12:29 AM ET Bernard Tomic’s prospects of another deep Australian Open run have suffered a major blow, with the former Davis Cup star withdrawing from the Melbourne Summer Series. Tomic was to have played fellow Australian Marc Polmans in the first round of the Murray River Open on Monday night but pulled the pin, citing
Tennis
11:47 PM ET After weeks of off-court drama, Australian Open preparations will be in full swing from Sunday when the first two WTA events of the Melbourne Summer Series get underway. Australia’s world No.1 Ash Barty has a first-round bye in a star-studded Yarra Valley Classic draw, where Sofia Kenin, Serena Williams, Karolina Pliskova and
7:42 AM ET Associated Press ADELAIDE, Australia — Serena Williams was preparing to play Naomi Osaka at an Adelaide exhibition tournament on Friday. But first things first — after 14 days in quarantine because of the COVID-19 pandemic regulations in Australia, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion took her daughter to the zoo. Williams said
12:55 AM ET World No. 1 Novak Djokovic pulled out of an Adelaide exhibition because of a blistered hand on Friday before appearing on court to play a set after all, helping his compatriot Filip Krajinovic beat Jannik Sinner. Djokovic was scheduled to kick off the “Day at the Drive” event in front of a
2:54 PM ET Sports fans should savour Ash Barty’s return to tennis because it could be fleeting. While Barty hopes Friday night’s [AEDT] comeback match in Adelaide marks the start of a “long season” ahead, the world No.1 is offering no real guarantees beyond the Australian summer. Barty hasn’t played since last February, deciding not
6:30 PM ET You could be forgiven for thinking reigning Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin was short-changed in 2020. The 22-year-old broke through for her maiden Grand Slam win in Melbourne last year, defeating Garbine Muguruza in three sets in the final, and looked on the cusp of an incredible breakout season. But one by
10:22 AM ET Associated Press LONDON — – Two Russian tennis players were banned from the sport for life on Wednesday for match-fixing, including incidents when they played together as doubles partners. The International Tennis Integrity Agency said Alija Merdeeva was found guilty of two counts of match-fixing. Sofia Dmitrieva was found guilty on six
7:53 AM ET Associated Press ROME — Andy Murray has entered a lower-tier challenger tournament in Italy next month after withdrawing from the Australian Open with the coronavirus. Murray is listed to play an indoor tournament in Biella starting Feb. 15, the Italian Tennis Federation said Wednesday. The tournament has 132,000 euros ($160,000) in prize
7:45 AM ET Nick Kyrgios and Rafael Nadal have both aimed digs at Novak Djokovic with the Australian saying he had a duty to call out the world No. 1 when he “lost his way” during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kyrgios called the Serbian’s ill-fated Adria Tour in June “boneheaded” and described Djokovic as a “tool”
7:00 AM ET D’Arcy MaineESPN.com Victoria Azarenka cried when she heard the news. Having traveled halfway around the world to Melbourne for only the second time since 2016, the two-time Australian Open champion was excited to make her return to the tournament and build on the momentum from her 2020 season, in which she reached
2:54 AM ET An extra women’s tennis tournament catering for players serving 14-day hard lockdowns in Melbourne will be added to the calendar ahead of next month’s Australian Open. It means six tournaments will be staged simultaneously early next month ahead of the Open, which is due to begin on February 8. There will now
5:23 PM ET Associated Press LONDON — The International Tennis Federation on Saturday denied a bid by 29th-ranked Dayana Yastremska to lift a suspension for failing an out-of-competition doping test. The ruling can be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport by the 20-year-old from Ukraine. Players at Grand Slam tournaments and events sanctioned
3:31 PM ET Associated Press ROME — Former top-25 player Filippo Volandri was named Italy’s Davis Cup captain on Saturday, ending Corrado Barazzutti’s 20-year run in charge. Barazzutti had also previously been Italy’s Fed Cup captain, a role he ceded to Tathiana Garbin in 2016 after coaching the women’s team to four titles. Barazzutti played
5:23 AM ET World No.1 Ash Barty is itching to get back to competitive tennis at the Australian Open but has poured cold water on the idea that she might be set to end the 43-year wait for a homegrown women’s champion. Barty reached the semifinals at Melbourne Park for the first time last year
5:45 PM ET ESPN staff Novak Djokovic checks out the scene from the balcony at his accommodation in Adelaide, Australia, where he is in relaxed quarantine ahead of an exhibition event before the Australian Open begins in Melbourne on Feb. 8. Morgan Sette/AAP Image via AP As anyone who has been paying attention knows well by
11:50 AM ET D’Arcy MaineESPN.com Andy Murray announced Friday that he would not be playing in the upcoming Australian Open after being unable to negotiate a “workable quarantine” with Tennis Australia following his positive COVID-19 test. The former world No. 1 and three-time major champion had been unable to fly to Melbourne last week after
7:27 PM ET Victorian premier Daniel Andrews has blasted the decision to once again honour controversial Australian tennis icon Margaret Court in this year’s Australia Day honours. The 24-time Grand Slam singles champion is set to be promoted from Officer of the Order of Australia to the prestigious Companion of the Order of Australia, the
12:39 PM ET Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia — A Spanish tennis player ranked in the top 70 who was forced to quarantine in her hotel room after potentially being exposed to the coronavirus on an Australian Open charter flight says she tested positive for COVID-19. Paula Badosa, a 23-year-old who reached the fourth round at