance to Round 3 too

The Day 2 of the Australian Open (AO) brought a string of surprises as former Wimbledon champion and wildcard entrant Andy Murray stormed his way into the second round. Defending US Open champion and second seed Daniil Medvedev, former Wimbledon champion Simona Halep, Nick Kyrgios, Jannik Sinner all advanced to the second round along with Garbine Muguruza, Iga Swiatek, men's fifth seed Andrey Rublev. Day two also saw wins for ladies sixth seed Anett Kontaveit, former US Open champion and home favourite Sam Stosur, 10th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Marin Cilic. Petra Kvitova, Leylah Fernandez, Angelique Kerber (all seeded) were knocked out in the first round of the Australian Open (AO) in the biggest shocks of the day. Andy Murray was involved in a marathon contest against 21st seed Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia, it was the three-time major champion who emerged victorious with a scoreline of 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, 6-7, 6-4, a match that lasted about four hours. Second seed in the men’s department Daniil Medvedev didn’t have too many troubles to book his place in the second round as he got past Henri Laaksonen of Switzerland in straight sets, winning by 6-1, 6-4, 7-6. Andrey Rublev defeated Gianluca Mager of Italy in straight sets 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 while there were wins for the likes of Anett Kontaveit (6-2, 6-3), Sam Stosur (6-7, 6-3, 6-3), Marin Cilic (6-3, 6-1, 6-2). Home favourite Nick Kyrgios was also amongst the big winners of the day as he beat Liam Broady of Great Britain 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 at the John Cain Arena. 2018 runners-up and former Wimbledon champion Simona Halep also advanced with 6-4, 6-3 win at the Margaret Court Arena in little more than an hour. 2020 runners-up and former Wimbledon champion Muguruza had a swift run as she outclassed Clara Burel of France in the opening match of Day 2 at the famous Rod Laver Arena by winning 6-3, 6-4. Poland's Iga Swiatek enjoyed her outing in the second match of the day at the Rod Laver as she cruised past Great Britain's Harriet Dart in less than an hour, bearing her 6-3, 6-0 to book her place in the next round. The biggest upset of the day sees 2019 runners-up Kvitova and Kerber as they bowed out in the first round. Kvitova lost to Sorana Cirstea of Romania by 6-2, 6-2 to end her journey before it even got going, while 16th seed Kerber lost to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3. 23rd seed Leylah Fernandez of Canada also suffered a shock defeat to hometown favourite Maddison Inglis, losing by 6-4, 6-2.

Australian Open Day 2: Andy Murray stuns seeded Basilashvili to reach R2; Kvitova, Kerber out

In the recently concluded Australian Open, Spaniard Rafael Nadal had defeated Daniil Medvedev 2-6, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 in the final to clinch a record 21st Grand Slam title. After losing the first two sets, Nadal scripted an epic comeback to secure the prestigious title. The match which lasted for 5 hours and 24 minutes had several thrilling and exiting moments but ultimately the Spaniard emerged as the victorious.&nbsp;No ideaSince the victory lot of discussions have taken place regarding Nadal and his 21st Grand Slam title but Nadal believes that he has “no idea” about the number of Grand Slams he will have.&nbsp;"I have no idea what number of Grand Slams I will have," Nadal said at a press conference at his academy in Mallorca.&nbsp;"Not long ago I would have signed for just being able to play tennis again. I want to be the one with the most majors out of the three of us, I would love that, but I'm not obsessed, absolutely not. Whatever comes is welcome and I don't think 21 is enough to be honest. But you never know what will happen in the future."&nbsp;Fitness issueInjury concern has been a big headache for the 35-year-old tennis player. Despite having an injury, Nadal feels that he is “playing at a higher level now.”&nbsp;"It still hurts when I play," Nadal said.&nbsp;&nbsp;"But I'm playing at a higher level now than I was more than four weeks ago and this has given me a huge boost of confidence to move forward. On a personal level it's been an unforgettable experience," Nadal added.&nbsp;Previously, it was not even sure whether Nadal will be able to take part in the Australian Open due to his injury but he not only participated in the Australian Open eventually but also showed his supreme skills to clinch the trophy as well.&nbsp;Nadal’s recent performance has simply been sensational and it is absolutely remarkable as for him it “was very difficult to imagine a few weeks ago”&nbsp;"I have been able to enjoy the highest level of sport again, something that was very difficult to imagine a few weeks ago.&nbsp;"As well as achieving something special, for me it has been special to be able to compete again to the maximum with the best players. This is vital for me and for the future.”

'I don't think 21 is enough,' Rafael Nadal talks about his target 

The second week of the Australian Open (AO) has started on spring of surprises in women's draw as unseeded Kaia Kanepi, ranked 115 in rankings knocked out second seed Aryna Sabalenka. The day also saw former Wimbledon champion Simona Halep exit in the fourth round after Alize Cornet knocked her out in a thriller. Normal service though resumed in men's department as top seed Daniil Medvedev rallied to book his place in the last eight. It needed a five-set thriller for French Open runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas to punch his ticket for the quarterfinals.&nbsp;Cornet and Kanepi turn out to be the surprise packagesThe day started with a big upset as former world no.1 and Wimbledon champion Halep as she was shown the exit door in three sets. Veteran French star Alize Cornet booked her first-ever major quarterfinal ticket. It was her 63rd attempt in 17 years that saw her get the better of Halep by 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.&nbsp;More upsets were to follow as second seed Sabalenka was outclassed by Estonia's Kanepi in thrilling three sets. The deciding set went into a tiebreaker as the Estonian held her nerves to continue her giant-killing run. With scoreline reading 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (10-7), Kanepi advanced to the last eight. She had earlier eliminated 16th seed Angelique Kerber in the first round.&nbsp;In other women's singles matches, no.1 seed Ashleigh Barty continued her impressive run with a 6-4, 6-3 win against Amanda Anisimova. She will now face Jessica Pegula, the 21st seed who beat fifth seed Maria Sakkari 7-6, 6-3.&nbsp;Former AO champion Victoria Azarenka couldn't trouble fourth seed and Rolland Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova as she exited in straight sets in 6-2, 6-2.&nbsp;The draw contains three unseeded players in the quarterfinals with Madison Keys also in the running along with Kanepi and Cornet.&nbsp;Tsitsipas survives huge scareThe Rolland Garros runners-up had to pull all the tools in his arsenal to snatch a dramatic five-set win against 20th seed Taylor Fritz of the USA. After three sets, the Greek star was 1-2 down but pulled up a handsome comeback to book his place in the next round. His 4-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win saw him sweat for nearly four hours to book overcome his opponent.&nbsp;Highest seed remaining in the tournament, Medvedev dropped a set against another USA star Maxime Cressy but did enough to win by 6-2, 7-6, 6-7, 7-5.&nbsp;Ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada also made it to the last eight with a win against former US Open champion Marin Cilic as he won 2-6, 7-6, 6-2, 7-6.&nbsp;Tuesday (January 25) will see women's quarterfinal action where the top seeds will look to book their place in the final four. Also, Rafael Nadal and Gael Monfils will also take the court at the Rod Laver Arena against Denis Shapovalov and Matteo Berrettini respectively.

Tsitsipas advances in five-set thriller; Halep and Sabalenka suffer shock exit

Former Australia captain Steve Smith has praised the progress of fellow Australian star Ashleigh Barty after she progressed to the semi-final of the Australian Open 2022. The 32-year-old believes Barty's performance speaks volumes and can go all the way. The versatile all-rounder, part of Australia's Ashes-winning squad took to Instagram to share his opinion on the star tennis player. "She's playing very well and has been outstanding. She gets the opposition players where she wants to get them. She's doing exceptionally well at the moment,” Smith said in a Instagram chat with his fans. Barty has been in superb form in the last 12 months as she won the prestigious Wimbledon championship. The number one seed was seen make light work of her opponent Jessica Pegula in the quarter-final, who she dispatched in 63 minutes with a 6-2, 6-0 straight set wins. The 25-year-old is scheduled to take on unseeded Madison Keys in the semi-final as she gets one step closer to another major title. Smith, on the other hand also spoke highly for Indian cricketers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma, who he thinks are the front runners for the vacant Test captaincy spot. He was also seen congratulating Virat Kohli for his seven-year stint as the skipper of the Indian side. Kohli recently relinquished the Test captaincy after India lost to hosts South Africa 1-2, as yet another series loss was culminated on Team India in the Rainbow Nation. Both Smith and Barty will have work to do in 2022 after a successful 2021. While, Barty won the Wimbledon, Smith was a member of Australia cricket team led by Aaron Finch who lifted their maiden T20 World Cup trophy. The task remains the same for both Barty and Smith, as she chases a host of titles on the WTA tour. Smith recently won the Ashes series 4-0 against England including a Test where he led the team in absence of Pat Cummins, while Barty is on the verge of winning the Australian Open, having also won the Adelaide Open before the start of the first major of the year.

‘She's playing very well and has been outstanding’: Smith praises Barty after her Australian Open run

Australia's Ashleigh Barty will have a date with destiny on Saturday (January 29) in the final of the Australian Open (AO) women’s singles after she overcame unseeded Madison Keys in the semi-final. Barty will be the first Australian to play in the final of women's single since Wendy Turnbull in 1980. With a scoreline of 6-1, 6-3 the Australian star will now be the firm favourite to write history and clinch her maiden Australian Open title. She will face the winner of the second semi-final between Danielle Collins and Iga Swiatek in the final. Barty makes light work A staggering 86 per cent first serves saw the no.1 seed at the top of her game. In the entire match, she didn't lose her serve, making it a lethal weapon in the arsenal. She made good use of the net, by winning 60 per cent of net points. She broke Keys on four occasions, thrice in the second set to break her resilience and reach the showdown final. History on the cards No Australian woman has won the Australian Open since Chris O'Neil in 1978. Barty will have a shot at history books when she will take the court at the Rod Laver Arena on Saturday. Indeed, after O'Neil in 1980, no Australian has taken the guards in the women's singles final in more than four decades. A great piece of historic chapter could be written for her as she comes with wind in her sails having won the Wimbledon Championships in July last year. First since Pat Cash in 1988 When it comes to singles competition, it will be the first time in 34 years that the Australian Open will have a home finalist. The legendary Pat Cash made two back-to-back men's singles finals, first in 1987 and then in 1988. On both occasions, he lost in thrilling five sets to Swede legends Stefan Edberg and then to Mars Wilander. Cash lost the final set 8-6 in an epic battle with Wilander. Barty, like Cash in 1988 will enter the Australian Open final as the Wimbledon champion. Great company awaits Playing in the final of the Australian Open will see Barty join the company of some of the great Australians who played in the singles final including 11-time Australian Open champion Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Kerry Melville, Chris O'Neil and Wendy Turnbull. The honours list also contains legendary Rod Laver, Mark Edmondson, Ken Rosewall and others from the men's department.&nbsp;Collins' first Grand Slam finalIn the second semi-final of the day, with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Iga Swiatek, Danielle Collins reached her maiden Grand Slam final. The match lasted for 78 minutes where Collins dominated her Polish opponent. The American will now face top-ranked Barty for the title at Melbourne Park. Collins had earlier reached the Australian Open semi-final in 2019. &nbsp;“It feels amazing. It has been such a journey. It is so many years of hard work. Yesterday I spoke about all the early mornings my Dad would get up and practise with me before school,”The 28-year-old &nbsp;said. &nbsp;Collins has a 1-3 career record against Barty but she won their most recent at the 2021 Adelaide International. “We’ve had some incredible battles over the years. To play the world number one in her home country will be spectacular,” she said during the on-court interview. &nbsp;In April, Collin underwent an emergency surgery for endometriosis. “It is incredible to be on this stage, especially after all the health challenges. I couldn’t be happier,” she added.

Ashleigh Barty one step away from history; becomes first female Aussie in more than four decades to reach AO final

A&nbsp;lot has happened since Novak Djokovic came to Australia to take part in the Australian Open. From being detained to have his visa cancelled twice- the Serbian tennis player probably had to face events he would not have even thought to go through in his dreams.&nbsp;And now Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal has opened up on this issue. The 35-year-old tennis player feels that the “Australian Open is much more important than any player” and the tennis event will still remain to be “great with or without him.”&nbsp;“Australian Open is much more important than any player," Nadal told the reporters at the Melbourne Park.&nbsp;"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,” he added.Previously, the official draw of the Open was delayed at short notice as it was not clear whether Djokovic will be able to take part in the tournament.&nbsp;&nbsp;The background&nbsp;Regarding the travel declaration that was submited by Djokovic’s support team received was criticized hugely and later the defending Australian Open champion said in an official statement there was a “human error” which 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;‘Tired’ NadalWhile talking about Djokovic and his tussle with the Australian Open, Nadal said that he does not “agree with a lot of things that he did the last couple of weeks.”&nbsp;"I wish him all the best. I really respect him, even if I (do) not agree with a lot of things that he did the last couple of weeks," he said.It is needless to say that this year’s Australian Open has been highly discussed because of the Djokovic issue and the Spaniard expressed that he is “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," he said.Djokiovic is scheduled to play against Miomir Kecmanovi in the first round of the Open.&nbsp;

'Ausralian Open is much more important than any player,' Rafael Nadal takes a dig at Novak Djokovic

The 11-day saga between Novak Djokovic and the Australian Open has seemingly come to an end at last after the Serbian tennis player lost his legal battle against deportation. A three-judge panel on Sunday (January 16), with less than 24 hours remaining for the opening round of the Australian Open, dismissed Djokovic's case.&nbsp;As a result, the defending champion now will not be able to play in the Australian Open. Djokovic now further faces deportation. In his first reaction after the judgment, the 34-year-old has said that he will leave the country, thanking his friends, supporters and family.&nbsp;'Respect the Court's ruling'"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," the 20-time major champion said.&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.&nbsp;"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,” the defending Australian Open champion concluded.&nbsp;No vaccinationThe nine-time Australian Open champion was destined to secure his 10th title this year, but his refusal to take the Covid-19 jab has now forced the Serbian to miss out on the first major of the year.&nbsp;&nbsp;Djokovic was contracted with the Covid-19 virus back in December 2021 but he still decided to refuse to take the vaccine. Tennis Australia did give him a special exemption to compete in this year's event but the health authorities rejected the call and requested to cancel Djokovic's visa.&nbsp;The second hearing that took place on January 16 (Sunday), saw the 20-time major champion’s run end on a sorrow note even before his journey could begin.&nbsp;&nbsp;The absence of World No.1 does mean that neither Djokovic nor Roger Federer will compete in the Australian event, leaving the doors open for Rafael Nadal to clinch his second Australian Open title, first in 13 years and more importantly his 21st career major.&nbsp;

‘I respect the Court's ruling’: Novak Djokovic set to leave Australia after losing court appeal

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