Tennis

Jan 22, 2023 MELBOURNE, Australia — A first-time Australian Open champion will lift the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup on Saturday, regardless of whether it’s Elena Rybakina or Aryna Sabalenka. Editor’s Picks It’s Rybakina’s second final appearance in the past three Slams, and she’s 6-0 in major matches against seeded opponents since the start of Wimbledon

2:37 AM ET Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia — Stefanos Tsitsipas had a harder time strictly following all of the rules than he did outplaying his opponent in the early going, then recovered after blowing two match points late in the third set, and eventually reached the final at the Australian Open for the first time

9:14 AM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — Tommy Paul is the first American man since Andy Roddick in 2009 to make the Australian Open semifinals. He is the lone American left in either singles draw. But he’s still managing to fly under the radar at this tournament. So low is Paul flying, that just minutes after

7:47 AM ET Self-proclaimed “obnoxious soccer mom” Victoria Azarenka was ordered to take off her Paris Saint-Germain shirt at the Australian Open on Thursday before bowing out of the Grand Slam with a straight-set defeat to Elena Rybakina in the semifinals. The 33-year-old two-time champion has worn shirts showing support for French Ligue 1 champions

1:20 AM ET Local wildcards are through to the Australian Open men’s doubles final for the second straight year with Rinky Hijikata and Jason Kubler extending their stunning run at Melbourne Park. Hijikata and Kubler have a chance to emulate Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis‘ unlikely title triumph last year after downing eighth seeds Horacio

6:30 PM ET Associated Press MADRID — Former Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué’s investment group Kosmos Tennis said Wednesday it has filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the International Tennis Federation for ending their partnership to organize the Davis Cup. Kosmos, which is chaired by Piqué, filed a suit at the Court of Arbitration for Sport blaming

8:30 AM ET Associated Press WIMBLEDON, England — The men’s doubles format at Wimbledon has been changed to best of three sets to bring it in line with the other three Grand Slam tournaments. The All England Club announced the switch from best of five sets Wednesday and said the reduction could attract more players

3:26 AM ET ESPN News Services MELBOURNE, Australia — Tommy Paul received a lot less attention than his younger, less-experienced opponent, Ben Shelton, heading into their all-American quarterfinal at the Australian Open. Perhaps that was a product of the fascination with the out-of-nowhere Shelton: Just 20, and less than a year after winning an NCAA

11:16 AM ET Stefanos Tsitsipas is into the semifinals of the Australian Open and feeling confident. Following Tuesday’s match, he extended an invite to two-time Oscar nominee Margot Robbie to come along and watch one of his matches. Tsitsipas had just defeated Jiri Lehecka in straight sets (6-3, 7-6, 6-4) in a mere 2 hours,

5:52 AM ET Former world No. 1 Novak Djokovic has said he does not “need to prove anything to anyone” as he responded to people saying he is “faking” his injury at the Australian Open. Djokovic was dominant in a straight-sets win against Australian Alex De Minaur on Monday to extend his winning run at

1:08 AM ET ESPN News Services MELBOURNE, Australia — For a full set, Karen Khachanov‘s Australian Open quarterfinal against Sebastian Korda on Tuesday was as tight as can be. Right up until, that is, Khachanov unleashed a down-the-line backhand to cap a 17-shot point and steal a tiebreaker. Khachanov raised his right index finger to

Jan 22, 2023 The depth of the sport has been tested at the 2023 Australian Open. The men’s field has been theoretically limited by injuries to both Carlos Alcaraz (who withdrew from the tournament before it began) and Rafael Nadal (who lost in the second round), and an early-round upset loss for 2022 finalist Daniil

6:08 AM ET ESPN News Services MELBOURNE, Australia — Ben Shelton’s concerns leading into his first Australian Open had less to do with playing tennis and more to do with everything else associated with the trip. His first time outside of the United States. His first time using a passport. The jet lag. The time

9:08 PM ET ESPN News Services MELBOURNE, Australia — Magda Linette came from two breaks down in the first set en route to beating No. 4 Caroline Garcia 7-6 (3), 6-4 at the Australian Open on Monday to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinal. She will face Karolina Pliskova, who defeated Zhang Shuai 6-0, 6-4

10:30 AM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — Prior to coming to New Zealand and Australia this month, Ben Shelton had never left the United States. Now, his first trip overseas has been extended after he defeated rising Australian Alexei Popyrin in the third round. “It feels great,” Shelton said of making the last 16 of a

6:13 AM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — Jessica Pegula thinks she is more settled and more confident than ever heading into her third straight Australian Open quarterfinal, but she admitted she is hungry for more after the women’s draw opened up in her favor Sunday. Pegula, the No. 3 seed in Melbourne, was too strong for

2:07 AM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — Coco Gauff didn’t hide her disappointment at a fourth-round exit during the Australian Open, briskly walking from Margaret Court Arena and later tearing up in her postmatch news conference. But still just 18 years of age, the world No. 7 knows she can’t win every match, every day. “After

11:28 PM ET ESPN News Services MELBOURNE, Australia — It’s been almost two full decades since this many U.S. men reached Week 2 at the Australian Open. And while that group in 2004 included a couple of Grand Slam champions in Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick, everything is all so new for the quartet there