The Australian Open
Australian Open 2026 Women’s Day 9
Jessica Pegula dismantled the game of Madison Keys to knock the defending champion out in the fourth round of the Australian Open on Monday.
The 6-3, 6-4 win on the Australia Day holiday sent the sixth seed into the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park while leaving Keys wondering what happened to the game which produced a Grand Slam title a year ago.
“I’m still really proud of myself. I think coming back, being defending champion, dealing with all of the kind of extra pressure and nerves, I’m just really proud of myself for how I handled it,” Keys said.
“It was just one of those days where I feel like Jess beat me, and I can walk away with my head held high.
“I have 11 months of the year left, and there is still lots to be proud of, and I’m still going to go out and work on new things and try to implement them in the next tournament.”
Pegula maintained momentum after winning the opening set and breaking to start the second.
The daughter of a billionaire NFL club-owning New York family moved into winning position with a 5-3 lead and advanced into her fourth quarter-final here on the first of two match points when keys hit the net with a return.
“I was seeing the ball well and hitting pretty good during this tournament,” the winner said. “I just focused on doing what I needed to do.
Pegula went up a double break in the second set, but lost her own serve in the sixth game to still lead 4-2, a margin she held all the way to victory 79 minutes.
“I couldn’t see into the sun on that break, so I can’t get too upset about it,” Pegula said after defeating her partner in their regular tennis podcast.
“I’m happy with the way I was able to serve on some really big key points, execute my strategy.” Pegula said.
“I’ve been seeing, hitting, moving very well this whole tournament, and to be able to keep that up against such a great player as Maddie was going to be a lot tougher of a task today, but I think I was still able to do that really well.”
Pegula has now won 13 of her last 14 meetings against her fellow American players – only losing to Coco Gauff in the 2025 Wuhan final last autumn.
Pagula will bid for a first semi-final here when she plays American compatriot Amanda Anisimova, who defeated Wang Xinyu 7-6 (4), 6-4.
“The fact that I’ve been in the round of 16 three times, and making that step further is pretty special,” Anisimova, runner-up at the last two Grand Slams, said. “I love playing in Australia.
“Just being here an extra day, an extra match, is exciting. I’ve been honestly enjoying every second out there. I feel I’m handling the pressure and
expectation.”
Former finalist Elena Rybakina crushed Elise Mertens 6-1, 6-3 to reach her first Slam quarter-final since Wimbledon two years ago.
The Kazakh fired 10 aces, with her 32 winners more than doubled that of her Belgian opponent.
She will be playing her seventh quarter-final at a major after winning 18 or her last 19 matches dating to last October.
Rybakina will clash in a battle of Grand Slam winners against Iga Swiatek after the winner of six major ended Aussie hopes with an efficient 6-0, 6-3 defeat of local qualifier Madison Inglis.
The Australian Open
Fashion-forward Osaka will tone it down at RG
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.”
ATP
Kyrgios due to resurface on German grass
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.
ATP
Djoko dropping hints that career has short shelf life
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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