“I learned a lot from that,” Sinner said after the match, speaking about his loss to Djokovic at Wimbledon last year. “It gives you a better feeling when you know that you can beat one player. The confidence from the end of last year has for sure kept the belief.”

Sinner will meet third seed Daniil Medvedev in Sunday’s final. Appearing to be on the verge of elimination after going two sets down, Medvedev held on during his semifinal clash with Alexander Zverev to win 5-7, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-3 after four hours and 18 minutes. In the women’s singles draw, second seed Aryna Sabalenka will face 12th-seeded QinwenZheng in Saturday’s final.

The post Sinner Defeats Djokovic to Set Up Australian Open Final With Medvedev appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“This day I’ll remember for the rest of my life, on this court with this crowd, it’s the best of my life so far,” Blinkova exclaimed following her victory. Thank you to the crowd for encouraging me. It gave me so much energy to fight until the end.”

With both players winning a set 6-4, a third decisive set was required to determine a winner. While both players broke each other’s service games on three occasions, neither could gain the upper hand, leading to a tiebreaker. While Blinkova had the lead early on, she was unable to convert nine match points, while also saving six match points against her. Ultimately, she came away with the victory at 22-20.

The post Anna Blinkova Upsets Elena Rybakina After Longest Tiebreaker in Australian Open History appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“I had time from the last match against De Minaur in the United Cup to my first match here to recover,” Djokovic declared. “I’ve been training well. Practice sessions are pain-free so far. It’s all looking good. Let’s see how it goes.”

Djokovic won last year’s Australian Open while harboring a hamstring injury, while also emerging triumphant in the 2021 edition of the tournament despite an abdominal injury. He did not compete in the 2022 Australian Open due to being deported from the country after refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

The post Djokovic Dismissed Wrist Concerns Ahead of Australian Open appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

It was announced on Thursday that Nadal could miss up to eight weeks of action after an MRI scan revealed the extent of his injury. This means that the reigning Australian Open champion could likely miss the ATP 500 events in Dubai and Acapulco, however, he may be fit in time to participate at Indian Wells and Miami in early March.

Nadal was injured during the second set of his match against McDonald as he overstretched himself while attempting to reach for a ball. Although Nadal decided to continue the game after seeking treatment after the second set, he went down in the third, losing the match 6-4 6-4 7-5.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to accept,” Nadal said following his latest in a series of similar injuries. “Sometimes you feel super tired about all this stuff in terms of injuries.”

The Spaniard suffered a similar injury back in the 2018 Australian Open when he lost his quarterfinal match with Marin Cilic.

The post Nadal Could Miss Up to Eight Weeks With Hip Injury appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to the statement, Williams decided to skip the tournament following the advice of her medical team.

“Melbourne is one of my favorite cities to visit, and I look forward to playing at the AO every year,” Williams added. “I will miss seeing the fans, but I am excited to return and compete at my highest level.”

Serena Williams hasn’t played competitive tennis since 2021 Wimbledon. Playing against Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the first round, Williams suffered a hamstring injury and was forced to withdraw from the tournament.

Williams won the Australian Open seven times, most recently in 2017. This was also the last Grand Slam title for the 40-year-old. She currently has 23 Grand Slams, one short of Margaret Court’s career record of 24 major trophies.

This year’s Australian Open is set to take place between January 17th and January 30th. Naomi Osaka will defend its title in women’s singles while Novak Djokovic returns as the reigning champion in men’s singles.

The post Serena Williams Announces She Won’t Play at 2022 Australian Open appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

In the women’s singles finals on Saturday, Osaka faced this year’s sensation Jennifer Brady and emerged victorious in straight sets.

The first set saw a balanced competition, with Osaka and Brady being tied 4-4 at one point. Osaka then served for the 5-4 lead before breaking Brady and claiming the first set.

The second set, however, was less dramatic. Brady looked disheartened after giving away the first set, which Osaka took advantage of. Osaka sprinted towards the 4-0 lead and needed only four more games to get her fourth Grand Slam title.

Djokovic, on the other hand, had a surprisingly easy job against Daniil Medvedev, beating the high-flying Russian in straight sets.

Djokovic took the 3-0 lead in the first set, but Medvedev somehow managed to bounce back from the initial shock and level him up. Still, Djokovic didn’t allow him to complete the comeback, getting the crucial break to win 7-5.

The two remaining sets were a smooth sail for Djokovic, as Medvedev made errors often and plenty. He was only able to collect four games for the remainder of the match and will have to look for his first Grand Slam win elsewhere.

The post Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka win the 2021 Australian Open appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Osaka got the win easier than expected, dismantling Williams in straight sets, 6-3 and 6-4. The No. 3-seeded Japanese athlete once again showed her dominance on the hard court, frustrating Williams for the better part of the match and causing her to make 24 unforced errors.

“I don’t know if there’s any little kids out here today, but I was a little kid watching her play. And just to be on the court playing against her, for me, is a dream,” said Osaka after her win.

The loss against Osaka extended Williams’ drought on the majors. She hasn’t won a Grand Slam title since 2017’s Australian Open despite making four finals.

Osaka, on the other hand, is aiming for her fourth Grand Slam after previously winning the US Open in 2018 and 2020, and the Australian Open in 2019. In order to get there, she will have to go through this year’s sensation Jennifer Brady.

Brady punched her ticked for the 2021 Australian Open finals with a 6-4, 3-6, and 6-4 win over Karolina Muchova. This will be the first Grand Slam finals appearance for the 25-year-old American, whose previous best score was the semis at the 2020 US Open.

The post Naomi Osaka and Jennifer Brady Secure 2021 Australian Open Finals Spots appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Nadal opened the quarterfinals match against Tsitsipas by winning the two first sets in a comfortable fashion (3-6, 2-6). Neither player managed to break in the third set, setting up a tiebreak in which the 34-year-old Spaniard took an early 2-1 lead.

However, several unforced errors allowed Tsitsipas to make a comeback and win the tiebreak 7-4. He then won the fourth set as well, setting up a thrilling finale.

In the fifth set, Nadal had a 5-4 lead at one point before Tsitsipas won two straight games and got an opportunity to serve for the win. The 22-year-old Greek kept his composure despite starting 0-30 and managed to secure his second Australian Open semifinals.

“I’m speechless,” said Tsitsipas after the match. “I have no words to describe what just happened. It’s an unbelievable feeling to be able to fight at such a level and just be able to give it my all on the court.”

Stefanos Tsitsipas is now set to face Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open semifinals in an attempt to get to his first career Grand Slam finals. On the other side of the bracket, Novak Djokovic will play against AslanKaratsev.

Rafael Nadal, on the other hand, missed an opportunity to stay in the hunt for his 21st Grand Slam title, which would be the most Majors titles in history for a male tennis player.

The post Rafael Nadal Loses to Stefanos Tsitsipas at Australian Open Despite 2-Sets Lead appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Unseeded Kanepi was in control for most of the match, delivering powerful shots and hard-hitting serves. This resulted in a dominant 6-3, 6-2 win as Kenin couldn’t find an answer to her opponent’s game.

“I served really well today. I think this helped a lot,” said Kanepi after the match. “My game plan was to play aggressively, as I normally do.”

Kenin, on the other hand, said that the pressure and expectations played a part in her poor outing.

“I couldn’t find my rhythm,” said Kenin. “I was obviously way too nervous.”

Sofia Kenin was coming off a great campaign in 2020 when she posted career-best scores on Grand Slam tournaments. She first won the 2020 Australian Open with an upset win over Garbine Muguruza and then reached the fourth round of the US Open. Kenin concluded the year with a finals appearance at the French Open.

Kaia Kanepi, on the other hand, has never made it past the third round at the Australian Open. She has multiple quarterfinals appearances on all three remaining Grand Slams.

Kanepi will look for her career-best result at the Australian Open against No. 28-seeded Croatian Donna Vekic in the third round on Saturday. Vekic played Nadia Podoroska in the second round and had an easy 6-2, 6-2 win.

The post Defending Champ Sofia Kenin Eliminated From 2021 Australian Open appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Federer hasn’t played tennis since last year’s Australian Open, being forced to undergo a knee surgery in February that ruled him out for the remainder of the season. The 39-year-old star initially planned to make a full recovery in time for 2021, but several setbacks prolonged his rehab.

“Roger has decided not to play the 2021 Australian Open,” said Godsick in a statement released to media. “He has made strong progress in the last couple of months with his knee and his fitness. However, after consultation with his team, he decided that the best decision for him in the long run is to return to competitive tennis after the Australian Open.”

According to Godsick, Federer is now eyeing a return in late February, and the two are working on a tournament schedule for the upcoming year.

Roger Federer won six Australian Open titles, with the last one coming in 2018. He also has one finals loss to Rafael Nadal in 2009 and eight semi-finals appearances.

This year’s edition of the tournament was postponed three weeks due to a coronavirus pandemic. The opening matches are now set for February 8th, while the finals should take place on February 20th for the women’s singles and February 21st for the men’s singles.

The post Roger Federer Won’t Play at 2021 Australian Open appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“I learned a lot from that,” Sinner said after the match, speaking about his loss to Djokovic at Wimbledon last year. “It gives you a better feeling when you know that you can beat one player. The confidence from the end of last year has for sure kept the belief.”

Sinner will meet third seed Daniil Medvedev in Sunday’s final. Appearing to be on the verge of elimination after going two sets down, Medvedev held on during his semifinal clash with Alexander Zverev to win 5-7, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-3 after four hours and 18 minutes. In the women’s singles draw, second seed Aryna Sabalenka will face 12th-seeded QinwenZheng in Saturday’s final.

The post Sinner Defeats Djokovic to Set Up Australian Open Final With Medvedev appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“This day I’ll remember for the rest of my life, on this court with this crowd, it’s the best of my life so far,” Blinkova exclaimed following her victory. Thank you to the crowd for encouraging me. It gave me so much energy to fight until the end.”

With both players winning a set 6-4, a third decisive set was required to determine a winner. While both players broke each other’s service games on three occasions, neither could gain the upper hand, leading to a tiebreaker. While Blinkova had the lead early on, she was unable to convert nine match points, while also saving six match points against her. Ultimately, she came away with the victory at 22-20.

The post Anna Blinkova Upsets Elena Rybakina After Longest Tiebreaker in Australian Open History appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“I had time from the last match against De Minaur in the United Cup to my first match here to recover,” Djokovic declared. “I’ve been training well. Practice sessions are pain-free so far. It’s all looking good. Let’s see how it goes.”

Djokovic won last year’s Australian Open while harboring a hamstring injury, while also emerging triumphant in the 2021 edition of the tournament despite an abdominal injury. He did not compete in the 2022 Australian Open due to being deported from the country after refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

The post Djokovic Dismissed Wrist Concerns Ahead of Australian Open appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

It was announced on Thursday that Nadal could miss up to eight weeks of action after an MRI scan revealed the extent of his injury. This means that the reigning Australian Open champion could likely miss the ATP 500 events in Dubai and Acapulco, however, he may be fit in time to participate at Indian Wells and Miami in early March.

Nadal was injured during the second set of his match against McDonald as he overstretched himself while attempting to reach for a ball. Although Nadal decided to continue the game after seeking treatment after the second set, he went down in the third, losing the match 6-4 6-4 7-5.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to accept,” Nadal said following his latest in a series of similar injuries. “Sometimes you feel super tired about all this stuff in terms of injuries.”

The Spaniard suffered a similar injury back in the 2018 Australian Open when he lost his quarterfinal match with Marin Cilic.

The post Nadal Could Miss Up to Eight Weeks With Hip Injury appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to the statement, Williams decided to skip the tournament following the advice of her medical team.

“Melbourne is one of my favorite cities to visit, and I look forward to playing at the AO every year,” Williams added. “I will miss seeing the fans, but I am excited to return and compete at my highest level.”

Serena Williams hasn’t played competitive tennis since 2021 Wimbledon. Playing against Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the first round, Williams suffered a hamstring injury and was forced to withdraw from the tournament.

Williams won the Australian Open seven times, most recently in 2017. This was also the last Grand Slam title for the 40-year-old. She currently has 23 Grand Slams, one short of Margaret Court’s career record of 24 major trophies.

This year’s Australian Open is set to take place between January 17th and January 30th. Naomi Osaka will defend its title in women’s singles while Novak Djokovic returns as the reigning champion in men’s singles.

The post Serena Williams Announces She Won’t Play at 2022 Australian Open appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

In the women’s singles finals on Saturday, Osaka faced this year’s sensation Jennifer Brady and emerged victorious in straight sets.

The first set saw a balanced competition, with Osaka and Brady being tied 4-4 at one point. Osaka then served for the 5-4 lead before breaking Brady and claiming the first set.

The second set, however, was less dramatic. Brady looked disheartened after giving away the first set, which Osaka took advantage of. Osaka sprinted towards the 4-0 lead and needed only four more games to get her fourth Grand Slam title.

Djokovic, on the other hand, had a surprisingly easy job against Daniil Medvedev, beating the high-flying Russian in straight sets.

Djokovic took the 3-0 lead in the first set, but Medvedev somehow managed to bounce back from the initial shock and level him up. Still, Djokovic didn’t allow him to complete the comeback, getting the crucial break to win 7-5.

The two remaining sets were a smooth sail for Djokovic, as Medvedev made errors often and plenty. He was only able to collect four games for the remainder of the match and will have to look for his first Grand Slam win elsewhere.

The post Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka win the 2021 Australian Open appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Osaka got the win easier than expected, dismantling Williams in straight sets, 6-3 and 6-4. The No. 3-seeded Japanese athlete once again showed her dominance on the hard court, frustrating Williams for the better part of the match and causing her to make 24 unforced errors.

“I don’t know if there’s any little kids out here today, but I was a little kid watching her play. And just to be on the court playing against her, for me, is a dream,” said Osaka after her win.

The loss against Osaka extended Williams’ drought on the majors. She hasn’t won a Grand Slam title since 2017’s Australian Open despite making four finals.

Osaka, on the other hand, is aiming for her fourth Grand Slam after previously winning the US Open in 2018 and 2020, and the Australian Open in 2019. In order to get there, she will have to go through this year’s sensation Jennifer Brady.

Brady punched her ticked for the 2021 Australian Open finals with a 6-4, 3-6, and 6-4 win over Karolina Muchova. This will be the first Grand Slam finals appearance for the 25-year-old American, whose previous best score was the semis at the 2020 US Open.

The post Naomi Osaka and Jennifer Brady Secure 2021 Australian Open Finals Spots appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Nadal opened the quarterfinals match against Tsitsipas by winning the two first sets in a comfortable fashion (3-6, 2-6). Neither player managed to break in the third set, setting up a tiebreak in which the 34-year-old Spaniard took an early 2-1 lead.

However, several unforced errors allowed Tsitsipas to make a comeback and win the tiebreak 7-4. He then won the fourth set as well, setting up a thrilling finale.

In the fifth set, Nadal had a 5-4 lead at one point before Tsitsipas won two straight games and got an opportunity to serve for the win. The 22-year-old Greek kept his composure despite starting 0-30 and managed to secure his second Australian Open semifinals.

“I’m speechless,” said Tsitsipas after the match. “I have no words to describe what just happened. It’s an unbelievable feeling to be able to fight at such a level and just be able to give it my all on the court.”

Stefanos Tsitsipas is now set to face Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open semifinals in an attempt to get to his first career Grand Slam finals. On the other side of the bracket, Novak Djokovic will play against AslanKaratsev.

Rafael Nadal, on the other hand, missed an opportunity to stay in the hunt for his 21st Grand Slam title, which would be the most Majors titles in history for a male tennis player.

The post Rafael Nadal Loses to Stefanos Tsitsipas at Australian Open Despite 2-Sets Lead appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Unseeded Kanepi was in control for most of the match, delivering powerful shots and hard-hitting serves. This resulted in a dominant 6-3, 6-2 win as Kenin couldn’t find an answer to her opponent’s game.

“I served really well today. I think this helped a lot,” said Kanepi after the match. “My game plan was to play aggressively, as I normally do.”

Kenin, on the other hand, said that the pressure and expectations played a part in her poor outing.

“I couldn’t find my rhythm,” said Kenin. “I was obviously way too nervous.”

Sofia Kenin was coming off a great campaign in 2020 when she posted career-best scores on Grand Slam tournaments. She first won the 2020 Australian Open with an upset win over Garbine Muguruza and then reached the fourth round of the US Open. Kenin concluded the year with a finals appearance at the French Open.

Kaia Kanepi, on the other hand, has never made it past the third round at the Australian Open. She has multiple quarterfinals appearances on all three remaining Grand Slams.

Kanepi will look for her career-best result at the Australian Open against No. 28-seeded Croatian Donna Vekic in the third round on Saturday. Vekic played Nadia Podoroska in the second round and had an easy 6-2, 6-2 win.

The post Defending Champ Sofia Kenin Eliminated From 2021 Australian Open appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Federer hasn’t played tennis since last year’s Australian Open, being forced to undergo a knee surgery in February that ruled him out for the remainder of the season. The 39-year-old star initially planned to make a full recovery in time for 2021, but several setbacks prolonged his rehab.

“Roger has decided not to play the 2021 Australian Open,” said Godsick in a statement released to media. “He has made strong progress in the last couple of months with his knee and his fitness. However, after consultation with his team, he decided that the best decision for him in the long run is to return to competitive tennis after the Australian Open.”

According to Godsick, Federer is now eyeing a return in late February, and the two are working on a tournament schedule for the upcoming year.

Roger Federer won six Australian Open titles, with the last one coming in 2018. He also has one finals loss to Rafael Nadal in 2009 and eight semi-finals appearances.

This year’s edition of the tournament was postponed three weeks due to a coronavirus pandemic. The opening matches are now set for February 8th, while the finals should take place on February 20th for the women’s singles and February 21st for the men’s singles.

The post Roger Federer Won’t Play at 2021 Australian Open appeared first on yoursportspot.com.