Jessica Pegula, the 2024 U.S. Open runner-up, will lead a new 13-person panel to suggest changes to the women’s tennis calendar, rankings points rules and the requirements about competing in certain events, according to a letter sent Tuesday by WTA Tour chair Valerie Camillo to players and tournament officials.
For years, tennis players — women and men — have complained that the sport’s season is too long and the offseason is too short and lamented other factors that contribute to injuries and burnout. Camillo said the Tour Architecture Council will make recommendations to the WTA Board; she hopes a revised setup can be approved for 2027.
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Tennis star Coco Gauff recently shared her thoughts on the current state of the U.S.’s immigration reform.

Jessica Pegula, the 2024 U.S. Open runner-up, will lead a new 13-person panel to suggest changes to the women’s tennis calendar, rankings points rules and the requirements about competing in certain events, according to a letter sent Tuesday by WTA Tour chair Valerie Camillo to players and tournament officials.
For years, tennis players – women and men – have complained that the sport’s season is too long and the offseason is too short and lamented other factors that contribute to injuries and burnout. Camillo said the Tour Architecture Council will make recommendations to the WTA Board; she hopes a revised setup can be approved for 2027.

By WILL GRAVES
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Mikaela Shiffrin likes to invoke the adage from tennis great Billie Jean King that “pressure is a privilege.” Even if, at times, it doesn’t quite feel like it.
And it might not at the moment for the American skiing star as she prepares for her third and final race at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
Shiffrin heads into Wednesday’s slalom still looking for her first medal at Tofane and her first Olympic medal in a staggering eight years. A bafflingly slow performance in the slalom during women’s combined last week cost Shiffrin and teammate Breezy Johnson a spot on the podium.
The winningest ski racer in history felt faster and more confident during the giant slalom a few days later, with her 11th-place finish more a testament to what she described as the “greatest show” GS had put on in quite some time than her actual performance. Shiffrin was just three-tenths of a second off the podium, a razor-thin margin in an event where the time gap between the winners and the rest of the field is usually far greater.
Shiffrin’s meticulous preparation for her signature discipline — she’s already wrapped up a record ninth World Cup series title in slalom with two races remaining — included reacclimating herself to the singular rhythm of an event where tempo is everything.
You’d think after a 71 slalom wins — including seven this year alone — that would be no big deal. At this point in the 30-year-old’s career, it’s not.
“No matter how many runs of slalom I do it never gets easier,” said Shiffrin, who collected her first Olympic gold in the event as a teenager in Sochi a dozen years ago. “It only gets like you become more aware of how challenging it is.”
And that’s just the physical part. The mental side is another matter entirely.
Shiffrin carries the burden of expectations that are part of the deal — fairly or unfairly — when you cut and paste your name all over your sport’s record book. She has been characteristically transparent while discussing wrangling with those expectations, even though in many ways they’re well outside of her control.
She arrived in the Dolomite Mountains confident those forgettable days in Beijing four years ago when she failed to medal in any of the six events she entered were behind her. The uncharacteristically slow run in the women’s combined left her mystified and subdued. The aggressiveness she displayed in the GS left her upbeat and optimistic.
Still, when she stands in the starter’s house during the final women’s alpine race of these Olympics, the standard set for her will be different from everyone else, including reigning gold medalist Petra Vlhova of Slovakia.
“I can imagine what she’s feeling right now,” Vlhova said. “But … she’s strong and I believe she can make it. But it takes a lot of energy, but I believe that she can do it.”
Vhlova has taken her own winding path back to this moment. She shredded multiple ligaments in her right knee in January 2024 and didn’t return to competition until the women’s combined on Feb. 10. She didn’t finish her run, but it also in a way didn’t matter as she hits what she described as the “restart” button.
During Vhlova’s absence, Shiffrin has cemented her legacy. Her career World Cup wins in all disciplines currently stands at 108 and counting, including eight in her last nine slalom starts dating to the end of last season.
She is, by every measure, the best skier in the field. Yet the course is a little flatter and perhaps a little easier than what they usually encounter. There’s a very real chance things could be just as tight on Wednesday as they were during the GS. Maybe even closer.
It means Shiffrin’s margin for error during her two runs might be smaller than usual, and she knows it. Her run in the women’s combined, when she was 15th, her worst ranking in a slalom race she’s started and finished since 2012, caught her off guard.
A dedicated student of her craft, Shiffrin believes her skis got misaligned a few times. The flat light on a gray afternoon played a factor too. So did a mentality that she admitted didn’t match the moment, something she’ll try to address as she aims to end her fourth trip to the Olympics on an up note.
“I’m kind of going into it with my eyes open that we can see a very similar situation and I will try to handle it differently in my head,” she said.
Such is the challenge that is unique to this once-every-four-years spectacle. There is little debate that Shiffrin is the Greatest of All Time. Her struggles under this specific spotlight, however, have put her in a strange and perhaps unenviable spot.
She has tried to handle it with grace. U.S. Skiing and Snowboarding president Sophie Goldschmidt called Shiffrin “the ultimate role model” and even as she grappled with how a spot on the podium in the combined got away, she made it a point to give longtime teammates Jackie Wiles and Paula Moltzan their flowers after earning their first Olympic medals.
Whatever happens, those that know Shiffrin know she will leave it all out there. If she does that, she can make peace with the result, whatever it may be.
“She has a lot of experience,” Vhlova said. “She knows how to deal with it and as I said, I believe that she can make it.”
AP Sports Writer Andrew Dampf contributed to this story.

Jessica Pegula, the 2024 U.S. Open runner-up, will lead a new 13-person panel to suggest changes to the women’s tennis calendar, rankings points rules and the requirements about competing in certain events, according to a letter sent Tuesday by WTA Tour chair Valerie Camillo to players and tournament officials.
For years, tennis players — women and men — have complained that the sport’s season is too long and the offseason is too short and lamented other factors that contribute to injuries and burnout. Camillo said the Tour Architecture Council will make recommendations to the WTA Board; she hopes a revised setup can be approved for 2027.
“There has been a clear sentiment across the Tour that the current calendar does not feel sustainable for players given the physical, professional, and personal pressures of competing at the highest level,” Camillo, who became chair in November, wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press.
Camillo’s letter said the council “will focus first on areas where the WTA has direct authority to drive change, while also identifying longer-term opportunities that will require broader coordination across the sport” — by working, eventually, with the ATP men’s tour and the four Grand Slam tournaments, she explained in a telephone interview.
“We are very open to looking broadly at a host of potential solutions to this. … The idea is: We go in there with a very open mind and open dialogue,” Camillo told the AP. “We’re not going to solve the entire world (immediately). … The reason we don’t want to wait for, ‘Hey, let’s do this as a collective system,’ (is) we want to be timely, we want to be focused on making an immediate impact.”
The No. 5-ranked Pegula, a 31-year-old American who will chair the council, “has a unique perspective as a top player (and is) widely respected for her thoughtful, collaborative approach,” Camillo said.
“It’s one of the toughest sports,” Pegula said last year, “just when you combine, not just the physicality of it, but the schedule, the loneliness, the mental side, how tough it is to go out there and compete, week-in and week-out, by yourself.”
No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 Iga Swiatek were among more than a half-dozen withdrawals from this week’s WTA event in Dubai. During a pre-Australian Open tournament in January, Sabalenka said she planned to skip some tour stops “to protect my body.”
“The season,” she said then, “is definitely insane.”
In addition to Pegula, active players on the council are Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, a two-time Australian Open champion and former No. 1; Maria Sakkari of Greece, a two-time Grand Slam semifinalist who has been ranked as high as No. 3; and Katie Volynets of the U.S., who is currently No. 96.
Camillo, WTA CEO Portia Archer and three other tour officials are on the panel, whose members also include Anja Vreg, an agent, ex-player and ex-umpire who is chair of the WTA Player Board; Bob Moran, whose Beemok Sports & Entertainment runs tournaments in Cincinnati and Charleston, South Carolina; Laura Ceccarelli, who represents the Asia-Pacific region on the WTA Tournament Council; and Alastair Garland, the managing director of Octagon Tennis and member of the WTA Board of Directors.

Alexandra Eala delivered a ruthless masterclass to stun No. 6 Jasmine Paolini 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) at the WTA Tour Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Tuesday, adding another big name to her growing list of impressive victories.
Paolini, the French Open and Wimbledon runner-up in 2024, is the third top-10 player beaten by Eala, joining Iga Swiatek and Madison Keys — both of whom the 20-year-old Filipina stunned during her breakthrough run at the Miami Open last year.
The players held serve through the opening three games before Eala broke in the fourth; the Filipina didn’t look back, reeling off the remaining games of the set — including another break in the sixth. Her improved serve, a key weapon, set up her aggressive baseline play and kept Paolini on the defensive.
The numbers told the story of her dominance, as Eala won 86% of her first-serve points and finished with a 7-2 edge in winners.
Paolini won the first game of the second set before Eala also held serve then broke once more in the third game of what would become a see-sawing bracket.
The Italian, the 2024 champion in Dubai, fought back and claimed her first break of the match to square the second set at 3-3. Eala broke back immediately then held serve in the eighth game to take a 5-3 advantage.
Paolini held serve then broke Eala as the Filipina served for the match, saving three match points in doing so. The Italian capitalized on the mounting pressure on Eala to lead 6-5 edge, but the Filipina stayed composed in the 12th game, holding serve to force a tiebreak.
The players traded mini-breaks to 4-4 before Eala tightened her first serve and dictated the longer rallies. The Filipina won the key exchanges down the stretch to close out the match and complete the straight-sets victory.

A roundup of Manatee and Sarasota County high school sports for Feb. 16-21, 2026.
TUESDAY
Baseball
Parrish 10, Southeast 0: Sam Torres went 3 for 4 with 2 RBIs, Tyler Brown was 2 for 3 with a triple and Denver McDonald had a hit and 2 RBIs. Landon Straub picked up the win, throwing 6 innings of no-hit baseball with 11 strikeouts.
Sarasota Christian 3, Admiral Farragut 2: Evan Poznanski and Jace Mayer had RBI for the Blazers, who scored all three runs in the fourth inning. James White walked twice and scored a run.
Softball
North Port 5, Lemon Bay 0: Taysia Stevens and Kendall Parrish had 2 RBIs apiece. Laela Rosa allowed 3 hits and 3 walks with 14 strikeouts for the win.
Girls lacrosse
Bradenton Christian 18, Parrish 3: Adelyn Bartz had 5 goals, an assist, 3 ground balls and 7 draw controls, Juliana Bartz had 5 goals, 2 assists, 2 ground balls and 2 draw controls, and Sadie Simonelli added 3 goals and 8 draw controls.
Cardinal Mooney 24, Sarasota 1: Kayleigh Bergstrom had 5 goals, 1 assist and 95% draw wins, Gabby Ulrich had 5 goals, 4 assists, and 3 draw controls, Kaitlin Carolan had 4 goals, 4 assists, and 3 ground balls and Lauren Impastato had 3 goals and 1 ground ball.
Girls Tennis
Venice 6, Pine View 1: Singles 1 – 1. Zoya Ilic (P) d. Koreena Hickey (3-6, 6-2, 10-2; 2. Riley Dixon (V) d. Bianca Grebing 6-1, 6-1; 3. Mary Edlin (V) d. Hailey Han 3-6, 6-2, 10-6; 4. Maggie Antesberger (V) d. Margaret Halperin 6-1, 4-6, 10-6; 5. Raquel Kushman (V) d. Sanvi Agarwal 6-3, 7-6 (7-1). Doubles – 1. Dixon/Olivia Klier (V) d. Cannon/Han 6-3, 6-3; 2. Antesberger/Kushman (V) d. Halperin/Grebing 7-6 (7-0), 6-4.
Lemon Bay 5, North Port 2
Boys Tennis
North Port 6, Lemon Bay 1: Singles – 1. Ezekiel Cintron (L) d. Gavin Cruce 2-6, 6-2, 10-7; 2. Ilan Beliansky (N) d. Jordan Clay 6-4, 7-6 (7-5); 3. Julian Breunig (N) d. Ty Winow 6-1, 6-3, 4. Ranon Thomas (N) d. Anthony Barbulescu 6-0, 6-2. Doubles – 1. Cruce/Beliansky d. Cintron/Clay 8-5, 2. Mark Naumov/Breunig d. Anthony Barbulescu/Winow 8-2.

The Dubai crowd witnessed a breakout moment on Tuesday night as rising Filipina star Alexandra Eala delivered the biggest shock of the tournament, knocking out sixth seed Jasmine Paolini in straight sets at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Is Eala now a growing top-10 giant-killer?
Well, the 20-year-old Filipina produced a commanding display to defeat the former champion 6-1, 7-6(5), marking her first Top-10 victory of 2026 and the third of her young career. With the win, she also advanced to the Round of 16 in Dubai for the first time.
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The match initially looked one-sided. Eala dominated the opening set and quickly moved ahead by a set and a break. But closing out a Top-10 opponent proved far tougher than gaining the lead. Paolini raised her level late in the second set, saving three match points while trailing 3-5 and stringing together three straight games to go up 6-5. The momentum had shifted, but only briefly.
Alexandra Eala held serve to force a tie-break and, after missing another match point at 6-4, finally sealed victory on her fifth opportunity with a clean forehand winner up the line after 1 hour and 40 minutes. After the match, the youngster reflected on the tension of the closing stages: “All of the emotions are coming because the tension was so high, especially during that second set, so I’m really happy to have gotten through. She’s a great opponent, obviously being Top 10 and a former champion here in Dubai, so to be able to compete at this level with her is a great achievement for me.”
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Eala also drew inspiration from the support in the stands: “In the tie-break, I was trying everything to keep myself in check. In the change of ends, I was thinking about how this stadium is full of Filipinos, and I thought of how many of them were probably praying for me to win! So I knew that I had to give everything I had.”
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Her performance backed up the emotion… she won 86% of first-serve points and finished with a 7-2 winners edge in key exchanges. The victory improves Alexandra Eala’s record against elite opposition to 3-2 vs Top-10 players; remarkably, all three wins have come in straight sets. Her earlier statement victories came against Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek during last year’s Miami breakthrough.
Now, confidence is matching talent for the 20-year-old, whose aggressive baseline play and composure under pressure are rapidly becoming defining traits. Next up, Eala faces Sorana Cîrstea in the third round after the Romanian defeated Linda Noskova 6-1, 6-4. With belief-building and giant-killing becoming a habit, Dubai may only be the beginning of a bigger statement season for tennis’ newest rising star. But do you know that before this epic R32 duel, Jasmine Paolini had showered praise on this young tennis sensation?
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Jasmine Paolini explains why the rise of Alexandra Eala is important for tennis as a whole
The impact of Alexandra Eala is already being felt far beyond match results. Ahead of their Dubai clash, Jasmine Paolini highlighted how the 20-year-old’s growing popularity is shaping the global reach of women’s tennis. Despite not yet winning a WTA title, Eala has already crossed 200 career match wins and climbed to No. 40 (currently ranked 47) in the rankings. Her big wins against superstars of women’s tennis and fearless style have turned her into one of the most followed young players on tour.
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The Filipina recently made history by becoming the youngest Asian woman to record top-10 wins in multiple Tier-1/WTA 1000 events – even younger than Naomi Osaka when she achieved the same feat. But numbers alone don’t explain the buzz. According to Paolini, it’s the reach Eala brings to the sport that truly matters. “I think it’s really important to have people from all around the world playing tennis,” said Paolini.
“Somebody like Alexandra Eala, it’s a huge thing for tennis. I think it’s great to have many, many fans also coming in tournaments where usually there are fewer people. Like Abu Dhabi was full of people watching Eala. I also remember the first match in Doha; you could hear from outside the court people cheering for her. It’s great. I think also for the generation that is coming after that, for tennis. We all know Asia has a big population, so a lot of people that can come to tennis can support us, can support our sport as well.”
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Tournament officials at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships echoed that sentiment. Director Salah Tahlak emphasized how Eala’s presence energizes both local and international audiences.
Alexandra Eala’s 2026 campaign has had ups and downs – a semifinal run in Auckland followed by an early exit at the Australian Open. Since then, she has rebounded with quarterfinal appearances in Manila and Abu Dhabi. But then again, in Doha, she faced an early exit. Currently, as per WTA’s website, she has a win-loss record of 7-5 this season.
But her recent Top-10 win in Dubai only strengthens the narrative Paolini pointed out: Eala is not just a promising player; she represents new markets, new fans, and a broader global future for women’s tennis. At only 20, the Filipina isn’t just chasing trophies yet – she’s already helping reshape the sport’s audience. What are your thoughts on Eala’s rapid rise?

VILNIUS, Lithuania, Jan. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As the tennis world turns its attention to the opening Grand Slam of the season, Australian Open 2026, WhiteBIT, Europe’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by traffic, and Elina Svitolina — Olympic bronze medalist, Jean King Cup 2025 semifinalist and 19-time WTA singles champion — have announced a strategic partnership.
The announcement comes at a key moment in the international tennis calendar, following Svitolina’s title-winning performance in Auckland and during the first major tournament of the year, when global attention is focused on elite competition and player performance.
As part of the agreement, Elina Svitolina joins WhiteBIT as a global brand ambassador. In addition, WhiteBIT became the official crypto partner of the Ukraine Women’s National Tennis Team and the Svitolina Foundation. The partnership brings together professional sport, digital tools and social initiatives within the evolving global tennis environment.
Learn more here: https://youtu.be/rAgnoyDsOvQ
From the Court to Crypto: Serving the Future
The partnership focuses on practical cooperation between sport and technology, including team support, athlete representation and web3 fan engagement initiatives.
WhiteBIT will support the Ukraine Women’s National Tennis Team’s preparation programmes and introduce fan-facing digital tools during selected international tennis events.
As part of the cooperation, the WhiteBIT logo will be featured on the official training and representative kit of the Ukraine Women’s National Tennis Team, strengthening the company’s visibility across European and global tennis events.
Volodymyr Nosov, Founder and President of W Group, commented:
“Together, we will make the world of blockchain, digital currencies, and innovation understandable and accessible to tennis fans. Our partnership with the National Women’s Team and Svitolina Foundation is an investment in future victories and the confidence of young talents. As a brand ambassador, Elina Svitolina will help us promote innovative technologies and digital literacy, bringing the world of blockchain closer to a global audience, starting with the resilient sports community of Ukraine. We are combining sports and technology to create new opportunities for Ukraine, even in the most difficult times.”
Three Pillars of the Partnership: Sport, Technology, Social Impact
● Support for Professional Sport and Web3 Integration
As the official crypto partner of the Ukraine Women’s National Tennis Team, WhiteBIT will provide resources to support sustainable athletic development throughout the competitive season. In parallel, the company will integrate selected Web3 solutions into fan engagement initiatives, introducing modern digital interaction formats for international tennis audiences.
This approach reflects broader global trends where technology companies increasingly collaborate with professional sports organisations to enhance fan experience and digital accessibility.
● Innovation and Brand Ambassadorship
As a global brand ambassador, Elina Svitolina will support initiatives aimed at expanding the mainstream adoption of blockchain technologies and digital financial tools. Her role will focus on promoting digital literacy and practical use cases of crypto solutions within everyday digital services and the professional sports environment.
● Social Impact and Education
As the official crypto partner of the Svitolina Foundation, WhiteBIT will scale the foundation’s humanitarian and educational initiatives. The partnership includes programs to support young talent and provide educational grants that contribute to long-term personal and professional development.
Crypto-Powered Donations and Transparency
The partnership will also introduce crypto-based donation solutions for the Svitolina Foundation. Powered by WhiteBIT’s technology, supporters from around the world will be able to contribute quickly, securely, and transparently to humanitarian and educational projects.
Elina Svitolina commented:
“I am sincerely delighted with our cooperation and happy to have a strong and stable partner by my side. For me, it is an important mission to be a guide in the world of modern technologies and help make them understandable and useful for people. Together with WhiteBIT, we will be able to speak even louder about the strength of companies with Ukrainian roots, solutions and achievements in the world, as well as lay a solid foundation for the development of sport and opportunities for future generations.”
This partnership marks the beginning of long-term cooperation between WhiteBIT and Elina Svitolina, connecting professional tennis, digital innovation and social initiatives.
About WhiteBIT
WhiteBIT is Europe’s largest crypto exchange by traffic, offering 900+ trading pairs, 340+ assets, and 8 fiat currencies. Founded in 2018, it is part of W Group, serving over 35 million users and partnering with Visa, FACEIT, Juventus, and Ukraine’s national football team.
Media Contact:
WhiteBIT PR
pr@whitebit.com
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Aryna Sabalenka, the current world No.1 in women’s tennis singles, has responded to a stunning claim from Oleksandra Oliynykova, who insisted that Sabalenka and other Belarusian and Russian players from professional tennis after her first-round exit from the Australian Open.
The Australian Open is underway and Ukrainian tennis player Oliynykova exited the competition at the first round following a loss to ninth seed Madison Keys.
With her father being a soldier, whom she is trying to support by raising money through her tennis winnings, in Ukraine’s war effort, Oliynykova didn’t leave the Grand Slam on a quiet note as she called out Sabalenka, claiming that she shouldn’t be allowed to compete.
Sabalenka Reponds to Calls From Oliynykova Claiming She Should Not Be Allowed to Compete
Following her first-round defeat to Keys, Oliynykova – the world No.92 – wore a T-shirt with the message: ‘I need your help to protect Ukrainian children and women, but I can’t talk about it here’ written on it.
Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine has been a pertinent conversation in the world of sport since it first happened, with many claiming the nation shouldn’t be allowed to participate in events in every sport. Oliynykova believes that should be the case for Belarus international Sabalenka.
After her very first Grand Slam debut at Melbourne Park came to a swift close, the 25-year-old spoke about Russian and Belarusian tennis athletes who are still able to compete.

By Patrick Snell, CNN
(CNN) — Property, passports and Pokémon! Three things that are very much front and center now for a tennis coach from Sydney who’s just become Australia’s newest millionaire.
Life, it turns out, will never be the same again for Jordan Smith.
“Just smiles on people’s faces, it’s been awesome. It’s been crazy,” Smith told CNN Sports about what’s happened after winning the “One Point Slam.”
“People off the streets have been wanting photos and autographs, I could never imagine that, so I’m loving it,” he added.
The 29-year-old amateur from the family-run Castle Hill Tennis Academy won 1 million AUD ($670,000) after sealing victory in the aforementioned competition in the build-up to this year’s Australian Open in Melbourne.
The innovative event – with all matches lasting just one point – featured a star-studded field comprising amateurs and professionals and included six-time grand slam champion Carlos Alcaraz and two-time defending Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner, who Smith beat on the way to the title.
“To be fair, I didn’t hit a ball against him. I was very lucky that he missed that serve because I was going to be in a lot of trouble if I had to rally with him,” Smith said.
“(It was) just unbelievable just being on the court with such a champion – a player, (who was) so nice, so down to earth. He wished me the best.”
And then came the moment that changed Smith’s life forever as he defeated Joanna Garland in the final by clinching the point that netted him his million-dollar payday.
“I was obviously very shocked and seeing my family and friends after on the court, and just hugging and kissing, crying and laughing. I just can’t believe it. I wake up every morning, and I don’t know how it happened. It’s just unbelievable!”
Overnight celebrity
Overnight, the man from Sydney – who took up tennis at the age of three – had been well and truly thrust into the global spotlight.
Alcaraz proclaimed his name over social media while there was even time for a meeting with Swiss icon Roger Federer, winner of 20 grand slam singles titles during his storied career.
“It was about a 15-to-20-minute chat. We got photos with my girlfriend and I. (Federer) was so down to earth, like the nicest guy I’ve ever met,” the Australian reflected.
“It’s such an unbelievable experience. I got a nice photo and I’m going to frame it for sure and put it in my room.”
For now, Jordan still lives at home but not, it seems, for too much longer.
With a substantial boost to his bank balance, Smith is hoping to break into the pricey Sydney property market, and he’ll be dusting down his passport too for a possible trip to Japan with his girlfriend Jess.
“I think a million where I’m living in Castle Hill would probably get you like a two-bedroom apartment, really. No water views or anything like that, so it just gives me a few more options with the area I want to go with. There’s maybe a house now instead of an apartment.”
And then there’s Pokémon.
“I enjoy Pokémon cards. I want to potentially maybe buy a couple of those. It’s just nostalgia, because I think growing up, it became pretty popular. When I was a kid, with my brothers as well, we’ve just always played a lot of games and obviously Pokémon-collecting is pretty popular now. So just the nostalgia really, collecting things, that’s cool!”
The young Australian has certainly earned the right to enjoy the moment.
His newfound fame came after a challenging spell earlier in his career. After attending Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, Jordan eventually turned professional earning prize money of just $6,388 during that 12-month period and achieving a career-high ranking of 1,141.
It’s why Jordan has this message of hope for other aspiring young tennis professionals who might currently be struggling.
“It’s definitely a tough lifestyle. Tough to crack into the top 100. I think you just got to be persistent. Again, bit of a cliché, but try to stay as positive as possible, and again, you never know what sort of comes around the corner when you wake up another day and you might get a bit of luck with a draw, or something happens where it turns out for the better.”
But as far as Jordan himself is concerned, it seems like everything he touches turns to gold right now. He’s just won a million Australian dollars and this past weekend in the English Premier League, his beloved Manchester United won the derby against Manchester City. If things keep falling his way, another of his favorite teams – the New England Patriots – will go on to win the Super Bowl.
“Hopefully (they do)! I’m a guy from Australia in Sydney, and I love just every sport. I would love to go to those games in the future, that would be unbelievable.”

Property, passports and Pokémon! Three things that are very much front and center now for a tennis coach from Sydney who’s just become Australia’s newest millionaire.
Life, it turns out, will never be the same again for Jordan Smith.
“Just smiles on people’s faces, it’s been awesome. It’s been crazy,” Smith told CNN Sports about what’s happened after winning the “One Point Slam.”
“People off the streets have been wanting photos and autographs, I could never imagine that, so I’m loving it,” he added.
The 29-year-old amateur from the family-run Castle Hill Tennis Academy won 1 million AUD ($670,000) after sealing victory in the aforementioned competition in the build-up to this year’s Australian Open in Melbourne.
The innovative event – with all matches lasting just one point – featured a star-studded field comprising amateurs and professionals and included six-time grand slam champion Carlos Alcaraz and two-time defending Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner, who Smith beat on the way to the title.
“To be fair, I didn’t hit a ball against him. I was very lucky that he missed that serve because I was going to be in a lot of trouble if I had to rally with him,” Smith said.
“(It was) just unbelievable just being on the court with such a champion – a player, (who was) so nice, so down to earth. He wished me the best.”
And then came the moment that changed Smith’s life forever as he defeated Joanna Garland in the final by clinching the point that netted him his million-dollar payday.
“I was obviously very shocked and seeing my family and friends after on the court, and just hugging and kissing, crying and laughing. I just can’t believe it. I wake up every morning, and I don’t know how it happened. It’s just unbelievable!”
Overnight celebrity
Overnight, the man from Sydney – who took up tennis at the age of three – had been well and truly thrust into the global spotlight.
Alcaraz proclaimed his name over social media while there was even time for a meeting with Swiss icon Roger Federer, winner of 20 grand slam singles titles during his storied career.
“It was about a 15-to-20-minute chat. We got photos with my girlfriend and I. (Federer) was so down to earth, like the nicest guy I’ve ever met,” the Australian reflected.
“It’s such an unbelievable experience. I got a nice photo and I’m going to frame it for sure and put it in my room.”
For now, Jordan still lives at home but not, it seems, for too much longer.
With a substantial boost to his bank balance, Smith is hoping to break into the pricey Sydney property market, and he’ll be dusting down his passport too for a possible trip to Japan with his girlfriend Jess.
“I think a million where I’m living in Castle Hill would probably get you like a two-bedroom apartment, really. No water views or anything like that, so it just gives me a few more options with the area I want to go with. There’s maybe a house now instead of an apartment.”
And then there’s Pokémon.
“I enjoy Pokémon cards. I want to potentially maybe buy a couple of those. It’s just nostalgia, because I think growing up, it became pretty popular. When I was a kid, with my brothers as well, we’ve just always played a lot of games and obviously Pokémon-collecting is pretty popular now. So just the nostalgia really, collecting things, that’s cool!”
The young Australian has certainly earned the right to enjoy the moment.
His newfound fame came after a challenging spell earlier in his career. After attending Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, Jordan eventually turned professional earning prize money of just $6,388 during that 12-month period and achieving a career-high ranking of 1,141.
It’s why Jordan has this message of hope for other aspiring young tennis professionals who might currently be struggling.
“It’s definitely a tough lifestyle. Tough to crack into the top 100. I think you just got to be persistent. Again, bit of a cliché, but try to stay as positive as possible, and again, you never know what sort of comes around the corner when you wake up another day and you might get a bit of luck with a draw, or something happens where it turns out for the better.”
But as far as Jordan himself is concerned, it seems like everything he touches turns to gold right now. He’s just won a million Australian dollars and this past weekend in the English Premier League, his beloved Manchester United won the derby against Manchester City. If things keep falling his way, another of his favorite teams – the New England Patriots – will go on to win the Super Bowl.
“Hopefully (they do)! I’m a guy from Australia in Sydney, and I love just every sport. I would love to go to those games in the future, that would be unbelievable.”

If you take a look at Cameron Norrie’s 2026 Australian Open journey, it has been successful but filled with challenges that the Brit had to overcome. In the first round against France’s Benjamin Bonzi, Norrie secured a tough 6-0, 6-7(7), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory. Then, against the USA’s Emilio Nava, he went through another deep round of tennis, securing a 6-1, 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(5) victory. And after these matches, he had a certain moment with the Aussie crowd.
During an on-court interview, as seen on TNT Sports’ X post, Cameron Norrie came across a chant of “Norrie! Norrie!” which halted the conversation. However, he enthusiastically said, “The atmosphere, unreal, thank you, guys, for staying. The big question: where’s the after party? You gotta keep going, you gotta keep going. Now, as you can see, atmosphere unreal. Everyone’s had a few drinks, so fun. But yeah, it was nice to get the job done.”
This showcased how the Brit has formed a strong bond with the Melbourne crowd. Furthermore, ahead of his third-round clash, he was asked, “Potential matchup against Sasha Zverev. Thoughts on that?” To which he instantly replied while also receiving an enthusiastic prediction from the crowd: “Norrie in straight (sets) apparently. No, I just want to enjoy this match. I haven’t even looked ahead. But he (the fan) backs me, so I’m feeling the confidence from him.”
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While the Melbourne crowd is excited to watch Norrie go against the world no. 3, the stats are pretty much in favor of the German. Zverev has faced Norrie in six games since 2019 and has won them all. And the 2026 Australian Open isn’t the first time that they will face each other in Melbourne.
In 2024, in the round of 16, the two tennis stars were head-to-head and looked forward to a victory. And as there can always be a single winner, the German prevailed over the Brit to secure a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (3) victory in a tense match that lasted for four hours and five minutes.
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Following the match, Cameron Norrie said, “I would rather [go close] than not play as well. There were only a few points in it. I think [Zverev] is probably one of the best players in the world at the moment and playing close with him at a Grand Slam is exactly where I want to be.”
Indeed, there was no bad blood between the two, and even Zverev praised Norrie, saying, “Cam has been playing amazing tennis and I’m just happy to be through.” And the last time they met on court, it was another fiery match between the two.
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Cameron Norrie and Alexander Zverev gave the world a match to embrace high-stakes tennis
The 2024 Wimbledon saw a massive match-up between Alexander Zverev and Cameron Norrie. It was a dramatic three-set game, which was eventually won by the German 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (15), but the match was a reminder of what these tennis players are capable of when it comes to pushing themselves to their very limits.
Zverev appeared to injure his knee during the fifth game of the second set. He slipped and fell awkwardly, which raised concerns, as the German took some time and eventually was back on the grass court. “I do feel like a cow on ice sometimes. I do feel restricted in some of the movements. I will check it out to see what it is. I’m pleased that I was able to continue playing the way I did – today if I would have dropped in my level I would have no chance against Cam,” Zverev said following the match.
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So, the German improved his movement, securing his hard-fought victory after a 26-minute 32-point third-set tie-break. This match just showed that every time the two go against each other, fans can easily expect elite tennis play, which would be far from a one-sided game.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Another day, another record crowd. Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz advanced in straight sets and the No. 3 seeds — Coco Gauff and Alexander Zverev — also progressed to the third round of the Australian Open.
The combined numbers for day and night sessions, 103,720 fans, set a full-day record for the third time in four days of the main draw at the season-opening major, which has become a festival of tennis.
Two-time Australian Open champion Sabalenka opened Day 4 with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Bai Zhouxuan on Rod Laver Arena, and Gauff beat left-hander Olga Danilovic 6-2, 6-2 at Margaret Court Arena.
Alcaraz fended off Yannick Hanfmann 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-2 in an afternoon encounter on the center court, and then reflected on his own performance and on his golf outing with Roger Federer.
“I didn’t see myself playing that good but then talking to my team, I realized that I played better than I thought,” he said of his tough outing against the free-hitting Hanfmann. “I’m still getting used to the conditions, getting used to playing better.”
Alcaraz, 22, is trying to win his first title at Melbourne Park to become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam.
Zverev, who lost last year’s final here to Jannik Sinner, had to wait through a half-hour rain delay and concern over a sore left ankle before beating Alexandre Muller 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
He was leading the fourth set 2-1 and serving at 15-0 when he had to halt the match and sit in a courtside chair for treatment.
“I took a painkiller. It was fine after that,” he said. “I was a bit scared because it was toward the Achilles tendon. I just wanted the physio to check it out. After the medical timeout I was moving fine, playing fine.”
He was playing a night match on John Cain Arena, the third of Melbourne Park’s arenas with a retractable roof, where only ground pass tickets are needed for entry. So on a day with a massive crowd, it was still full late.
“The atmosphere is insane. The crowd is wild,” he said. “I love playing here.”
Local hope Alex de Minaur beat Hamad Medjedovic 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 on Rod Laver Arena around the same time.
“I weathered the storm. He was hitting the ball really big and deep,” said de Minaur, who is aiming to end a long drought for Aussie men at the home Grand Slam event. “I’m super happy to battle my way through.”
He next faces No. 29 Frances Tiafoe, who beat Francisco Comesana 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.
Women’s draw
Sabalenka won the Australian Open in 2023 and 2024 and was the runner-up a year ago against Madison Keys. She is after her fifth Grand Slam title and has two trophies at the U.S. Open.
She raced to a 5-0 lead but then needed seven set points to take the first set against the defensive-minded Bai, who used clever drop shots to help her stay in the match.
Sabalenka will next face Anastasia Potapova, who ousted former U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu 7-6 (3), 6-2.
Teenagers Mirra Andreeva (No. 8), Victoria Mboko (17) and Iva Jovic (29) advanced to the third round.
“The atmosphere is insane. The crowd is wild,” he said. “I love playing here.”
Local hope Alex de Minaur beat Hamad Medjedovic 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 on Rod Laver Arena around the same time.
“I weathered the storm. He was hitting the ball really big and deep,” said de Minaur, who is aiming to end a long drought for Aussie men at the home Grand Slam event. “I’m super happy to battle my way through.”
He next faces No. 29 Frances Tiafoe, who beat Francisco Comesana 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.
Women’s draw
Sabalenka won the Australian Open in 2023 and 2024 and was the runner-up a year ago against Madison Keys. She is after her fifth Grand Slam title and has two trophies at the U.S. Open.
She raced to a 5-0 lead but then needed seven set points to take the first set against the defensive-minded Bai, who used clever drop shots to help her stay in the match.
Sabalenka will next face Anastasia Potapova, who ousted former U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu 7-6 (3), 6-2.
Teenagers Mirra Andreeva (No. 8), Victoria Mboko (17) and Iva Jovic (29) advanced to the third round.

The Australian Open, because of being the first Grand Slam of the year, has brought the usual hype with tennis performances. Fans are awaiting to see the way Jannik Sinner and Madison Keys defend their titles. However, the event also shocked the entire fanbase with this particular announcement.
On X, WTA announced that 36-year-old tennis veteran Latisha Chan, who has won four Grand Slams in her career, declared her immediate retirement from professional tennis. This closed a remarkable 22-year chapter that began professionally when she was just 14. She shared a lengthy Instagram post, which carried her sentiment about her decision.
“I’ve never been very good at saying goodbye, especially to say goodbye to a dream that has been with me for 30 years. Tennis came into my life when I was 6 years old, I didn’t expect to be with me all the way until I was 36 years old,” she said. “Lucky to be brave for my dreams with the support of my parents.
And on such a special journey, with so many, many people along the way who helped me support me, I can’t help but get red eyes to think of it.”
Tennis was very close to her. Indeed, her performances did speak for themselves. Latisha spent 34 weeks as a world no. 1 in the doubles rankings after a dominant 2017 season, where she secured 11 doubles titles alongside her sister Chan Hao-Ching and Martina Hingis. However, her journey wasn’t completely smooth; she faced her fair share of challenges down the road.
In 2014, Latisha Chan was diagnosed with postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Because of this health condition, she ultimately steered her focus away from singles, where she had once been ranked as high as No. 50, and toward the specialized craft of doubles. While she will miss tennis’ “daily boring training, never-ending jetlag, and long flights,” she also shared what the sport has taught her.
“It also taught me how to fall and stand up again. Still keep believing in yourself when the whole world doesn’t believe in you,” she wrote. Furthermore, Chan will be honored at the Australian Open with a retirement ceremony, becoming the first Taiwanese to achieve such recognition at a Grand Slam tournament. Well, for her, the Australian Open has been a special place.
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The Australian Open had been a rollercoaster experience for her
At the Australian Open, Latisha Chan’s tennis career has shown consistency. In the women’s doubles, she has reached the finals two times, and once she reached the finals in the mixed doubles.
In 2007, she got a wild-card entry with Chuang Chia-Jung, and the rest was history. Indeed, both of them reached the finals of the Australian Open, but the specialty about this achievement was that it was Chan’s first Grand Slam doubles event, and on their way, they defeated 2006 US Open doubles finalists Dinara Safina and Katarina Srebotnik, and 2006 Australian Open and Wimbledon champions Yan Zi and Zheng Jie.
Chan again came close to glory at the Australian Open in 2015. However, she didn’t win the match with her partner, as the glory went to Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Šafářová. Well, she never secured a win at the Australian Open, but each close encounter with that Grand Slam glory made her the legendary tennis star that the world recognizes.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — UNCF is proud to announce a generous $150,000 gift from world ranked no. 3 professional tennis player Coco Gauff, which follows a $100,000 donation she made last year to UNCF. Like the previous gift, the latest contribution provides scholarships to students attending historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), who are playing competitive tennis.
Gauff is a globally celebrated advocate for education and empowerment with impact reaching far beyond the tennis court. She is UNCF’s youngest major gifts donor and her commitment to uplifting the next generation of leaders aligns with UNCF’s vision to increase opportunities for HBCU students.
“I am honored once again to give back and support the incredible work that UNCF does to help HBCU students get to and through college,” said Gauff. “Education has the power to change lives, and I hope this gift will help students achieve their dreams.”
“We are immensely grateful to Coco Gauff for her generosity and ongoing commitment to our mission,” said Maurice E. Jenkins, Jr., executive vice president and chief development officer, UNCF. “As a role model both on and off the court, Gauff’s philanthropic efforts continue to inspire young people across the nation. This donation is a testament to her belief in the transformative power of education.”
The Coco Gauff Scholarship Program, administered by UNCF, awarded scholarships earlier this year to 10 eligible students attending Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, Albany State University, Clark Atlanta University, Howard University, Livingstone College and Tuskegee University.
Details for the next round of scholarship openings will be forthcoming on UNCF.org/scholarships.
Gauff has a career-high ranking of world No. 2 in singles and of world No. 1 in doubles by the WTA. Gauff has won eleven career singles titles, including two majors at the 2023 US Open and 2025 French Open, as well as the 2024 WTA Finals. She has also won ten doubles titles including the 2024 French Open.
For more information about UNCF and how to support its mission, please visit UNCF.org.
About UNCF
UNCF is one of the nation’s largest and most effective supporters of higher education and serves as a leading advocate for college-bound students. Since its founding in 1944, UNCF has raised more than $6 billion to support students’ access to higher education, provide scholarships and strengthen historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Each year, UNCF awards more than 11,000 scholarships totaling more than $62 million. The scholarships support students attending more than 600 US-based colleges and universities including 37 UNCF-member HBCUs. Through its efforts, UNCF has helped generations of students to get to and through college. We believe a college education plays a vital role in fortifying the pipeline of leaders and professionals who contribute to the advancement of our society. Our logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and our widely recognized trademark is, ‟A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”® Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Instagram.
Roy Betts
UNCF Communications
240.703.3384
roy.betts@uncf.org

Novak Djokovic is back for second-round action to highlight the Day 5 schedule at the 2026 Australian Open. The day starts with matches across all competitive divisions starting at 7 p.m. ET with TV coverage on ESPN2 and ESPN Unlimited and multiple options to live stream the tournament.
How to watch Day 5 at the 2026 Australian Open and top current offers to live stream on ESPN:
When: Wednesday, Jan. 21 starting at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia
TV channels: ESPN2, ESPN Unlimited, ESPN+
FuboTV (free trial) – FuboTV scores high marks for viewer experience with a huge library of live sports; length of the free trial varies; the monthly rate after trial starts at $54.99 with a current $30 off promotional offer.
DirecTV (free trial) – DirecTV has the longest free trial in streaming with five days to try before you buy; first month after the free trial starts as low as $54.99 with current $35 off promotion.
SlingTV (low intro rate) – Sling’s half-price offer is perfect for those in the market for 1+ month of TV;.monthly plans start at just $29.99 with the introductory rate. A comparison of plans, including daily and weekly passes, can be found here.
ESPN Unlimited ($29.99/mo.) – ESPN has a new, standalone package that includes ABC broadcasts, all of ESPN’s sports channels, and access to ESPN+. For a limited time, ESPN can be bundled with Disney Plus and Hulu for $29.99 per month.
The full schedule for Wednesday, Jan. 21 at the 2026 Australian can be found below:
AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2025
TV & STREAMING SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY
Times listed in ET and subject to change
MEN’S SINGLES
SECOND ROUND
7:00 PM: #16 Jakub Mensik vs. Rafael Jodar – Court 13 – ESPN+
7:00 PM: Rinky Hijikata vs. #30 Valentin Vacherot – KIA Arena – ESPN+
7:00 PM: Sebastian Baez vs. #22 Luciano Darderi – Court 6 – ESPN+
7:00 PM: #15 Karen Khachanov vs. Nishesh Basavareddy – ANZ Arena – ESPN+
7:30 PM: #5 Lorenzo Musetti vs. Lorenzo Sonego – Margaret Court Arena – ESPN Unlimited
8:30 PM: Hubert Hurkacz vs. Ethan Quinn – 1573 Arena – ESPN+
8:30 PM: #8 Ben Shelton vs. Dane Sweeny – John Cain Arena – ESPN2
9:30 PM: Francesco Maestrelli vs. #4 Novak Djokovic – Rod Laver Arena – ESPN2
10:00 PM: Botic Van De Zandschulp vs. Shang Juncheng – Court 7 – ESPN+
10:30 PM: Tomas Machac vs. #31 Stefanos Tsitsipas – ANZ Arena – ESPN+
10:30 PM: Arthur Gea vs. Stan Wawrinka – KIA Arena – ESPN2
10:30 PM: Eliot Spizzirri vs. Wu Yibing – Court 13 – ESPN+
12:00 AM: #21 Denis Shapovalov vs. Marin Cilic – 1573 Arena – ESPN+
2:30 AM: Vit Kopriva vs. #9 Taylor Fritz – John Cain Arena – ESPN2
WOMEN’S SINGLES
SECOND ROUND
7:00 PM: Oksana Selekhmeteva vs. #25 Paula Badosa – 1573 Arena – ESPN+
7:00 PM: Ashlyn Krueger vs. #9 Madison Keys – John Cain Arena – ESPN+
7:30 PM: #6 Jessica Pegula vs. McCartney Kessler – Rod Laver Arena – ESPN+
8:30 PM: Janice Tjen vs. Karolina Pliskova – Court 7 – ESPN+
8:30 PM: Peyton Stearns vs. Petra Marcinko – Court 14 – ESPN+
9:00 PM: Wang Xinyu vs. #24 Jelena Ostapenko – Court 6 – ESPN+
9:00 PM: #13 Linda Noskova vs. Taylah Preston – KIA Arena – ESPN+
9:00 PM: #31 Anna Kalinskaya vs. Julia Grabher – Court 13 – ESPN+
9:00 PM: Maddison Inglis vs. Laura Siegemund – ANZ Arena – ESPN+
9:30 PM: Katerina Siniakova vs. #4 Amanda Anisimova – Margaret Court Arena – ESPN+
10:30 PM: #21 Elise Mertens vs. Moyuka Uchijima – 1573 Arena – ESPN+
12:00 AM: Linda Fruhvirtova vs. Tereza Valentova – Court 7 – ESPN+
12:30 AM: Nikola Bartunkova vs. #10 Belinda Bencic – ANZ Arena – ESPN+
1:00 AM: Marie Bouzkova vs. #2 Iga Swiatek – John Cain Arena – ESPN+
MEN’S DOUBLES
FIRST & SECOND ROUND
7:00 PM: Jakub Paul/Marcus Willis vs. #15 Evan King/John Peers – 1st round – Court 7 – ESPN+
7:00 PM: Vasil Kirkov/Bart Stevens vs. Gonzalo Escobar/Miguel Angel Reyes Varela – 1st round – Court 15 – ESPN+
7:00 PM: Ray Ho/Hendrik Jebens vs. #7 Simone Bolelli/Andrea Vavassori – 1st round – Court 5 – ESPN+
8:30 PM: #12 Sadio Doumbia/Fabien Reboul vs. Sander Arends/Romain Arneodo – 1st round – Court 12 – ESPN+
8:30 PM: #4 Marcelo Arevalo/Mate Pavic vs. Tomislav Brkic/Damir Dzumhur – 1st round – Court 11 – ESPN+
8:30 PM: Diego Hidalgo/Patrik Trhac vs. #2 Harri Heliovaara/Henry Patten – 1st round – Court 8 – ESPN+
8:30 PM: Santiago Gonzalez/David Pel vs. Marcelo Melo/Fernando Romboli – 1st round – Court 15 – ESPN+
10:00 PM: Matthew Christopher Romios/Ryan Seggerman vs. Alexander Erler/Robert Galloway – 1st round – Court 5 – ESPN+
10:00 PM: Tomas Martin Etcheverry/Camilo Ugo Carabelli vs. Francisco Cerundolo/Juan Manuel Cerundolo – 2nd round – Court 11 – ESPN+
11:30 PM: Sebastian Baez/Francisco Comesana vs. #3 Marcel Granollers/Horacio Zeballos – 1st round – Court 15 – ESPN+
11:30 PM: N.Sriram Balaji/Neil Oberleitner vs. Pierre-Hugues Herbert/Jordan Thompson – 1st round – Court 5 – ESPN+
12:00 AM: Thanasi Kokkinakis/Nick Kyrgios vs. Jason Kubler/Marc Polmans – KIA Arena – 1st round – ESPN+
12:00 AM: Alex Bolt/Dane Sweeny vs. Corentin Moutet/Luca Sanchez – 1st round – Court 6 – ESPN+
WOMEN’S DOUBLES
FIRST ROUND
7:00 PM: Quinn Gleason/Elena Pridankina vs. #7 Anna Danilina/Aleksandra Krunic – Court 12 – ESPN+
7:00 PM: Kimberly Birrell/Talia Gibson vs. Momoko Kobori/Ayano Shimizu – Court 8 – ESPN+
7:00 PM: Ena Shibahara/Vera Zvonareva vs. #10 Liudmila Samsonova/Diana Shnaider – Court 11 – ESPN+
7:00 PM: #14 Hao-Ching Chan/Jiang Xinyu vs. Anna Blinkova/Kamilla Rakhimova – Court 14 – ESPN+
10:00 PM: Viktorija Golubic/Ann Li vs. #15 Miyu Kato/Fanny Stollar – Court 12 – ESPN+
10:00 PM: #16 Guo Hanyu/Kristina Mladenovic vs. Alycia Parks/Dayana Yastremska – Court 8 – ESPN+
10:30 PM: Nadiia Kichenok/Makoto Ninomiya vs. Emerson Jones/Astra Sharma – Court 6 – ESPN+
11:30 PM: Catherine McNally/Camila Osorio vs. #13 Sofia Kenin/Laura Siegemund – Court 8 – ESPN+
11:30 PM: Priscilla Hon/Ashlyn Krueger vs. Storm Hunter/Maya Joint – Court 12 – ESPN+
11:30 PM: Hailey Baptiste/Peyton Stearns vs. Jessica Bouzas Maneiro/Elisabetta Cocciaretto – Court 14 – ESPN+
11:30 PM: Eri Hozumi/Fang-Hsien Wu vs. #11 Irina Khromacheva/Alexandra Panova – Court 11 – ESPN+
MIXED DOUBLES
FIRST ROUND
8:30 PM: #6 Zhang Shuai/Tim Puetz vs. Nicole Melichar-Martinez/Yuki Bhambri – Court 5 – ESPN+
10:00 PM: Kimberly Birrell/John-Patrick Smith vs. #3 Demi Schuurs/Julian Cash – Court 14 – ESPN+
10:00 PM: Olivia Gadecki/John Peers vs. Vera Zvonareva/Lucas Miedler – Court 15 – ESPN+

Like any sport, tennis doesn’t take cases of match fixing or passing inside information lightly. And when the sport’s watchdog senses even a slight risk of that happening, they waste no time. That is exactly what happened this week.
Just recently, the International Tennis Integrity Agency confirmed that five individuals have been provisionally suspended while facing investigation under the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program. The group includes two professional players and three national-level officials.
The players named are Alana Tuayeva of Russia and Nikol Palecek of Serbia. The officials involved are Marko Ristic of Serbia along with Zsolt Bagosi and Tamas Tarnai from Hungary.
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MELBOURNE, Australia — Two sets and just over an hour of tennis wasn’t what Jannik Sinner wanted at Rod Laver Arena for the start of his bid for an Australian Open three-peat.
In his first competitive match since beating Carlos Alcaraz at the ATP Finals in November, Sinner was leading 6-2, 6-1 when No. 93-ranked Hugo Gaston suddenly retired from their match with an undisclosed injury.
“I saw that he was not serving with a very high pace,” Sinner said, but “it’s not the way you want to win the match.”
After signaling he had to quit, Gaston went to a courtside chair and bowed his head into his hands. Sinner went to console him, putting a hand on the Frenchman’s shoulder and wishing him a speedy recovery.
For Sinner, it was an anticlimactic return to Melbourne Park’s main arena 12 months after clinching back-to-back Australian titles with a win over Alexander Zverev in the final.
He played Alcaraz in the finals of the other three majors, winning at Wimbledon and finishing runner-up at Roland Garros and the U.S. Open, as the so-called Sincaraz rivals extended their dominance of Grand Slam tournaments to a second full year.
Sinner isn’t content with evenly splitting the titles with Alcaraz, though. He used his time off to concentrate on adjusting his service motion and tweaking other parts of his game in the search for incremental improvements.
“I’ve put in many, many long days in the off-season trying to become a better tennis player,” No. 2-ranked Sinner said. “But at the end of the day the most important part is to go on court and to enjoy, no? It’s very special to start the season in a night session match here in a Grand Slam, the packed stadium, just trying to do your best.”
Sinner is aiming to become the fourth player to win three consecutive men’s titles at the Australian Open.
Osaka’s fashion statement
Wearing a wide-brim hat, veil and holding a white parasol as she walked onto Rod Laver Arena for the last night match, Naomi Osaka made a grand entrance.
The four-time major winner went on to beat Antonia Ruzic 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, and later explained the inspiration for her design.
“It’s modeled after a jellyfish,” Osaka said. “I’m just so grateful I get to do the things I love.”
Keys opener
Madison Keys had a tough start to her title defense, struggling early against the offbeat style of Oleksandra Oliynykova before advancing 7-6 (6), 6-1.
Ninth-seeded Keys, playing in her 50th Grand Slam tournament, trailed 4-0 before finding her rhythm.
“Obviously I was very nervous at the start,” Keys said. “As nervous as I was . . . I’m really glad to be back, and that I got through that match.”
Oliynykova’s unorthodox shot-making and strong defense kept Keys off balance in the first set.
“I feel like that made things a little extra tricky,” Keys said. “I felt like at the end of the tiebreaker I really kind of found my game and then was able to carry that into the second set.”
Oliynykova gained a lot of attention with her unique body art and ink, and a printed message for Ukraine on a T-shirt she wore in her post-match news conference.
No. 5 Elena Rybakina and No. 10 Belinda Bencic advanced in straight sets, but two women’s seeds were ousted in straight sets early on Day 3, with Janice Tjen upsetting 2021 U.S. Open finalist Leylah Fernandez and Tereza Valentova beating Australia’s Maya Joint.
Sloane Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion who had to qualify the season-opening major, lost Karolina Pliskova 7-6 (7), 6-2.
Shelton advances
In a match between left-handers, Ben Shelton, a semifinalist a year ago in Australia, overcame Ugo Humbert 6-3, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5).
Shelton said it was one of the toughest first-round matches he could have faced, with No. 33 Humbert having the highest ranking of the unseeded players.
He’ll next face Australian qualifier Dane Sweeny, who ended the 20th and final Australian Open campaign for 39-year-old Gael Monfils.
Also advancing were No. 5 Lorenzo Musetti, No. 9 Taylor Fritz, 2023 runner-up Stef

The Australian Open will open the 2026 tennis season with two weeks of wall-to-wall action from Melbourne, featuring the world’s best players. Coverage begins around 7 p.m. ET each night and will continue into the early morning hours, with ESPN handling the majority of the matches as the tournament progresses through the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals.
How to Watch Australian Open 2026
Date: Saturday, January 17, 2026 – Sunday, February 1, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM ET Daily
Channel: ESPN Family of Networks
Stream: Fubo (TRY FOR FREE)
The men’s draw once again revolves around Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Between them, the pair has captured each of the last eight Grand Slam titles, and Sinner enters Melbourne as a two-time defending Australian Open champion.
On the women’s side, American Madison Keys returns as the reigning Australian Open winner, but the favorite heading into the tournament is Aryna Sabalenka. Coco Gauff will look to add an Australian Open title to her resume, while one of the biggest headlines is the return of Venus Williams, who is set to compete in Melbourne for the first time in five years after receiving a wild-card entry.
What channel is the 2026 Australian Open on?
In the United States, the Australian Open airs across ESPN and ESPN2. Matches from Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena, and John Cain Arena are carried on ESPN’s main channels, while additional courts are streamed live on ESPN Unlimited every night.
How to watch the 2026 Australian Open for free
If you don’t have a traditional cable package, a live TV streaming service is the easiest way to watch the Australian Open in the U.S.
Fubo is one of the best options, as it carries ESPN and ESPN2 and offers a free trial for new subscribers. That free trial allows fans to stream live Australian Open matches, including the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals.
Australian Open 2026 TV schedule
Check out the TV schedule for this year’s Australian Open. Remember that most matches will be broadcast starting each night at 7 or 7:30 pm ET across ESPN, with ESPN Unlimited carrying every match daily.
All times listed below are Eastern Time.
First Round
Saturday, Jan. 17
10 p.m. – 3 a.m. (ESPN2)
Sunday, Jan. 18
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN2)
7 p.m. – 3 a.m. (ESPN2)
Monday, Jan. 19
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN2)
11:15 p.m. – 3 a.m. (ESPN2)
Second Round
Tuesday, Jan. 20
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN2)
9 p.m. – 3 a.m. (ESPN2)
Wednesday, Jan. 21
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN2)
9 p.m. – 3 a.m. (ESPN2)
Third Round
Thursday, Jan. 22
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN2)
9 p.m. – 3 a.m. (ESPN2)
Friday, Jan. 23
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN2)
9 p.m. – 3 a.m. (ESPN2)
Round of 16
Saturday, Jan. 24
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN2)
8 p.m. – 3 a.m. (ESPN2)
Sunday, Jan. 25
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN2)
8 p.m. – 3 a.m. (ESPN2)
Quarterfinals
Monday, Jan. 26
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN2)
9 p.m. – 1 a.m. (ESPN2)
Tuesday, Jan. 27
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN)
9 p.m. – 1 a.m. (ESPN2)
Wednesday, Jan. 28
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN)
Semifinals
Thursday, Jan. 29
3:30 a.m. – 7:30 a.m. (Women’s semifinals – ESPN)
10:30 p.m. – 1 a.m. (Men’s semifinal #1 – ESPN)
Friday, Jan. 30
3:30 a.m. – 6 a.m. (Men’s semifinal #2 – ESPN)
Finals
Saturday, Jan. 31
3:30 a.m. – 5:30 a.m. (Women’s championship – ESPN)
Sunday, Feb. 1
3:30 a.m. – 6:30 a.m. (Men’s championship – ESPN)
Live stream the 2026 Australian Open on ESPN for free with Fubo: Start your free trial now!
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Typti, a new sport blending tennis and badminton that’s played on pickleball courts, launched at California Smash Pickleball and Social Club in El Segundo on Monday, Jan. 19.
Steve Bellamy, founder of The Tennis Channel and Typti, was on hand with celebrity supporters to help build the racquet sport to a national pastime — like how pickleball has increasingly become in recent years.
Typti will use the exploding pickleball infrastructure, such as indoor courts like California Smash, to build the sport.
“Star Trek” star Chris Pine, comedian Tiffany Haddish, Academy Award-nominated actor Barbara Hershey, actor and professional tennis player Vince Van Patten, NFL star Marcellus Wiley and “Knots Landing” television star Donna Mills were among the celebrities to help launch Typti on Monday.
Calabasas Pickleball Club will host the first tournament on Feb. 25. In the first year of the the sport’s professional division, there will be more than $500,000 in total prize money, with that expanding to more than $1 million in year two.
“Drive a little bit that way, and there’ll be another one, drive a little bit farther, there will be another one, and I want these to survive by having a second sport that plays on top of them,” Bellamy said about the growth of pickleball courts. “It’s very similar to skiing and snowboarding. Snowboarding came in 1986 and it literally saved skiing, because all those mountains were about ready to go out of business.”
The “most successful pickleball clubs are the ones that have corn hole and have other things that happen other than just pickleball,” Bellamy said.
There is a lot of new technology that went into creating Typti, Bellamy said, with a custom-made racquet, foam ball and a new scoring system for the sport.
A challenge in the future for players, however, might be the equipment, Bellamy said. Typti uses a 22-inch strung racquet with a 3.5-inch diameter channeled foam ball, which is “nearly noiseless,” as compared to pickleball, which uses a paddle and a hollow plastic ball.
“Basically, people have closets full of other gear and now here’s another racquet,” Bellamy said at the event. “The racquet was very important. I spent years prototyping racquets to get the right combination of racquet and ball. We did it. But it does require a different racquet; you can’t swap.
“You’re taking giant rips and big strokes,” he added about Typti, compared to pickleball.
California Smash, meanwhile, opened in the fall, and founder Brett Drogmund said Monday that racquet sports are “making a huge resurgence” and the new pickleball courts are allowing sports to evolve.
“If somebody wants to adopt something new, we’re totally open for it,” Drogmund said. “This looks like a little bit of a faster game, so I’m all for it.
“The more people can get that can be active and get involved, we totally support that.”

Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz is back in action for the second round of men’s singles to highlight the fourth day of action at the 2026 Australian Open. The day starts at 7 p.m. ET with TV coverage on ESPN’s family of networks and ESPN+.
How to watch Day 4 at the 2026 Australian Open Tennis Championships and top current offers to live stream on ESPN:
When: Tuesday, Jan. 20 starting at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia
TV channels: ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+
FuboTV (free trial) – FuboTV scores high marks for viewer experience with a huge library of live sports; length of the free trial varies; the monthly rate after trial starts at $54.99 with a current $30 off promotional offer.
DirecTV (free trial) – DirecTV has the longest free trial in streaming with five days to try before you buy; first month after the free trial starts as low as $54.99 with current $35 off promotion.
SlingTV (low intro rate) – Sling’s half-price offer is perfect for those in the market for 1+ month of TV;.monthly plans start at just $29.99 with the introductory rate. A comparison of plans, including daily and weekly passes, can be found here.
ESPN Unlimited ($29.99/mo.) – ESPN has a new, standalone package that includes ABC broadcasts, all of ESPN’s sports channels, and access to ESPN+. For a limited time, ESPN can be bundled with Disney Plus and Hulu for $29.99 per month.
The full schedule for Tuesday at the 2026 Australian Open can be found below:
AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS
TV & STREAMING SCHEDULE FOR TUESDAY
Times listed in ET and subject to change
MEN’S SINGLES
SECOND ROUND
7:00 PM: #19 Tommy Paul vs. Thiago Agustin Tirante – 1573 Arena – ESPN Deportes/ESPN+
7:00 PM: #18 Francisco Cerundolo vs. Damir Dzumhur – ANZ Arena – ESPN+
7:00 PM: Kamil Majchrzak vs. Fabian Marozsan – Court 6 – ESPN+
7:30 PM: Jaime Faria vs. #13 Andrey Rublev – Margaret Court Arena – ESPN Unlimited
8:30 PM: Tomas Martin Etcheverry vs. Arthur Fery- Court 7 – ESPN+
8:30 PM: #11 Daniil Medvedev vs. Quentin Halys – John Cain Arena – ESPN2
8:30 PM: Reilly Opelka vs. #14 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina – KIA Arena – ESPN+
10:00 PM: #1 Carlos Alcaraz vs. Yannick Hanfmann – Rod Laver Arena – ESPN2
10:30 PM: #10 Alexander Bublik vs. Marton Fucsovics – KIA Arena – ESPN+
10:30 PM: Jordan Thompson vs. Nuno Borges – 1573 Arena – ESPN+
10:30 PM: Michael Zheng vs. #32 Corentin Moutet – Court 6 – ESPN+
12:00 AM: Emilio Nava vs. #26 Cameron Norrie – Court 7 – ESPN+
12:00 AM: #25 Learner Tien vs. Alexander Shevchenko – ANZ Arena – ESPN+
2:30 AM: #3 Alexander Zverev vs. Alexandre Muller – John Cain Arena – ESPN Deportes/ESPN2
3:00 AM: Hamad Medjedovic vs. #6 Alex De Minaur – Rod Laver Arena – ESPN2
4:30 AM: #29 Frances Tiafoe vs. Francisco Comesana – ESPN+
WOMEN’S SINGLES
SECOND ROUND
7:00 PM: #12 Elina Svitolina vs. Linda Klimovicova – John Cain Arena – ESPN Unlimited
7:00 PM: Talia Gibson vs. #23 Diana Shnaider – KIA Arena – ESPN+
7:00 PM: Zeynep Sonmez vs. Anna Bondar – Court 7 – ESPN+
7:30 PM: #1 Aryna Sabalenka vs. Bai Zhuoxuan – Rod Laver Arena – ESPN Deportes
8:30 PM: Yulia Putintseva vs. Elsa Jacquemot – Court 5 – ESPN+
9:00 PM: Storm Hunter vs. Hailey Baptiste – ANZ Arena – ESPN+
9:00 PM: #17 Victoria Mboko vs. Catherine McNally – 1573 Arena – ESPN+
9:00 PM: #3 Coco Gauff vs. Olga Danilovic – Margaret Court Arena – ESPN2
9:00 PM: Polina Kudermetova vs. #14 Clara Tauson – Court 6 – ESPN+
10:30 PM: Anastasia Potapova vs. #28 Emma Raducanu – ANZ Arena – ESPN+
12:30 AM: #19 Karolina Muchova vs. Alycia Parks – 1573 Arena – ESPN+
12:30 AM: Ann Li vs. Magda Linette – Court 6 – ESPN+
12:30 AM: Magdalena Frech vs. #7 Jasmine Paolini – KIA Arena – ESPN+
1:00 AM: Elena-Gabriela Ruse vs. Ajla Tomljanovic – John Cain Arena – ESPN Deportes/ESPN2
3:00 AM: Maria Sakkari vs. #8 Mirra Andreeva – Margaret Court Arena – ESPN Deportes/ESPN+
5:00 AM: #29 Iva Jovic vs. Priscilla Hon – Rod Laver Arena – ESPN2
MEN’S DOUBLES
FIRST ROUND
7:00 PM: Adam Pavlasek/John-Patrick Smith vs. Patrick Harper/Adam Walton – Court 13 – ESPN+
7:00 PM: Theo Arribage/Albano Olivetti vs. Adrian Mannarino/Fabrice Martin – Court 12 – ESPN+
8:30 PM: #1 Julian Cash/Lloyd Glasspool vs. Ariel Behar/Joran Vliegen – Court 14 – ESPN+
8:30 PM: Tallon Griekspoor/Botic Van De Zandschulp vs. #11 Guido Andreozzi/Manuel Guinard – Court 15 – ESPN+
8:30 PM: Luciano Darderi/Cristian Garin vs. #16 Austin Krajicek/Nikola Mektic – Court 12 – ESPN+
10:00 PM: Shang Juncheng/Zhang Zhizhen vs. Matthew Ebden/Rajeev Ram – Court 14 – ESPN+
10:30 PM: James McCabe/Li Tu vs. Zizou Bergs/Raphael Collignon – Court 8 – ESPN+
10:30 PM: James Duckworth/Cruz Hewitt vs. #10 Yuki Bhambri/Andre Goransson – Court 13 – ESPN+
11:30 PM: #13 Maximo Gonzalez/Andres Molteni vs. Tomas Machac/Matej Vocel – Court 14 – ESPN+
11:30 PM: Jesper De Jong/Sem Verbeek vs. Orlando Luz/Rafael Matos – Court 15 – ESPN+
12:30 AM: #14 Robert Cash/JJ Tracy vs. Constantin Frantzén/Robin Haase – Court 5 – ESPN+
1:30 AM: #6 Christian Harrison/Neal Skupski vs. Jakob Schnaitter/Mark Wallner – Court 13 –
ESPN+
WOMEN’S DOUBLES
FIRST ROUND
7:00 PM: Miriam Skoch/Jesika Maleckova vs. Sara Bejlek/Laura Pigossi – Court 14 – ESPN+
7:00 PM: Lizette Cabrera/Taylah Preston vs. Wang Xinyu/Zheng Saisai – Court 5 – ESPN+
7:00 PM: McCartney Kessler/Jessica Pegula vs. #5 Gabriela Dabrowski/Luisa Stefani – Court 15 – ESPN+
7:00 PM: Tatjana Maria/Simona Waltert vs. Maria Kozyreva/Sabrina Santamaria – Court 8 – ESPN+
8:30 PM: #9 Cristina Bucsa/Nicole Melichar-Martinez vs. Timea Babos/Leylah Fernandez – Court 13 – ESPN+
8:30 PM: #1 Katerina Siniakova/Taylor Townsend vs. Magali Kempen/Anna Siskova – Court 8 – ESPN+
10:00 PM: #6 Asia Muhammad/Erin Routliffe vs. Linda Noskova/Rebecca Sramkova – Court 12 – ESPN+
10:00 PM: #8 Ellen Perez/Demi Schuurs vs. Isabelle Haverlag/Sonay Kartal – Court 15 – ESPN+
10:30 PM: #3 Su-Wei Hsieh/Jelena Ostapenko vs. Olivia Gadecki/Desirae Krawczyk – Court 7 – ESPN+
11:00 PM: Katarzyna Piter/Janice Tjen vs. Daria Kasatkina/Arina Rodionova – Court 5 – ESPN+
11:30 PM: Sorana Cirstea/Anna Kalinskaya vs. #4 Elise Mertens/Zhang Shuai – Court 12 – ESPN+
12:00 AM: Xu Yifan/Yang Zhaoxuan vs. Antonia Ruzic/Renata Zarazua – Court 8 – ESPN+
12:00 AM: Giuliana Olmos/Aldila Sutjiadi vs. Destanee Aiava/Maddison Inglis – Court 13 –

“If you play every day and you don’t have a break for yourself, to disconnect, that excitement kind of fades,” Carlos Alcaraz once said, and now Taylor Fritz is echoing that feeling.
The American moved into the second round of the 2026 Australian Open after a hard-fought win over Valentin Royer, surviving a scare after dropping the second set. Fritz eventually closed it out 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-1, 6-3 in a match that stretched beyond three hours. But even with the win, not everything felt perfect for the world No. 12.
Speaking afterwards in his press conference, the 28-year-old opened up about the toll of the calendar and the constant battle with injuries. Fritz arrived in Australia dealing with noticeable knee discomfort, and while he’s been able to compete without focusing on it too much, he admitted it’s something that’s clearly on his mind.
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Fritz answered honestly, saying, “I think there’s been some pretty big improvements in my knee… that was the goal to start feeling that, a little over two months into this, the program of strengthening the tendon. But, I’m way better than I expected to be, after how I felt my first week or so in Australia.”
“But unfortunately, there were some other injuries that popped up this week… which sucks.” He added that he didn’t want to go into detail yet, explaining that it’s something he’s dealt with before and is still feeling out as the tournament goes on.
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The interviewer then followed up by noting that everyone hopes to start the season feeling 100 percent fresh and asked whether dealing with physical issues so early was especially frustrating, and how Fritz was coping emotionally. That opened the door for him to zoom out and look at the bigger picture.
“Yeah, I mean, if you look at the tour, it’s not just me. There’s a lot of people starting the year with injuries,” Fritz said. “It’s, you know, maybe the season’s too long… Maybe four weeks isn’t enough to fully get healthy of all injuries. It is what it is.” It was a clear hint at his frustration with how relentless the tennis calendar can be. And he’s not alone.
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Stefanos Tsitsipas has spoken about trying to rediscover his best tennis in 2026 after a back injury disrupted his previous season, though he did open his Australian Open campaign with a first-round win over Shintaro Mochizuki. Nick Kyrgios, meanwhile, has withdrawn from the men’s singles in Melbourne, also feeling underdone physically. Similar stories are playing out on the women’s side as well.
Taylor Fritz feels the same way about how tough it is to truly reset. He explained that while he put in a lot of work during the offseason to get healthy, the break itself is simply too short.
“Like I said, I think I laid a lot of groundwork in the offseason to get healthy, but at the same time, the offseason’s so short, you need to be training hard or else you come into the year not feeling like you’ve played enough matches or had enough time on court, which is very much how I feel,” he said.
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The bigger issue, Fritz suggested, is the tennis calendar itself. The 2025 season basically began the moment 2024 ended, which is often the case in a sport where the offseason barely gives players any real time away.
Coco Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion, has said she feels the same. “I do, obviously, wish that the offseason was longer, 100%,” Gauff said. “But it is what it is.”
Denis Shapovalov, a 2021 Wimbledon semifinalist, has been even more blunt. “I wouldn’t say there is even an offseason anymore,” he said. “The season is never-ending.” And Taylor Fritz, too, has been raising concerns about this issue since last year.
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Taylor Fritz calls out the ATP’s brutal schedule
Barely 4 months ago, Taylor Fritz spoke honestly about the good and bad sides of the expanded Masters events. “There are pros and cons,” the American said. “What I like the most is that there is a day of rest between each game. It is true that in Grand Slams we play five sets and it is necessary, but I think that here playing six games in six or seven days would be excessive.”
At the same time, he pointed out that the longer format adds more competition weeks. “In my opinion, if we played Masters 1000 of a week, we should not add other tournaments but increase the weeks available for the preseason.”
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His comments reflect what many players have been feeling for a while now. More matches mean more travel, more pressure, and less time to truly rest.
Alexander Zverev has also spoken up. The German didn’t hold back, saying the two-week Masters format is cutting into recovery time. He has urged the ATP to “really think about” whether the tour should move back to the old structure.
And it’s not just the Masters calendar causing frustration. A new rule introduced in 2025 has added another challenge for top players, making scheduling even tighter and more complicated.
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Taylor Fritz himself said he’s feeling that pressure during the North American summer swing. He’s defending runner-up points at the U.S. Open and finds himself squeezed into playing Washington, Toronto, and Cincinnati back-to-back. But the break he needs simply isn’t there.
“There’s a new rule that says you have to play a certain number of 500 events or they put a zero on your record,” Fritz explained in a press conference. “Because I was injured earlier this year, I missed two 500s, so I had to play in Washington to meet my quota.”
Now, with more players skipping matches and injuries already piling up, the debate around tennis scheduling is only getting louder. So what do you think about the tense tennis scheduling?

Ben Shelton’s AO campaign began with a straight-sets win over Ugo Humbert, but it wasn’t just his tennis that drew attention in Melbourne. The American’s candid remarks about college tennis players quickly became a talking point, prompting a response from fellow American great Andy Roddick.
Speaking after his 6-3, 7-6(2), 7-6(5) win over Humbert, the 23-year-old reflected on his own pathway through college tennis and offered strong praise for players who take that route (In this year’s draw, there are 34 American college players. Just a decade ago, there were 10). “Yeah, I think college players are dogs for the most part. I don’t feel like there are that many college players who come on tour and make it and are soft.” Shelton went on to explain that college tennis builds resilience in ways the pro tour sometimes doesn’t. But when those comments reached Andy Roddick, the former pro addressed them with his trademark blunt honesty.
While pushing back on the idea that toughness is exclusive to college players, Roddick made it clear he understood Ben Shelton’s broader points. “You know who else is a dog? Carlos Alcaraz. You know who else is a dog? Sinner. You know who else is a dog? Medvedev. But it’s just giving Ben Shelton, which is fun. He can take it easy. He’s got a good attitude about it.”
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Recalling the mid-2000s, he admitted that many top college players back then struggled to transition to the pro level. “If we rewind to like middle 2000s, and we would have guys come from college as practice partners on our Davis Cup team. A lot of them couldn’t play at all. I’m just going to lay it out there. You’d have these guys that would come in and, like, win NCAs and come, and you’re like, ‘Oh, that guy’s not going to make it at all.’ That’s not the case now… find me a better system than college tennis right now to produce players.”
The former world number one also noted that while generational talents like Carlos Alcaraz. Jannik Sinner and Joao Fonseca often bypass college tennis; the system has become a legitimate and proven pathway for many others. And who knows college tennis better than Ben Shelton?
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Taking a look at Ben Shelton’s journey: From a college tennis star to a superstar in the ATP
Currently ranked 7th in the world, Ben Shelton’s gradual rise to stardom has been marked by a lot of hard work and ups and downs. The American has made no secret about how his years playing college tennis, under the tutelage of his father Bryan Shelton, have been a crucial foundation for his professional success.
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Shelton began playing tennis at the age of 12 under his father’s guidance, a relationship that carried into his collegiate career with the Florida Gators, where Bryan served as head coach. Ben quickly left his mark, helping lead Florida to their first-ever national title at the 2021 NCAA Championships. A year later, he captured the NCAA Singles Championship and finished the season as the nation’s top-ranked college player.
Although Ben Shelton had entered his junior year at the University of Florida, he chose to turn pro and complete his education online after a stunning 6-3, 6-3 win over then-world number 5. Casper Ruud at the 2022 Cincinnati Open. From there, his rise accelerated… QF at the 2023 AO, a SF run at the US Open, and his maiden ATP title at the Japan Open.
In an interview with The Guardian following his fourth-round exit at Wimbledon in 2024, Shelton credited college tennis for transforming both his game and mindset. “I was pretty underdeveloped when I got to college. I had a lot of holes in my game. I was a little bit of a mental case on the court; I got angry pretty easily.”
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That changed quickly under his father’s watchful eyes. Shelton revealed that Bryan often punished him more harshly than his teammates to avoid any hint of favoritism. He also recalled being made to run extra sprints or being publicly called out if he arrived later, lessons he now embraces as part of his development.
Proud of his college journey, Ben Shelton continues to prove that there is more than one path to the top of the sport. As one of the brightest young stars on Tour, the American’s message is clear: toughness isn’t just built on the pro circuit, it can be forged long before, in the grind of college tennis.
Next up for Shelton at the 2026 AO is the local lad, Dane Sweeny. Facing Humbert (33) in the first round itself was really a tough challenge. Shelton overcame that easily, but can he keep this winning run going?

A statement of confidence as much as style, Naomi Osaka walked onto one of the biggest stages in tennis wearing a wide-brim hat, a veil and holding a white parasol in a bold opening act at the Australian Open.
Aware that such an iconic walk-on could backfire if she lost her first-round match, Osaka did everything she needed Tuesday to bring down the curtain on Day 3 at Rod Laver Arena with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Antonia Ruzic.
The hat and umbrella were adorned with symbolic butterflies, a nod to one of the memorable moments of Osaka’s last title run at Melbourne Park in 2021 rather than a reflection of the usual first-round jitters at a major tournament.
“When I was playing today, I just told myself, like, ‘Keep your head on the path. If she beats you, then that’s unfortunate. But, hey, at least you’re trending,’” on social media, she said.
Osaka has won four Grand Slam singles titles, including two at the U.S. Open and two in Australia in 2019 and 2021.
She next plays Sorana Cirstea, who beat Eva Lys 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. After reaching the U.S. Open semifinals last year — her best result at a Grand Slam event in four years — Osaka is growing in confidence.
Born in Japan but growing up in America, Osaka was inspired by Venus and Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, the tennis stars she described as the “G.O.A.T’s of style.”
“I think it all comes down to personality, too,” she said.
The dress she wore in her first-round match, in shades of blue and green, was also a tribute to her daughter, Shai, and her fascination with jellyfish.
“So, the inspiration was obviously the jellyfish, then butterflies, which kind of ties back to the butterfly moment I had here a long time ago, in 2021,” Osaka said, recalling the images of one landing on her during a third-round match.
Osaka said to her clothing sponsor, Nike, “let me design this one.”
It took months of planning. And it all tied in with the remodeled player tunnel at Rod Laver Arena that reflects Australian themes such as beaches and the coast.
“Honestly it came together quite beautifully because I didn’t know what to expect when I arrived here,” Osaka said. “Then it just felt like everywhere I looked the theme was water. Obviously the walkout was like you see oceans and waves. I thought that it was really beautiful. Really amazing coincidence.”

Coco Gauff delivered yet another dominant performance at the Australian Open, cruising past Olga Danilovic in the second round to continue her strong start in Melbourne. The American looked firmly in control as she backed up her opening round and moved a step closer to her long-awaited maiden AO title. What did she say about the secret to success in this incredible second-round duel?
After winning her first-round match against Kamilla Rakhimova, Gauff said, “I try not to put so much pressure on myself with the first round. I just want to win the tournament.” She also spoke about Danilovic in her post-match interview. Hailing the Serb as a “great player,” Gauff said it’s going to be a tough match. But the scoreline in this second-round clash tells a different story. Gauff defeated Danilovic by 6-2, 6-2. While sharing thoughts on the secret weapon (drop shot) that helped her secure this win against Danilovic, Gauff said she has been inspired by Carlos Alcaraz. “Honestly, the drop shot is always a bad idea in my head, and then I make it, and I’m like ‘Oh ok, that was good.’ I saw Carlos yesterday, and I was like, ‘I’m trying to drop shot like him.’”
She further added, “In my first match I won like 7 drop shot points, which I don’t think I’ve ever done. Today I won all of them that I did. It’s a good shot until I miss it. My coach said don’t drop shot on pressure points. I think almost every time I drop shotted today was on a pressure and it worked so…” With this win, Coco Gauff has now added yet another feather to her cap.
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Since 2022, Gauff (14-0) is one of the four players, along with Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and Elina Svitolina, to have an unbeaten record in the second round at women’s singles Grand Slams (minimum 10 appearances).

Naomi Osaka once again became the center of attention at the Australian Open, but this time the spotlight extended far beyond the tennis world.
After stepping onto the Melbourne court in a jellyfish-inspired outfit designed with Nike and couture designer Robert Wun, Osaka took to Instagram to share her look.
The post quickly drew reactions from celebrities across fashion, music, television and sports.
At the heart of the buzz was Osaka’s custom ensemble: a turquoise dress layered over flowing pleated white pants, paired with a wide-brimmed white hat, sheer veil and matching parasol.
The sea-inspired design featured soft gradients and sculptural details that echoed the movement of a jellyfish. While the look already sparked conversation during her entrance at Rod Laver Arena, it was the reaction on social media, especially from well-known figures, that reshaped the story into one of admiration rather than debate.
Fashion star Elle Ferguson summed up the feeling in a single word, commenting, “ICONIC” under Osaka’s post.
The admiration did not stop with the fashion world. Olympic gymnast Suni Lee, who understands the pressure of performing on a global stage, called Osaka’s look “the coolest.”
Singer-songwriter SZA offered one of the most layered reactions, writing, “AND THEN SHE WON !!!! creative expression while mothering in several ways.”
Osaka had just battled through a tough three-set match against Antonia Ruzic, and SZA’s comment underlined that the bold look did not distract from winning: it existed alongside it.
Actress Leslie Grossman added her own praise with a warm, enthusiastic “So so good🔥,” while TV personality Keiarna Stewart echoed the sentiment by writing, “SO GOOD! ❤️🔥🔥🔥.”
Osaka herself has explained that the jellyfish theme was intentional and personal. She revealed that Nike allowed her to take part in designing the look, which was modeled after a jellyfish to reflect fluidity and strength.
The outfit also included butterfly details on her hat and umbrella, a subtle reference to a memorable moment during her 2021 Australian Open title run, when she gently removed a butterfly from her face mid-match before going on to win the tournament.
In the end, the reactions from celebrities turned Osaka’s Instagram post into a celebration. The moment captured how a tennis outfit can become a cultural statement and how Naomi Osaka continues to shape conversations that go far beyond the baseline.