Australian

British number one Emma Raducanu is knocked out of the Australian Open in straight sets 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 by Austria’s Anastasia Potapova in the second round.

FOLLOW: Australian Open: GB’s Norrie loses third set, Andreeva in action

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While she improved to beat 197th-ranked Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the Melbourne first round, she looked undercooked against Potapova.

Russian-born Potapova also made a huge amount of errors in a poor-quality first set which started with five breaks of serve before Raducanu pulled away.

Raducanu served for the first set at 5-4 but was broken back by Potapova, who promptly pulled away with the tie-break.

After Potapova took a lengthy break at the end of the set, she made a fast start to the second and broke twice for a 3-0 lead.

The pair exchanged breaks before Potapova asserted her authority and cruised to victory, with a subdued Raducanu making a hasty exit.

Eyes had inevitably drawn towards the potential meeting with Sabalenka – but this loss was a sharp reminder of where Raducanu’s level remains.

Meanwhile, British qualifier Arthur Fery was also knocked out after a 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 6-3 loss to Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the men’s second round.

Boulter endured a difficult 2025 season, dropping from 24th in the world to outside the top 100, and lost her British number one ranking amid injury struggles.

Seeking a fresh start this season, the Briton ended her partnership with long-term coach Biljana Veselinovic and is now being assisted by American Michael Joyce, who helped Maria Sharapova win two Grand Slams and reach world number one.

It is also a significant year for Boulter away from the court, with her wedding to Australian tennis star Alex de Minaur planned for later in 2026.

Speaking before the tournament, Boulter said: “I’m getting married this year. It’s going to be an unbelievable year, one of the best ones in my life, no matter what happens on the tennis court. I think for me that’s already given me a positive push.

“I feel like having a new coach, having a new set-up, everything is fresh and exciting again. Whereas I feel like I was dragging my feet a little bit at the end of last year just trying to get through the whole entire year without injuries.”

Now British number four, Boulter has won only four tour-level matches since Wimbledon.

She tore an abductor in her final event of last year in Hong Kong and returned to action at the ASB Classic in Auckland earlier this month, losing in the second round.

If Madison Keys was not nervous enough about starting her Australian Open title defence, facing an unknown opponent only added to the tension.

The 30-year-old American had a fairytale run in Melbourne 12 months ago, culminating in her lifting the first Grand Slam trophy of her career.

However, she made an edgy start to her title defence on Tuesday, losing the first four games to Grand Slam debutant Oleksandra Oliynykova.

Keys said afterwards she had struggled to find footage of her opponent to help her prepare, with Oliynykova’s defensive play style not matching up well with her big-hitting game.

But the ninth seed eventually settled down to clinch a 7-6 (8-6) 6-1 victory over the Ukrainian.

“I’ve been thinking about this moment for basically a year,” said Keys.

“The moment they say, ‘Ready, play’, it all hits you in a way that I don’t think you can ever really explain.

“As nerve-racking and stressful as that can be, I’m still reminding myself of just how few people get to be in that moment.

“Being able to walk out today and have the crowd be as welcoming as they were, I’ll take the stress any day.”

A surfer has been bitten by a shark, the fourth attack along Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) coastline in under 48 hours.

The 39-year-old man suffered minor cuts after a shark bit through his board near Crescent Head on Tuesday morning. He is currently in hospital in stable condition, say reports.

It follows three other attacks in Sydney over the past two days. All beaches in Sydney’s northern area will remain closed until further police, said police.

The attacks follow days of heavy rains, which NSW Superintendent Joseph McNulty had earlier said may have created a “perform storm environment” for shark attacks. Rain flushes nutrients into the water, which can draw sharks closer to shore.

The attack on Tuesday took place near the Point Plomer campground, about 450km (279mi) north of Sydney.

Steve Pearce, the chief executive of Surf Life Saving NSW, said the surfer was “very fortunate to not have sustained any serious injuries”, ABC reported.

“We really strongly advocate that nobody swim or surf near river mouths because it’s obviously an area where sharks congregate,” Pearce said. “If it’s dirty water I’d think twice about going in there.”

A young surfer had a similarly lucky escape at Dee Why Beach in Sydney on Monday, but a shark attack at nearby Manly hours later left a 27-year-old with “life-changing” injuries. On Sunday, a 12-year-old boy was also critically injured when bitten at a popular Sydney Harbour beach.

Authorities believe bull sharks were involved in several of the recent attacks.

Bull sharks, which can be found in both fresh water and salt water, are “one of the few sharks that are potentially dangerous to people”, the Australian Museum says. They are the third deadliest shark species, according to the International Shark Attack File.

Last November, a woman was killed and a man was seriously injured after being attacked by a bull shark on a remote beach in New South Wales.

Though Australia is a global shark attack hotspot, the chances of being attacked are still minute.

Police on Monday advised the public to avoid waterways in NSW due to recent weather, which has decreased water quality and visibility.

“I would recommend not swimming in the harbour or our other river systems across NSW at this time,” Superintendent Joseph McNulty told reporters.

Sixth seed Alex de Minaur believes he has the ability to be a serious contender for major honours and become the first Australian to win the men’s singles title at his home Grand Slam since Mark Edmondson in 1976.

The 26-year-old, who has reached the quarter-finals at each of the four majors, began his campaign with a dominant 6-2 6-2 6-2 win over lucky loser Mackenzie McDonald but insisted he has more to prove.

“I’ve got to the stage where I’m not just another number in the draw,” De Minaur said. “I’m playing to win it, to be one of the guys in contention. Ultimately, that’s the goal. It’s not about being satisfied [with this performance].”

Elsewhere, 13th seed Andrey Rublev beat Italian Matteo Arnaldi in straight sets while three-time Grand Slam finalist Casper Ruud, the 12th seed, lost just seven games en route to victory over Mattia Bellucci.

Spanish 14th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and American 19th seed Tommy Paul came through unscathed against Filip Misolic and Aleksandar Kovacevic respectively.

However, there was a surprise early exit for Czech 17th seed Jiri Lehecka, who fell to Arthur Gea in straight sets. The Frenchman, who came through qualifying, will face 40-year-old former champion Stan Wawrinka in round two.

Like Swiatek, Gauff also had issues with her serve in the first round as she committed seven double faults against Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova.

Three of those came in the opening game, but Gauff said it was “smooth sailing from there”.

“I think I just erased that first game, and then after that I was better,” she said following the 6-2 6-3 win – her 75th Grand Slam match-win.

The two-time major singles winner added: “I tried not to put too much pressure on myself. I am only satisfied if I win, but I am proud of myself regardless of how I get on.”

Gauff, 21, will face Olga Danilovic next after the Serb defeated 45-year-old Venus Williams on Sunday.

American fourth seed Anisimova, meanwhile, needed just 60 minutes to beat Switzerland’s Simona Waltert 6-3 6-2 and underline her title credentials.

After runs to the US Open and Wimbledon final last season, Anisimova is one of the favourites go all the way in Melbourne, but she insisted she was focusing on improving as a player rather than a third successive Grand Slam final.

Fellow American Pegula, the sixth seed, also impressed with a 66-minute 6-2 6-1 victory over Russian Anastasia Zakharova.

Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva – another title contender – found herself a set down in her first-round tie against Croatia’s Donna Vekic, but the eighth seed rallied in set two and won the decider 6-0, winning 25 of the 32 points on offer.

Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez rushed to help a ball girl who fainted during the qualifier’s surprise first-round victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova at the Australian Open.

As Alexandrova was serving for the second set to level the tie, the ball girl – stood beside the umpire’s chair – fell flat on her back before quickly getting back up.

Sonmez sprinted over to her and helped her walk over to the side of the court, where she received medical attention in the shade.

The ball girl managed to get back to her feet and was helped off court by medical staff, with play resuming after a six-minute delay.

Russian 11th seed Alexandrova went on to win the set, but world number 112 Sonmez fought back from 3-0 down in the decider to complete a 7-5 4-6 6-4 upset on her fourth match point.

It is the biggest win of the 23-year-old’s career and moves her into the second round at Melbourne Park for the first time.

Tennis stars travel globally more than any other group of athletes due to the international nature of the sport.

With tour-level tournaments held in 29 countries across five continents, men’s players travelled a combined 2.3 million km across the 2024 season, according to ATP data.

Every player knows the importance of getting over jetlag quickly and has their own method of attempting to regulate their circadian rhythm.

Novak Djokovic, known for meticulously fine-tuning his body, tries to “over-hydrate” on his flight, adding lemon, mint, and salt to his water.

“When I arrive at the hotel, I ground myself with bare feet on natural ground as soon as possible, followed by a hot bath with Epsom salts,” the 24-time major champion told Travel + Leisure magazine, external.

“Then on the first morning, I try to watch the sunrise, to reset my brain.”

Natural herbal tablets, often containing plant-based ingredients like valerian, hops, chamomile and passionflower are a popular coping strategy, while many players have turned to melatonin as a sleep aid.

Taking the hormone, which your brain produces in response to darkness and therefore helps you sleep, has led to serious repercussions for some leading players, though.

Six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek was banned for one month in 2024 after failing a doping test because the melatonin she took to avoid jetlag was contaminated.

In 2023, Greece’s then-world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas blamed the tablets for a sluggish performance in his French Open quarter-final thrashing by Carlos Alcaraz.

Novak Djokovic ready to turn back clock at Australian Open despite falling behind Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Novak Djokovic can still crack a joke when discussing the Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner rivalry that for two years has prevented him from becoming the most decorated tennis player ever.

“I lost three out of four Slams against either Sinner or Alcaraz in 2025,” he said in reference to the rivalry dubbed “Sincaraz” as he spoke on Saturday, on the eve of the Australian Open.

“We don’t need to praise them too much,” he added, smiling. “They have been praised enough! We know how good they are, and they absolutely deserve to be where they are. They are the dominant forces of the men’s tennis at the moment.”

Djokovic is starting a third season in pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam singles title, and has refined his approach for the Australian Open.

He withdrew from his only scheduled tuneup tournament, knowing he is lacking “a little bit of juice in my legs” to compete with two young stars at the end of the majors and that he has to stay as pain-free as possible.

Djokovic worked out how to beat Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the established rivals, before he turned it into the Big Three and then surpassed them both.

A winner of 24 major championships – a record for the Open era and tied with Margaret Court for the most in the history of tennis – the 38-year-old Djokovic is doing everything to keep himself “in the mix”.

Djokovic last won a major title at the 2023 US Open. Sinner and Alcaraz have split the eight since then. Sinner has won the last two Australian titles, and Alcaraz is in Australia, determined to add the title at Melbourne Park to complete a career Grand Slam.

Despite being hampered by injuries, Djokovic reached the semifinals at all four majors last year. A torn hamstring forced him to quit his Australian Open semifinal after ousting Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.

By reminding himself that “24 is also not a bad number,” Djokovic said he is taking the “now-or-never type of mentality” out of his every appearance at a major, because it is not allowing him to excel at his best.

“Sinner and Alcaraz are playing on a different level right now from everybody else. That’s a fact,” Djokovic said, “but that doesn’t mean that nobody else has a chance.

“So I like my chances always, in any tournament, particularly here.”

The 10-time Australian Open champion starts Monday in a night match on Rod Laver Arena against No 71-ranked Pedro Martinez of Spain. Seeded fourth, he is in the same half of the draw as top-ranked Alcaraz. That means they can only meet in the semifinals here.

Djokovic has not played an official tournament since November.

“Obviously took more time to rebuild my body, because I understand that in the last couple of years, that’s what changed the most for me – takes more time to rebuild, and it also takes more time to reset or recover,” he said. “I had a little setback that prevented me to compete at Adelaide tournament … but it’s been going on very well so far here.”

He said there’s “something here and there” every day in terms of aches and pains, “but generally I feel good and look forward to competing.”

Djokovic cut ties earlier this month with the Professional Tennis Players Association, a group he co-founded, saying “my values and approach are no longer aligned with the current direction of the organisation.”

Djokovic and Canadian player Vasek Pospisil launched the PTPA in 2020, aiming to offer representation for players who are independent contractors in a largely individual sport.

“It was a tough call for me to exit the PTPA, but I had to do that, because I felt like my name was … overused,” he said.

“I felt like people, whenever they think about PTPA, they think it’s my organisation, which is a wrong idea from the very beginning.”

He said he is still supporting the concept.

“I am still wishing them all the best, because I think that there is room and there is a need for a 100% players-only representation organisation existing in our ecosystem,” he added.

Novak Djokovic says he does not think the upcoming Australian Open is “now or never” for his hopes of winning a standalone all-time record 25th Grand Slam title.

Djokovic, 38, has been tied on 24 major victories with Australia’s Margaret Court since his last triumph at the 2023 US Open.

Unsurprisingly, the Serb has showed signs of decline in recent years, yet still managed to reach the semi-finals of all four Grand Slams last year.

Given he is a record 10-time men’s champion in Melbourne, and has had plenty of recovery time going into the first major of the season, the consensus is that the Australian Open represents his best chance of landing the elusive record-breaking title.

“There has been a lot of talk about the 25th, but I try to focus myself on what I have achieved, not what I’m possibly achieving,” Djokovic, who is seeded fourth at Melbourne Park, said.

“I hope it comes to that [winning 25], but 24 is also not a bad number. I have to appreciate that and remind myself of the amazing career I had.”

Djokovic has never made a secret of his desire to achieve even more history, but is now attempting to release some of the “unnecessary” pressure he places on himself to surpass Court.

He starts his latest bid against Spain’s Pedro Martinez in Monday’s night session on Rod Laver Arena.

“I don’t think it’s needed for me to really go far in terms of make-it-or-break-it or a now-or-never type of mentality,” said Djokovic, who is aiming to become the oldest Grand Slam men’s champion in the Open Era.

“Neither does that allow me to excel and perform my best.”

Director of Adelaide Writers’ Week steps down amid wave of speaker withdrawals and board resignations.

The director of a top writers’ festival in Australia has stepped down amid controversy over the cancellation of a scheduled appearance by a prominent Australian Palestinian activist and author.

Louise Adler, the director of Adelaide Writers’ Week, said in an op-ed published on Tuesday that Randa Abdel-Fattah had been disinvited by the festival’s board despite her “strongest opposition”.

Writing in The Guardian, Adler called Abdel-Fattah’s removal from the festival lineup a blow to free expression and a “harbinger of a less free nation”.

“Now religious leaders are to be policed, universities monitored, the public broadcaster scrutinised and the arts starved,” Adler wrote.

“Are you or have you ever been a critic of Israel? Joe McCarthy would be cheering on the inheritors of his tactics,” she added, citing a figure in Cold War history commonly associated with censorship.

Adler’s resignation is the latest blow to the beleaguered event, which has experienced a wave of speaker withdrawals and board resignations in protest of Abdel-Fattah’s cancellation.

The festival’s board announced last week that it had decided to disinvite Abdel-Fattah, a well-known Palestinian advocate and vocal critic of Israel, after determining that her appearance would not be “culturally sensitive” in the wake of a mass shooting at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach.

Fifteen people were killed in the December 14 attack, which targeted a beachside Hanukkah celebration. Authorities have said the two gunmen were inspired by ISIL (ISIS).

Abdel-Fattah has called her removal “a blatant and shameless act of anti-Palestinian racism” and a “despicable attempt to associate me with the Bondi massacre”.

On Monday, New Zealand’s former prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, announced that she would not go ahead with her scheduled appearance at the festival, adding her name to a boycott that has swelled to some 180 writers, including former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis and award-winning novelist Zadie Smith.

But Peter Malinauskas, the premier of the state of South Australia, as well as several federal politicians and a number of Jewish groups have backed the revocation of Abdel-Fattah’s invitation.

Abdel-Fattah’s critics have pointed to statements critical of Israel to argue that her views are beyond the pale.

She has, for instance, said that her “goal is decolonisation and the end of this murderous Zionist colony”, and that Zionists “have no claim or right to cultural safety”.

In her op-ed on Tuesday, Adler said pro-Israel lobbyists are using “increasingly extreme and repressive” tactics, resulting in a chilling effect on speech in Australia.

“The new mantra ‘Bondi changed everything’ has offered this lobby, its stenographers in the media and a spineless political class yet another coercive weapon,” she wrote.

“Hence, in 2026, the board, in an atmosphere of intense political pressure, has issued an edict that an author is to be cancelled.”

Separately on Tuesday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the country would hold a national day of mourning on January 22 to honour the victims of the Bondi Beach attack.

Albanese said the day would be a “gathering of unity and remembrance”, with flags to be flown at half-mast on all Commonwealth buildings.

Former world number one overcomes Brandon Nakashima in straight sets to stake his claim as an Australian Open contender.

Three-time Australian Open runner-up Daniil Medvedev has warmed up for an assault on this year’s opening Grand Slam in perfect fashion by winning the Brisbane International final.

The Russian world number 13 was too strong for American Brandon Nakashima on Sunday and ran out a 6-2, 7-6 (7/1) winner in 96 minutes at Pat Rafter Arena for his 22nd ATP Tour title.

Medvedev broke a shell-shocked Nakashima twice in the first set and looked on course for a quick victory.

Nakashima rallied in the second to force a tiebreak, but the towering Russian raced to a 5-0 lead in the breaker, and the match was as good as over.

“I started pretty strong, but then Brandon found his way back, saved some match points, then almost got it to a third set,” Medvedev said.

The Australian Open begins in Melbourne on January 18.

“It’s been a great start to the year,” said Medvedev, who made the final in Brisbane in 2019.

“I said then that I would try and come back and win it. I came back seven or eight years later, and I’m happy to hold the trophy.”

World no 1 becomes back-to-back champion at the Brisbane International with a straight sets victory over Marta Kostyuk.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka brushed aside Marta Kostyuk 6-4 6-3 in the Brisbane International final on Sunday to retain the title without losing a set ahead of her bid to reclaim the Australian Open title this month.

Kostyuk had beaten top 10 players Jessica Pegula, Mirra Andreeva and Amanda Anisimova on her way to the final but was no match for the sheer power of the US Open champion.

Sabalenka is determined to win back the Australian Open title she relinquished last year and her performance in the fierce Brisbane heat, suggests she will be hard to beat at Melbourne Park this month.

“Thank you to my team for handling me. I’m really the toughest one to handle, and you guys are the toughest people in the world if you can handle me,” she told the crowd before directing a comment at partner Georgios Frangulis in the stands.

“Thank you to my boyfriend. Hopefully, soon I’ll call you something else, right? Let’s just put a bit of extra pressure on, right?”

Sabalenka overpowers Kostyuk

Sabalenka raced off to a 3-0 lead in the opening set before coming a bit unstuck as her first serve deserted her and her 23-year-old opponent feasted on her second.

There were the familiar hangdog expressions as Sabalenka raised her eyes to the skies in reaction to spraying a shot high and wide, but it did not last for long.

Rallying at 3-3, Sabalenka reduced the number of wild swings and heaped the pressure on her 26th-ranked opponent with the sheer power and accuracy of her strokes.

She quickly wrapped up the opening set and was soon 3-0 up in the second after again taking Ukrainian Kostyuk’s first service game.

There was no way back for Kostyuk this time and she faced a real battle just to hold her serve three times before Sabalenka served out to secure her 22nd WTA title, sealing the deal when her opponent netted a return on her first championship point.

Kostyuk said her thoughts were with the people back home in her war-torn country.

“I play every day with a pain in my heart and there are thousands of people who are without light and warm water,” she said.

“Right now it’s minus 20 degrees outside, so it’s very, very painful to live this reality every day. It’s very hot here in Brisbane, so it’s difficult to imagine this, but my sister is sleeping under three blankets because of how cold it is at home.”

Sabalenka will be gunning for a third Australian Open and fifth major title at the year’s first Grand Slam, which starts on January 18.

United States tennis legend Venus Williams returns to the Australian Open for the first time since 2021.

Seven-time major singles champion Venus Williams has been handed a wildcard to the Australian Open aged 45, becoming the oldest woman to play at the season-opening tennis Grand Slam.

The American, who has played only a limited number of singles matches in recent years, will compete in the main draw at Melbourne Park for the first time since 2021.

“I’m excited to be back in Australia and looking forward to competing during the Australian summer,” Williams said on Friday.

“I’ve had so many incredible memories there and I’m grateful for the opportunity to return to a place that has meant so much to my career.”

Williams is a five-time Wimbledon champion and also won two US Opens.

She was an Australian Open singles finalist in 2003 and 2017.

She will become the oldest woman to play at the Australian Open since Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she lost in the first round in 2015.

Williams, a four-time Australian Open doubles champion, is set to begin her preparations for the January 18-February 1 tournament at the Auckland Classic next week, having returned to the circuit at the US Open last year after a 16-month break.

She will then head to the Hobart International immediately before Melbourne.

Two-time Grand Slam champion and fellow American Coco Gauff said it was “incredible” to see Williams still turning up for tournaments.

“She’s a legend of the sport, so it will be cool to see her back in action,” she said.

“It’s incredible the longevity of her career. She’s one of the people I looked up to, so looking forward to seeing her back on court.”

Venus Williams is set to become the oldest female player to compete in the Australian Open main draw at the age of 45.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion has received the final women’s wildcard for the tournament, which begins on 18 January.

Williams last appeared at Melbourne Park in 2021 when she was beaten by Italy’s Sara Errani in the second round.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to return to a place that has meant so much to my career,” she said.

The American, twice a runner-up in the first Grand Slam event of the year, will surpass the record of Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she played at the event in 2015.