Tue, 21-Oct-2025

Novak Djokovic heads home in Serbia after Australia deportation

djokovic

Number one tennis star Novak Djokovic headed home on Monday after Australia deported him over his Covid-19 vaccination status while the Australian Open went underway without him. Djokovic left Australia on Sunday after losing his court bid to stay in the country. The Serbian tennis player has d a brief stop at Dubai. Djokovic was … Read more

The Djoker’s Show

djokovic

Australia’s government cancelled the world number one Novak Djokovic’s visa for a second time on Friday as it sought to deport the tennis superstar for arriving in the country without a Covid-19 vaccine. According to Australia’s Immigration Minister Alex Hawke, he acted on “health and good order grounds on the basis that it was in … Read more

Crowd capacity restricted to 50 per cent during Australian Open

australian open

Crowds at the troubled Australian Open will be capped at 50 per cent capacity as Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations continue to rise in Melbourne, announced Thursday. Face masks will also be mandatory at the opening Grand Slam of the year, which starts on Monday, except when eating or drinking, and spectators must socially distance themselves … Read more

Djokovic drawn to play Australian Open first round amid visa saga

djokovic

MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic was drawn Thursday to play fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round of the Australian Open despite ongoing uncertainty over whether he will still be in the country. The world number one, top seed and defending champion is looking to clinch a 10th title at Melbourne Park starting next week and a record … Read more

Australia poised to decide on Djokovic deportation

djokovic

MELBOURNE: Australia was poised Thursday to decide if it will deport Novak Djokovic following a sensational legal battle over the tennis superstar’s arrival in the country without a Covid-19 vaccine. The 34-year-old world number one’s hopes of a record 21st Grand Slam were in peril after he admitted breaking isolation rules in Serbia and to an incorrect … Read more

Djokovic admits ‘errors’ as he fights to avoid Australian deportation

djokovic

MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic on Wednesday admitted “errors” in his travel papers and for not isolating after a claimed coronavirus infection, as he battled to stay in Australia and fight for a record 21st Grand Slam. The world number one said his team had offered fresh information to the Australian government, which is pondering whether to cancel his … Read more

Australian Open threatening to become ‘Not-so-Happy’ Slam

australian open

MELBOURNE: The rapidly spreading Omicron variant, no Serena Williams or Roger Federer and now the Novak Djokovic saga — the Australian Open is struggling to live up to its “Happy Slam” reputation. With the tournament just 10 days away, there was the threat Friday of more disarray with the possibility of other players being in a similar … Read more

Nadal back with patchy win in Australian Open warm-up

nadal

MELBOURNE: Rafael Nadal stepped up his return from Covid and injury with a patchy win over qualifier Ricardas Berankis at the Melbourne Summer Set tournament on Thursday. The 20-time Grand Slam champion launched his Australian Open preparations with a 6-2, 7-5 win in the second round, his first singles match on the ATP Tour since August. The … Read more

‘Too soon’ – Raducanu pulls out of Melbourne tournament

Raducanu

MELBOURNE: US Open champion Emma Raducanu on Saturday pulled out of an Australian Open warm-up tournament next week as she continues to recover from coronavirus. The 19-year-old Briton was due to line up alongside defending Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka and former world number one Simona Halep at the Melbourne Summer Set WTA event from Tuesday. But … Read more

Djokovic ‘trying’ to get to Australian Open, say teammates

Djokovic

SYDNEY: Novak Djokovic could still play at the Australian Open, a Serbian teammate said Thursday, despite the world number one’s last-minute decision to pull out of the ATP Cup in Sydney. The 20-time Grand Slam champion withdrew from this week’s teams event days before its start on Saturday, heightening doubts over whether he will defend his Australian … Read more

No ‘Big Three’ would be disaster for Australian Open – Kyrgios

Kyrgios

MELBOURNE: Nick Kyrgios has urged Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic to play at the Australian Open, saying Wednesday it would be a “disaster” if the ‘Big Three’ were missing. Swiss ace Roger Federer has already pulled out as he recovers from a knee injury and Nadal’s plans are unclear after contracting Covid-19. Djokovic is on … Read more

From the ski slopes to the tennis court Covid’s shadow lurks

Ski

PARIS: Ski ace Mikaela Shiffrin and tennis star Andrey Rublev tested positive for Covid-19 just weeks from the Winter Olympics and Australian Open respectively as a global sport once again felt the chill wind of the coronavirus. Two-time Olympic gold medallist Shiffrin will miss this week’s World Cup races in Lienz — but with a … Read more

Australian Open chief ‘confident’ Covid-hit Nadal will play

Nadal

MELBOURNE: Australian Open chief Craig Tiley said Wednesday he was confident that Rafael Nadal will play in Melbourne despite testing positive for Covid-19, as fresh doubts emerged over Novak Djokovic. Spanish star Nadal said on Monday that he tested positive after returning home from an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi and was experiencing “some unpleasant moments”. … Read more

Pliskova out of Australian Open due to broken hand

Pliskova

PRAGUE: Wimbledon finalist Karolina Pliskova will miss the Australian Open in January after breaking her forearm in training, her husband and manager Michal Hrdlicka said on Thursday. “Karolina broke her radius… in a fitness room at a training camp in Spain,” Hrdlicka said in a statement, adding that treatment would take about four weeks. “Unfortunately … Read more

Djokovic slated to play in Australia’s ATP Cup ahead of Open

Djokovic

SYDNEY: After months of speculation that Novak Djokovic may miss the Australian Open over tough Covid vaccination requirements, the world number one was on Tuesday named to play in a Sydney tournament weeks before. The 20-time Grand Slam champion had cast doubt on whether he would defend his title at Melbourne Park next month, refusing … Read more

ITF chief doesn’t want ‘to punish billion Chinese people’ over Peng

Peng

PARIS: International Tennis Federation president David Haggerty said Sunday that his organisation will not boycott China over the Peng Shuai affair as “we don’t want to punish a billion people”. The WTA, which controls the women’s game, last week suspended all tournaments in China amid what its chairman called “serious doubts” about the safety of … Read more

Djokovic’s Serbia stunned by Germany, Medvedev leads Russians to victory

Medvedev

PARIS: Novak Djokovic and Nikola Cacic lost a dramatic deciding tie-break in their doubles rubber as Serbia suffered a shock defeat by Germany in the Davis Cup Finals, while Daniil Medvedev helped the Russian Tennis Federation to an opening win. World number one Djokovic had drawn Serbia level in their second group-stage tie by beating Jan-Lennard Struff after Filip … Read more

Djokovic tight-lipped on Australian Open after vaccine demand confirmed

Djokovic

TURIN: Novak Djokovic refused to reveal whether he would defend his Australian Open title after the tournament’s chief confirmed on Saturday that only vaccinated players would be able to take part in the first Grand Slam of the season. The decision, revealed by Craig Tiley, piled more pressure on world number one Djokovic who has … Read more

Zverev beats Djokovic to set up Medvedev final in Turin

Zverev

TURIN: Alexander Zverev downed Novak Djokovic in a thrilling last-four clash to end the world number one’s bid for a record-equalling sixth ATP Finals title on Saturday and set up a final against Daniil Medvedev. The German edged to a 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-3 success in Turin and will face reigning champion Medvedev for the trophy on … Read more

Boxing Day Test, Australian Open to go ahead at full capacity

Boxing

MELBOURNE: Australia’s Boxing Day Test against arch-rivals England and next year’s Australian Open tennis will be played before a full house, Melbourne authorities said Thursday as they removed more pandemic restrictions. Victoria Premier Dan Andrews said that the state was about to hit 90 per cent vaccination, allowing long-standing restrictions to be swept aside, including … Read more

Kontaveit, Muguruza book WTA Finals showdown

Kontaveit

GUADALAJARA: Anett Kontaveit will face Garbine Muguruza in the final of the season-ending WTA Finals in Guadalajara after both women battled through the semi-finals in contrasting fashion Tuesday. Sixth seed Muguruza overpowered Spanish compatriot Paula Badosa 6-3, 6-3 to reach the final before the eighth-seeded Estonian Kontaveit needed three sets to down Greek fourth seed … Read more

Kyrgios calls for Australian Open to be cancelled

Kyrgios

SYDNEY: Nick Kyrgios on Tuesday called for the Australian Open to be cancelled, while unexpectedly showing sympathy to tennis world number one Novak Djokovic, who has refused to reveal his vaccination status. The mercurial Australian said he believed January’s opening Grand Slam of the year should not go ahead out of respect for the struggles Melbourne, which … Read more

Djokovic’s greatness will be recognised eventually, says Medvedev

Djokovic

PARIS: The tide is turning in tennis legend Novak Djokovic’s favour in gaining the respect he deserves from followers of the sport but he may have to wait for years post-retirement to be fully appreciated, says Daniil Medvedev. World number two Medvedev was speaking after Djokovic had come back from a set down to beat him 4-6, 6-3, … Read more

‘Universe Boss’ Gayle finds T20 world getting smaller

Gayle

ST. JOHN’S: Chris Gayle, the self-styled ‘Universe Boss’, heads to the T20 World Cup determined to prove that he remains a headline act rather than an ageing crowd-puller living off his reputation. Now 42, the physically imposing Gayle boasts career figures and performances that rivals can only envy. He is the only man to have … Read more

Novak Djokovic wins record-equilling 20th Grand Slam title

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic beat fighting Matteo Berrettini of Italy in four sets to win a record-tying 20th Grand Slam title and sixth Wimbledon on Sunday.

Serbian Novak Djokovic won his 20th Grand Slam championship at the All England Club, equaling the men’s record held by Switzerland’s Roger Federer and Spain’s Rafa Nadal.

Djokovic has now completed the third leg of the Golden Slam, having also won the Australian Open and the French Open in 2021. In the history of tennis, no man has ever won all four grand slams and an Olympic gold medal in the same year.

The 34-year-old, who had beaten Berrettini in both of their previous meetings, broke early in the opening set to take a 5-2 lead, but the Italian rallied back to force a tiebreak, which he won to take the first set.

It was only the Serbian’s second set loss in the finals this year. In the second set, he responded by blazing to a 4-0 lead before tying the match.

Djokovic won the match with a single break of serve in the third set and two more in the fourth, in front of a rowdy Centre Court crowd that kept shouting the Italian underdog’s name.

When Berrettini’s backhand slice dropped in the net on his third match point, Djokovic sealed his place in tennis history.

[embedpost slug=”copa-america-messi-bags-first-intl-trophy-as-argentina-clinches-final-victory-against-brazil/”]

Read more

Serena William qualifies for the Third Round Of Australian Open

serena

Serena Williams said that she was feeling comfortable and striving to find the right steadiness to avoid dips inattentiveness as the 23-time Grand Slam winner continued her form at the Australian Open. Serena remains her unbeaten run since emerging from 14-day quarantine with a 6-3, 6-0 second-round thrashing of Nina Stojanovic in 69 minutes. She … Read more