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The Australian Open

AO Women: Day 3 round-up

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Iga Swiatek extended her 16-match win streak by one more as she took victory on Tuesday in a match-up of Grand Slam winners, defeating Sofia Kenin 7-6 (2), 6-2 at the Australian Open.

The match between the reigning world No. 1 and the 2020 trophyholder in Melbourne began with a fist set lasting for more than an hour as Swiatek found her way in front of a heavily Polish-friendly crowd.

It was a replay of the 2020 Roland Garros final won by Swiatek.

The tournament top seed lifted in the second set to run out the winner on a second match point.

“It wasn’t the easiest first round,”the winner said. “She played really well. I tried to find my rhythm, especially in the first set.

“I’m happy at the end of the set I could win the most important points.

“I’m happy to be through and I could play a little bit better in the second set.

“It was the first match (of the Grand Slam season). “I felt a bit off and she did her best to keep it that way.”

Kenin won the Melbourne title in 2020 but then fell victim to a run of injuries which have left the former No. 4 standing 41st.

Swiatek will face American Danielle Collins in the second round after the 2022 finalist here beat 2016 Melbourne winner Angelique Kerber.

The German who gave birth last year and made her return to tennis at the start of this season, lost 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 in the high-profile meeting between two unseeded competitors.

Kerber, with three Grand Slam trophies, was playing the event for a 16th time

“There are no easy draws when you’re coming back, especially after so long,” he said after 18 months away.

“Of course, for me, it was a tough draw and I was trying to play as good as I can today.

“But for sure it was not really the best tennis I could play; it’s the first real tournament for me, and I tried my best.

“I just tried to keep going, trying to have a lot of matches afterwards and trying to play good tennis later on this year.”

Russia’s Daria Kasatkina beat American Peyton Stearnes in hero first match of the tournament. Photo: REUTERS/Kelly Defina

Adelaide runner-up Daria Kasatkina, seeded 14th began her Grand Slam with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 victory over American Peyton Stearnes.

The player who has gone out four times here in the opening round has a Melbourne career best of a third-round place two years ago.

Unseeded former US Open winner Sloane Stephens broke the back of a losing streak after making first-round exits in her last four appearances at Melbourne Park.

The American brought new hope to her game with a 6-3, 6-1 win at the expense of Aussie wild card Olivia Gadecki in less than an hour.

Two-time Melbourne winner Victoria Azarenka held off Italy’s Camila Giorgi 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 while weekend Adelaide champion Jelena Ostapenko advanced past Aussie Kimberly Birrell 7-6 (5), 6-1.

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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