Tennis

9:08 PM ET ESPN News Services MELBOURNE, Australia — No. 5-seeded Aryna Sabalenka defeated Belinda Bencic 7-5, 6-2 on Monday to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open for the first time. Bencic double-faulted to drop the first set, which put Sabalenka in control from that point. No. 4-seeded Caroline Garcia faced Magda Linette later

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

Jan 22, 2023 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

8:33 AM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — Novak Djokovic has backed calls from Andy Murray for the Australian Open to consider altering its schedule early in tournaments to avoid any more 4 a.m. finishes, with the nine-time Melbourne champ declaring “something needs to be addressed” to ensure players are in the best condition possible for Slam

1:15 AM ET ESPN News Services MELBOURNE, Australia — Fifth-seeded Aryna Sabalenka extended her win streak to seven matches as she beat Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-3 to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open on Saturday. The Belarusian player hit 32 winners to beat Mertens, with whom she won the doubles title in Melbourne

4:30 PM ET Only Labradors love chasing a tennis ball more than Sir Andy Murray. He continues to thrill and grind, and every time he defies logic on the court, you feel Britain adores him even more than thought possible. Editor’s Picks 1 Related Thursday afternoon in the UK was another occasion when we were

1:57 AM ET ESPN News Services MELBOURNE, Australia — As well as Jessica Pegula is playing tennis at the moment, dropping zero sets and just 11 games total along the way to Week 2 at the Australian Open, you might think she’d be completely pleased with how things are going. Ah, but the No. 3-seeded

2:31 AM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — Concern exuded from Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open press room. It was two years ago, the summer of 2021, and he was fielding question upon question about his nagging oblique injury. “I know it’s a tear of the muscle. Definitely,” Djokovic professed to reporters. “I don’t know if

8:33 PM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — Tournament director Craig Tiley said there are no plans to alter the Australian Open schedule to avoid late starts and finishes to matches, even after Andy Murray labeled the 4:05 a.m. (local time) end to his second-round win over Thanasi Kokkinakis as “a bit of a farce.” Murray triumphed

12:25 PM ET Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia — The times on the clock shifted from p.m. to a.m., the day from Thursday to Friday, and Andy Murray never wavered, never relented, no matter that he faced a two-set hole at the Australian Open, no matter that he is 35 and possesses an artificial hip, no

3:50 AM ET British Daniel Evans beat France’s Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 6-4, 6-1 to progress to the third round of the Australian Open on Thursday. Evans, 32, rallied to defeat Chardy in under two hours to set up a tie with World No. 6 Andrey Rublev. But it was Chardy who won the attention of

1:36 AM ET Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia — Rafael Nadal bowed his head during changeovers and rested his elbows on his knees, the very picture of resignation. What was already a poor start to 2023, after a year marred by all manner of health issues, reached a low point at the Australian Open on Wednesday.

5:53 AM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — Emma Raducanu bowed out of the Australian Open at the hands of No. 7 seed Coco Gauff on Wednesday, but there may be lingering concerns about Raducanu’s fitness after the British No. 1 clutched at her left side throughout the 6-4, 7-6 (4) loss. Early in the second set

3:31 AM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — A despondent Rafael Nadal dipped his head and appeared to fight back tears as he sat courtside on Rod Laver Arena, trailing American Mackenzie McDonald 4-6, 4-5 in the second round of the Australian Open. His eyes locked with wife Xisca, who was having no luck hiding her emotion

9:40 AM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — Emma Raducanu‘s face lit up with excitement during her first-round press conference at the Australian Open when she learned her next opponent at Melbourne Park would be fellow WTA rising star Coco Gauff. The pair will meet Wednesday evening on Rod Laver Arena, and while it may only be

10:32 PM ET ESPN News Services MELBOURNE, Australia — The supportive signs and dozens of Serbian flags and loud chants of Novak Djokovic‘s nickname filled Rod Laver Arena, providing a warm welcome marking his return to the Australian Open — a tournament he has dominated in the past but could not enter a year ago.