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The Australian Open

AO Women: Day 1 Review

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American seeds got away to flying starts, with No. 7 Coco Gauff making quick work of Czech Katerina Siniakova as the teenager who won the Auckland title swept the opening set in 22 minutes but slowed her pace to run out the second with a stop volley winner at the net.

The winner was pleased to pass the opening test with minimal resistance.

“The first round is probably always one of the toughest of the tournament, I’m just glad to get out of it,” Gauff said.

“Last year I had a disappointing result (first-round loss); I’m glad to overcome that.

“I served really well, did a good job holding serve when I needed to, on breakpoints converted. I felt I was winning a lot at the net.”

Gauff will next line up against fellow teen Emma Raducanu after the 2021 US Open winner defeated German Tamara Korpatsch 6-3 6-2.

The British winner had to retire in tears in Auckland after rolling her ankle but appeared to have no problems in her opening victory.

“I’m obviously really happy to be through to the second round. It was always going to be difficult, coming in with so little prep,” Raducanu said.

“Everything I’ve done has been quite controlled the last week.

“To test it out in a real match and with the unpredictability… it felt good.”

Third seed Jessica Pegula, part of the championship US side at the United Cup, crushed Jbacqueline Cristian of Romania with the loss of just one game in the second set to earn the opening win of the Grand Slam fortnight.

“I was obviously an ideal situation,” Pegula said. “It always feels good to win a match like that.

“When those (easy) days come you just take it – don’t complain and don’t critique. You just move on to the next one.”

Last year’s finalist Danielle Collins, needed treatment and taping on a knee as the 13th seed joined her compatriots in advancing.

The winner of a pair of titles in 2021 defeated Anna Kalinskaya 7-5, 5-7, 6-4.

Maria Sakkari, seeded sixth, revelled in the support of the world’s largest foreign Greek community in her 6-1, 6-4 win over China’s Yue Yuan, coming from a break down in the second set to advance.

“It’s my home tournament because of the large Greek community,” she said.

“People here, [in] Australia, no matter what nationality, they are very friendly, very nice to everyone. I could live in this city. There is nothing I dislike about this country,”

2019 US Open winner Bianca Andreescu returned to Melbourne after missing the 2022 edition and reached the second round over seed Marie Bouzkova 6-2, 6-4.

The No. 42 has been injury-plagued over the past few seasons and has not been past the fourth round of a major since her big breakthrough four years ago.

Double Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, an Adelaide quarter-finalist this month, defeated Belgian Alison van Uytvanck 7-6(3), 6-2.

The Australian Open

Fashion-forward Osaka will tone it down at RG

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Tennis style icon Naomi Osaka has no plans to try for one-upmanship in the informal fashion stakes at Roland Garros.

The former world No. 1 from Japan has sometimes made more news with her style choices than her racquet, especially after taking time off several seasons ago to have a child.

But Osaka has run against the traditional tennis grain with some of her outfits, which included an exo-skeleton ensemble at January’s Australian Open, where she walked onto court for her opening match wearing a large hat, veil, and carrying a parasol combination and wearing a pair of pleated pants..

The clothing was discarded before the start revealing a tennis dress, with the quirky player explaining the get-up was inspired by “the jellyfish, then butterflies, which ties back to the butterfly moment I had here a long time ago, in 2021,” 

The world No. 16 also put on a fashion show at the spring Met Gala in New York, sporting a wedding dress-style garment combined with another huge hat..

For Osaka, it’s just another day in the office, but she said nothing special is planned when Roland Garros kicks of on Sunday in Paris.

“I don’t talk a lot, so that way I can talk through my clothes,” she said on Saturday prior to the start of the year’s second major.

“That means I can be as loud with colors or patterns or
fabric as I want.

“I think that’s the fun part.. I feel we lost that a little in tennis. I grew up with, you know, Serena’s and Venus’s (Williams) grand reveals (included beaded hair and catsuits on court).

“I know there are some kids or some people who are  similar to me that hopefully feel that same way about my outfits. 

“But, yeah, I am a little dramatic when it comes to my fashion sense.”

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ATP

Kyrgios due to resurface on German grass

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Nick Kyrgios is being touted for a return to tennis after playing just one singles match all season, with the controversial Australian due in the lineups for Stuttgart and Halle in June.

The 2022 Wimbledon finalist who turns 31 in a week, has been added to the entry lists for the pair of run-up events prior to the grass-court major which starts on June 29.

Kyrgios, who has missed months on end due to injury and motivational worries, has played just one Grand Slam match since 2022, losing in the Australian Open first round in 2025.

His lone outing this season was an ATP defeat in Brisbane on January 6.

Nevertheless, the acquired taste is feted as a crowd-puller and will have German organisers on alert as to his eventual availability.

“Nick Kyrgios has been one of the most ‌dazzling ⁠personalities in world tennis for years,” Halle tournament organisers said in a statement.

“The Australian is known for his exceptional playing style, characterised by one of the best serves on the tour, ⁠spectacular winners, and great creativity.

“At the same time, his emotional personality and charisma attract considerable attention far beyond the sport.”

Stuttgart start the day after the Roland Garros final while Halle follows a week later in northern Germany from June 13-21.

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ATP

Djoko dropping hints that career has short shelf life

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Novak Djokovic has been making it plain that the end of his career is approaching, with the 38-year-old dropping his strongest hint ever about his future on court.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion who has been keeping his ATP scheduling options open and has competed this season only at the Australian Open (finals loss to Carlos Alcaraz) and winning two rounds last month at Indian Wells.

“Tennis is still very important to me, but it’s no longer everything,” the Serb told Esquire Australia, adding that family matters and two children are starting to take precedence in his life.

“It’s one of the biggest challenges – finding the right balance between tennis and family life, especially as my children are growing and have school commitments, so they can’t travel with me as much as before.

“When I’m on the court, I’m motivated not just to win, but to set an example – to show them values like dedication, resilience, and love for what you do. That motivation is very powerful and very personal.”

Main photo:- Novak Djokovic was runner up to Carlos Alcaraz in AO26 – by ISF Ltd

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