The Australian Open gets underway on Sunday for the first time this year, with defending champions Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka in action to close out the tournament’s opening day of action.
There are four Australians in action on Sunday, with Adam Walton, Dane Sweeny, Chris O’Connell and Jason Kubler all looking to progress beyond the first round while Alex de Minaur and Ajla Tomljanovic highlight Monday’s play.
Start times and courts for matches on Monday are yet to be confirmed.
For the time being, foxsports.com.au has the latest news and updates from Melbourne Park ahead of Sunday’s opening matches.
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AUSSIE MASTER COACH BEHIND SINNER’S RISE
Jannik Sinner credited master coach Darren Cahill Friday with helping him rise up the rankings, saying the Australian gave him a different perspective on tennis.
The Italian brought Cahill on board in June 2022 and he has overseen the 22-year-old’s elevation to number four in the world.
“There are many things,” Sinner said when asked what made Cahill special.
“He gives you a point of view not only tennis-wise but also the general view. I really like this. I love the company I have. We have a lot of fun.”
“If we would live 24/7 in a house all together, we could live so, so long because we make zero problems out of it,” he added.
“We enjoy our ride. That’s good for us.”
Cahill guided Lleyton Hewitt to become the then youngest men’s world number one and coached Andre Agassi.
He has also worked with Andy Murray, Ana Ivanovic, Fernando Verdasco, and Simona Halep.
“It’s just the little things that make a big difference in a player’s career, and that’s kind of my role,” Cahill said recently.
Sinner enjoyed a breakthrough 2023, winning his first Masters title, in Toronto, and reaching the championship match against Novak Djokovic at the ATP Finals.
He also won titles in Montpellier, Vienna and Beijing last season, notching wins over Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev in the Chinese capital.
He said he was confident he could that momentum into the Australian Open as he targets a maiden Grand Slam title, despite opting out of warm-up tournaments.
“At the end of the year I played really good, I have still the confidence inside me, for sure,” he said.
Sinner opens his campaign in Melbourne against Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp.
Medvedev rested & ready before AUS Open | 00:47
RADUCANU HOPES AUS OPEN CAN SPARK CAREER RESURGENCE
Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu says her level is “just too good not to come through” as she looks to get her career back on track at the Australian Open.
The British player stunned the tennis world when she triumphed at Flushing Meadows in 2021 as a qualifier but only on one other occasion has she reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam.
The 21-year-old has plummeted to 299th in the world after an eight-month layoff with ankle and wrist injuries.
But she is confident that if she can achieve consistency, she can shoot up the rankings.
“Success to me in the long-term is, for the rest of the year, to play a full season, to be healthy throughout, to be able to train consistent weeks,” she said on Friday.
“I know my level is there, I just need to keep working on it to make it more consistent.
“I think that will come with time in the gym, time on court, being able to play the calendar, not thinking ‘Will I have to pull out from this one? Does that hurt?’ Just being able to go consistently throughout the year.
“I think my level, to be honest, is just too good not to come through if I put consistent work together.”
Raducanu, who has been criticised for chopping and changing her coaching team, has reunited with childhood coach Nick Cavaday as she prepares for her opening match in Melbourne against American Shelby Rogers.
She was asked whether she would do things differently in the future.
“Reflecting on the past, I think people are very important, like the people who I surround myself with is maybe sometimes even more so,” she said.
“I think surrounding yourself with competent and knowledgeable people is of course really important, but also the type of person and their character is big-time, just making sure we really get on and intentions are really good.”