Ayoola Atitebi

A packed John Cain Arena witnessed Nick Kyrgios's return to Grand Slam tennis end in disappointment as British player Jacob Fearnley defeated the injured Australian favorite in straight sets during the Australian Open's first round. Kyrgios, playing his first match at Melbourne Park in three years, struggled with an abdominal strain throughout the contest, ultimately falling 7-6(3), 6-3, 7-6(2). The injury visibly impacted his serving ability and movement on court. Following the match, Kyrgios, who has missed most of the past two seasons due to knee issues and wrist surgery, suggested this might have been his final singles appearance at Melbourne Park. "I went out there, I would say 65 percent of my capacity," he reflected post-match, expressing gratitude for the crowd's support while acknowledging his extensive dedication to tennis. Meanwhile, the tournament's top seeds advanced to the second round, […]

World number one and defending champion Jannik Sinner made a successful return to the Australian Open with a straight-sets victory, expressing satisfaction with the crowd's reception amid his ongoing doping case. Sinner, who won his maiden major title in Melbourne last year, secured a 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 win over Chile's Nicolas Jarry in his first appearance at the tournament since failing two doping tests in March. The 23-year-old Italian, who faces a Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) hearing in April, acknowledged his uncertainty about the crowd's response: "I was curious to see how it was. You never know what's happening," Sinner said of the reception on Rod Laver Arena. "I was happy about the crowd. It was a very nice crowd. There were some for my opponent and some for me. It was a nice atmosphere." While […]

World number one Novak Djokovic suffered a surprise quarter-final exit at the Brisbane International, losing 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 to Reilly Opelka, ranked 293rd globally. Returning from a two-year injury break, the American defeated Djokovic in 100 minutes. Opelka, seeking his fifth career title, will face Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the semifinals after the Frenchman's 7-5 7-6 (7-5) win over Jakub Mensik. Opelka acknowledged the advantage of playing without pressure against Djokovic, who was pursuing his 100th ATP title. The other semifinal pairs defending champion Grigor Dimitrov, who advanced via walkover, against Jiri Lehecka, who defeated Nicolas Jarry 6-4 6-4. In women's singles, top seed Aryna Sabalenka reached the semifinals by overcoming Marie Bouzkova 6-3 6-4. She'll face 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva, who defeated Ons Jabeur 6-4 7-6 (7-2). Their previous encounter at the 2024 French Open saw Andreeva become the youngest […]