Until Friday, this year’s Australian Open was highly predictable and spiritually dull. So anticlimactic and upset free were the first 12 days that the story of the tournament had been the peaceful manner in which Coco Gauff, reeling from her quarterfinals loss, sought out a private area in the bowels of Rod Laver Arena to dismantle her racquet (she was caught on-camera, prompting 48 hours of discourse about surveillance and privacy or the lack thereof). On the men’s side, fans, pundits, and bookies agreed the whole tournament was sort of a mandatory preamble to yet another face-off between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who have met in the finals of the past three majors and strengthened their choke hold over the rest of the tour.
But the greatest player in men’s tennis history had other ideas.
Over the past two seasons, 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic, accustomed to being on top for so long, had emerged as a consistent third wheel to the Sinner-Alcaraz duopoly, reaching four major semifinals and losing to one of them at each. At 38 — an unthinkable age to be going this deep into majors — the Serb was an 8-1 underdog against Sinner going into their Friday semifinal, having lost his previous five matches against the world No 2. And the prospect that Djokovic could win a men and women’s record 25th major title — the distinction, one assumes, that has been preventing him from retiring altogether — seemed unlikely.
That’s why his five-set win over Sinner, concluding just before 2 a.m. on Saturday in Melbourne, is up there with the most impressive feats in what was already the sport’s winningest résumé. Since Sinner’s emergence in 2022, the Italian had often been compared to Djokovic, with analysts somewhat lazily equating their suffocating consistency and ruthless ground strokes. But Sinner has always been the more natural aggressor, with Djokovic favoring an approach rooted in power absorption and counterpunching.
On Friday night, however, Djokovic took the bigger cuts. Nowhere was his desire to shorten the points against his much younger and generally fresher opponent more evident than in the match’s third-to-last game, with Sinner threatening one final momentum shift. Serving at 4-3, the Serb fended off three break points. But this wasn’t exactly the Djokovic of years past, machinelike and steely-eyed, simply refusing to miss. This was Djokovic playing offensive, first-strike tennis, uncorking down-the-line forehands while airborne, drilling his backhand to the corners, firing off an ace, then keeling over in the sort of pain familiar to most 38-year-olds who push themselves to the limit. That he could impose his will on Sinner, 14 years his junior, seemed shocking at first and then fated, since it called to mind the physical and mental fortitude that has enabled Djokovic to win this tournament ten times.
On several occasions, Djokovic crossed himself and looked up at the midnight sky as though being guided by a deity. And surely, Djokovic has had luck on his side these past two weeks, having been the beneficiary of Jakub Menšík’s withdrawal in the fourth round and, most fortuitously, Lorenzo Musetti’s mid-match retirement when Djokovic was down two sets and, as he put it later, “on my way home.”
Djokovic may need another turn of good fortune in Sunday’s final against Alcaraz, whose own warriorlike resolve was on display in his gutsy, five-and-a-half-hour victory over Alexander Zverev in the other semifinal. History will be on the line: that record-setting 25th slam for Djokovic and a first Australian Open for Alcaraz, which would make him the youngest man to win all four majors. In the U.S. Open semifinals last September, Alcaraz appeared to have put a bit of distance between them, earning a mostly routine straight-set win. But only one year earlier, Djokovic had stunned the Spaniard at the Paris Olympics to add the elusive gold medal to his immense trophy case. If the idea that he would beat Sinner and Alcaraz back-to-back seemed far-fetched two weeks ago, consider the fact that nothing motivates Djokovic quite like his pursuit of the sport’s mountaintop.
For most of us watching Stateside, the 3:30 a.m. wake-ups required to watch Australian Open tennis haven’t been especially rewarding this year. But Sunday’s match is worth setting an alarm for.
Tonight’s matchup at Rod Laver Arena sees World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, a two-time Grand Slam champion and one of the favorites to contend for the title, facing 18-year-old Iva Jovic in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Australian Open. Sabalenka advanced with a powerful straight-sets win over Victoria Mboko, showcasing her trademark aggressive baseline game and depth of shotmaking, while Jovic impressed with a dominant 6-0, 6-1 victory over Yulia Putintseva to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinal. This clash of experience versus rising talent sets the stage for a compelling contrast: Sabalenka’s relentless power and consistency against Jovic’s fearless shotmaking and confidence at this breakout stage.
In the United States, the Sabalenka versus Jovic quarterfinal begins at approximately 7:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN2, with full match streams available on ESPN+ for subscribers.
With no previous head-to-head between these two, tonight’s meeting promises intriguing dynamics, and viewers tuning in will get to see whether Jovic’s stunning run continues or Sabalenka’s Grand Slam experience prevails.
This is a great tennis matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.
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The Australian Open’s first formal opening ceremony became the Roger Federer show on the eve of the season-opening major.
The band Crowded House played a hit-filled setlist to a capacity crowd in the 15,000-seat Rod Laver Arena. Laver himself, 87, sat courtside. Record-setting champion Novak Djokovic watched from the stands.
Federer, a six-time Australian Open winner and 20-time Grand Slam champion, partnered with past champions Andre Agassi and then Ash Barty in an exhibition doubles match against Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt as the main feature of the program.
It went to script, with Federer winning the first point despite framing a forehand and then emphatically finishing off the victory with a leaping overhead winner.
Rod Laver, centre, waves ahead of a doubles match between Roger Federer of Switzerland and Andre Agassi of the United States, left, and Lleyton Hewitt, right, and Pat Rafter of Australia during the Opening Ceremony for the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026.
Dita Alangkara / AP
Federer was back in Australia for the first time since 2021, making the trip now because he retired from competitive tennis before he could do a farewell season tour. He said, “It’s super important to be grateful” to earlier generations of stars.
“It really truly means so much to me when people like Rocket (Laver) show up,” Federer said.
This year, the Australian Open is a three-week festival of tennis. Over 217,000 fans have attended exhibitions and qualifying events in the past six days. The main draw singles competition will begin on Sunday. Djokovic will play his opening match on Monday. Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams is set to play, becoming the oldest woman ever to compete in the Australian Open’s main draw.
Australian Open organizers turned the 2026 event into a three-week festival of tennis, with 217,999 fans attending across six days to watch exhibitions, qualifying and the 1 Point Slam before the main draw started.
Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams has received a wild-card entry for the Australian Open beginning Jan. 18 in Melbourne.The tournament said Friday that the 45-year-old Williams would make a return to Melbourne Park 28 years after her first appearance. In 1998, she defeated her younger sister Serena in the second round before losing in the quarterfinals to fellow American Lindsay Davenport.Venus had announced in November that she would play in Auckland, New Zealand, where she also received a wild card, two weeks before the Australian Open. The Australian Open said Williams was also entered to play a tournament in Hobart, Australia a week later and just before play begins at Melbourne Park.She last appeared in Melbourne in 2021 and has finished runner-up in the women’s singles twice, losing to Serena in the finals in 2003 and 2017.”I’m excited to be back in Australia and looking forward to competing during the Australian summer,” Williams said. “I’ve had so many incredible memories there, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to return to a place that has meant so much to my career.”Williams’ record at Melbourne Park is 54 wins and 21 losses. This year will be the 22nd time she has appeared in the main draw.The tournament said Williams is set to become the oldest woman to compete in an Australian Open main draw, surpassing the record previously held by Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she lost in the first round at Melbourne Park in 2015.In late December, Williams married Danish-born model and actor Andrea Preti at Palm Beach, Florida.
Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams has received a wild-card entry for the Australian Open beginning Jan. 18 in Melbourne.
The tournament said Friday that the 45-year-old Williams would make a return to Melbourne Park 28 years after her first appearance. In 1998, she defeated her younger sister Serena in the second round before losing in the quarterfinals to fellow American Lindsay Davenport.
Venus had announced in November that she would play in Auckland, New Zealand, where she also received a wild card, two weeks before the Australian Open. The Australian Open said Williams was also entered to play a tournament in Hobart, Australia a week later and just before play begins at Melbourne Park.
She last appeared in Melbourne in 2021 and has finished runner-up in the women’s singles twice, losing to Serena in the finals in 2003 and 2017.
“I’m excited to be back in Australia and looking forward to competing during the Australian summer,” Williams said. “I’ve had so many incredible memories there, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to return to a place that has meant so much to my career.”
Williams’ record at Melbourne Park is 54 wins and 21 losses. This year will be the 22nd time she has appeared in the main draw.
The tournament said Williams is set to become the oldest woman to compete in an Australian Open main draw, surpassing the record previously held by Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she lost in the first round at Melbourne Park in 2015.
In late December, Williams married Danish-born model and actor Andrea Preti at Palm Beach, Florida.
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Game point. If you’ve been following along with all the latest matches, you may be wondering how to watch the Australian Open Finals in the US live for free to see who takes home the gold. Not sure where to watch the Australian Open Finals? Keep reading for best pick (and one of the only ways) to stream the Australian Open Finals live for free.
For those new to the game of tennis, the Australian Open is a tournament held each year at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The tournament is the first of the four annual Grand Slam tennis events including the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. The Australian Open starts in the middle of January and runs for two weeks coinciding with Australia Day on January 26. The tournament includes both men’s and women’s singles; men’s, women’s and mixed doubles; and junior championships.
Last year in 2023, Novak Djokovic won the men’s singles Australian Open title while Aryna Sabalenka won the women’s singles title. In 2024, Sabalenka secured her position in the Australian Open women’s final after beating out Coco Gauff in the semifinals. Sabalenka will face up against Qinwen Zheng, who defeated Dayana Yastremska. On the men’s side, the final two competitors will be decided after Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner play in the semifinals, alongside Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev.
So where can tennis fans stream the Australian Open Finals? Read on for how to watch the Australian Open Finals in the US live for free to see the last tournament of the Grand Slam and see which professional tennis players leave in victory.
Image: Getty Images.
When are the Australian Open Finals 2024?
The Australian Open Finals start on Saturday, January 27, 2024. The women’s finals airs at 3:30 a.m. ET, the men’s double finals airs at 5:30 a.m. ET, and the women’s doubles finals airs at 11 p.m. ET.
How to watch the Australian Open Finals 2024 in the US live for free
Australian Open Finals matches airs on ESPN and ESPN 2, which are available to stream on services like DirecTV Stream, Fubo, Sling Orange, and Hulu+ With Live TV. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial, starts at $74.99 per month after the trial ends, and includes ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, and Tennis Channel, which broadcasts daily highlights, analysis, and replays. Fubo offers a seven-day free trial, starts at $74.99 per month after the trial ends, and includes ESPN.
Sling Orange and Hulu+ With Live TV don’t have free trials, however, they are cheaper per month than the other options. Sling Orange starts at $40 per month, and includes ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3. Hulu+ With Live TV starts at $68.99 per month and includes ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNews. Some Australian Open matches are also available to stream on ESPN’s streaming service, ESPN Plus, which starts at $10.99 per month.
Best Overall Pick to Watch the Australian Open Finals 2024 in the US: Direct TV Stream’s Free Trial
Direct TV is our best overall pick to watch the Australian Open Finals live for free for its free trial, price (including its current deal), and channel selection. Direct TV Stream offers a five-day free trial and has a current deal where new subscribers can receive $10 off their first three months. Direct TV offers four plans: Entertainment, which costs $74.99 per month with the first three months at $64.99 per month; Choice, which costs $99.99 per month with the first three months at $89.99 per month; Ultimate, which costs $109.99 per month with the first three months at $99.99 per month; and Premiere, which costs $154.99 per month with the first three months at $144.99 per month. ESPN and ESPN 2 are available on all four plans, while ESPN News, ESPN U, and Tennis Channel are available on Choice, Ultimate, and Premiere only.
As for other difference between the plans, Entertainment includes more than 75 channels, the ability to stream on unlimited devices in your home, unlimited cloud DVR storage, and a special offer on premium channels. Choice, which is the most popular plan, includes more than 105 channels, regional sports networks, and everything included in Entertainment. Ultimate includes more than 140 channels and everything included in Entertainment and Choice. Premiere includes more than 150 channels including premium channels like HBO and starz and everything included in Entertainment, Choice, and Premiere. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch the Australian Open with DirecTV Stream’s free trial.
As for the difference between the plans, Pro includes 180 channels, 1,000 hours of Cloud DVR, and the ability to watch on up to 10 screens at once. Elite includes everything in Pro, as well as a total of 256 channels and 4K resolution. Ultimate includes everything in Pro and Elite, as well as a total of 299 channels, Showtime, and Red Zone NFL Network. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch the Australian Open with Fubo’s free trial.
Best Budget Pick to Watch the Australian Open Finals 2024 in the US: Sling
Sling TV is our best budget pick to watch the Australian Open Finals live for its price and channel selection. Sling TV offers three plans: Sling Orange for $40 per month; Sling Blue for $45 per month; and Sling Orange + Blue for $60 per month. Sling also has a current deal where subscribers can sign up for 50 percent off their first month, bringing Sling Orange’s price down to $20 for your first month; Sling Blue’s to $22.50 for your first month; and Sling Orange + Blue’s to $30 for your first month. Only Sling Orange and Sling Orange + Blue include ESPN and ESPN2. Both of those plans also include ESPN 3.
As for the difference between the plans, Sling Orange includes 32 channels and the ability to stream on one device at a time, while Sling Orange + Blue includes 46 channels and the ability to stream on three devices at the same time. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how watch the Australian Open with Sling.
Best Upgrade Pick to Watch the Australian Open Finals 2024 in the US: Hulu+ Live TV
Hulu+ With Live TV is our best upgrade pick to watch the Australian Open Finals based on its channel selection and its free subscriptions to Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN plus. Hulu+ With Live TV offers four plans: a $68.99 per month plan with access to only live TV; a $69.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with ads, Disney Plus with ads, and ESPN Plus with ads; a $74.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with ads, Disney Plus with no ads, and ESPN Plus with ads; and a $82.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with no ads, Disney Plus with no ads, and ESPN Plus with ads. ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN News are included on all four plans. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how watch the Australian Open with Hulu+ Live TV.
How to Watch Australian Open Finals in the US on ESPN Plus
Some Australian Open matches are also available to stream on ESPN Plus, ESPN’s streaming service with live sports events and thousands of hours of TV shows, movies and other content not aired on TV. ESPN Plus costs $10.99 per month for a monthly plan or $109.99 per year for a yearly plan, which saves customers about 17 percent or $22 from the monthly rate. ESPN Plus also offers exclusive UFC pay-per-view matches for $79.99 for existing subscribers.
ESPN Plus is also included in The Disney Bundle, which offers three plans: Duo Basic for $9.99 per month (which includes ad-supported plans of Hulu and Disney Plus; Trio Basic for $14.99 per month (which includes ad-supported plans of Hulu, Disney Plus and ESPN Plus); and Trio Premium for $24.99 per month (which includes ad-free plans for Hulu, and Disney Plus and an ad-supported plan of ESPN Plus). Read on for how to watch the Australian Open Finals with ESPN Plus.
Does ESPN Plus have a free trial? The answer is no. Though ESPN Plus had a seven-day free trial when it launched in 2018, the service has since ended the option. However, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a way to watch ESPN Plus for free. Read on for an even better alternative to ESPN Plus’ free trial.
If you’re a Verizon customer, you may be eligible for a free subscription to The Disney Bundle, which includes Disney Plus without ads, Hulu with ads, and ESPN Plus with ads. According to Verizon, those eligible for the free Disney Bundle include Verizon customers with at least one of these phone plans on their account: 5G Get More or 5G Play More. Click here for Verizon’s FAQ on how to sign up for the free Disney Bundle.
What is the Australian Open Finals 2024 schedule?
See below for the full Australian Open Finals 2024 schedule and where to watch the closing matches.
Saturday, January 27, 2024 Women’s Finals 3:30 a.m. ET on ESPN
Men’s Doubles Finals 5:30 a.m. ET on ESPN Plus
Women’s Doubles Finals 11 p.m. ET on ESPN Plus
Sunday, January 28, 2024 Men’s Finals 3:30 a.m. ET on ESPN
American tennis star Coco Gauff is out of the Australian Open after losing in Thursday’s night’s semifinal to reigning champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 7-6 (2), 6-4 — marking Gauff’s first loss of the year.
The second-seeded Sabalenka will compete in the final Saturday at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena against China’s Qinwen Zheng, who defeated Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska Thursday.
Sabalenka is the first woman to reach back-to-back finals at the Australian Open since Serena Williams did it in 2016 and 2017.
Gauff, a four-seed, kept herself in the match with surprise responses to Sabalenka’s powerful hits, nearly taking the first set after briefly getting the lead, but losing a contentious tiebreaker.
The 25-year-old Sabalenka played steadily against Gauff in the second set, making sure to take advantage of each of Gauff’s mistakes.
Coco Gauff reacts during her match against Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinal of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Jan. 25, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia.
Getty Images
“She’s a great player, always tough battles against her,” Sabalenka said in a post-game interview on the court. “I was just ready for anything tonight. I think that was the key.”
This was not the pair’s first high-stakes matchup. The two competed in the U.S. Open final last September, when Gauff defeated Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 to take home her first Grand Slam title.
Despite the loss, Gauff said she was proud of the way she played in Melbourne, even adding it may have been better than her play in New York.
“I had chances in both sets, but she played better tonight,” the 19-year-old Gauff said in a press conference. “I felt like I did my best with the game plan that I had. I think it just came down to a couple of points.”
“I feel like I played a little bit more aggressive this time,” Gauff added.
Melbourne, Australia — Novak Djokovic found this trip to Australia far less complicated, and far more successful, than that of a year ago.
Unable to enter his best event in 2022 after being deported from the country because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19, Djokovic accomplished all he could have wanted in his return: He resumed his winning ways at Melbourne Park and made it back to the top of tennis.
Only briefly challenged in the final on Sunday night, Djokovic was simply better at the most crucial moments and beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) for a record-extending 10th Australian Open championship and record-tying 22nd Grand Slam title overall. As a bonus, Djokovic will vault from No. 5 to No. 1 in the ATP rankings, a spot he already has held for more weeks than any other man.
“He’s the greatest that has ever held a tennis racket,” Tsitsipas said.
Djokovic stretched his unbeaten streak in Melbourne to 28 matches, the longest run at the tournament for a man in the Open era, which dates to 1968. He adds trophy No. 10 there to the seven from Wimbledon, three from the U.S. Open — where he also was absent last year because of no coronavirus shots — and two at the French Open, to match rival Rafael Nadal for the most by a man in tennis history.
Margaret Court, with 24, Serena Williams, with 23, and Steffi Graf, with 22, have the most among women.
This was also the 93rd ATP tour-level title for Djokovic, allowing the 35-year-old from Serbia to break a tie with Nadal for the fourth-most. Jimmy Connors holds that mark, at 109.
Djokovic was participating in his 33rd major final, Tsitsipas in his second — and the 24-year-old from Greece’s other one also ended in a loss to Djokovic, at the 2021 French Open.
Novak Djokovic celebrates winning the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Jan. 29, 2023.
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
He was superior throughout against Tsitsipas, but especially so in the two tiebreakers. He took a 4-1 lead in the first and after it was 4-all, pulled off three points in a row. He led 5-0 in the closing tiebreaker and, when it finished, he pointed to his temple then climbed into the stands, pumped his fist and jumped with his coach, Goran Ivanisevic, and other members of the entourage, and collapsed, crying.
Little doubt this is of no solace to Tsitsipas, but there is no shame in failing to defeat Djokovic in Melbourne. Challenging his dominion on those blue hard courts is every bit the monumental task that taking on Nadal on the red clay at Roland Garros is.
Perhaps surprisingly, Tsitsipas was willing to engage in the kind of leg-wearying, lung-searing back-and-forths upon which Djokovic has built his superlative career. How did that work out? Of points lasting at least five strokes, Djokovic won 43, Tsitsipas 30.
Then again, on those rare occasions that Tsitsipas did charge the net, he likely regretted the choice, because Djokovic often conjured up a passing shot that was too tough to handle.
One of Djokovic’s many other strengths is his return game, and he accumulated three break points within 17 minutes, converting the last for a quick 3-1 lead when Tsitsipas double-faulted.
The trophy for which they were playing was displayed on a pedestal near a corner of the court, and both men would get within reach of it whenever wandering over to towel off between points at that end.
So close, yes, but for Tsitsipas, never truly close enough.
Novak Djokovic speaks with Stefanos Tsitsipas during the trophy ceremony after the Australian Open in Melbourne on Jan. 29, 2023.
DAVID GRAY/AFP via Getty Images
It’s not as though Tsitsipas played all that poorly, other than a rash of early miscues that seemed to be more a product of tension than anything.
It’s that Djokovic was, put simply, too good. Too accurate with his strokes — making merely 22 unforced errors, 20 fewer than his foe — and anticipation. Too speedy and flexible chasing shots (other than on one second-set point, when, running to his left, Djokovic took a tumble). Too dangerous with his returns and damaging enough with his serves.
Djokovic pushes and pushes and pushes some more, until it’s the opponent who is something less than perfect on one shot, either missing or providing an opening to pounce.
There has been more than forehands and backhands on Djokovic’s mind over the past two weeks.
There was the not-so-small matter of last year’s legal saga — he has alternately acknowledged the whole thing served as a form of motivation but also said the other day, “I’m over it” — and curiosity about the sort of reception he would get.
He heard a ton of loud support, but also dealt with some persistent heckling while competing, including applause after the faults Sunday.
There was the sore left hamstring that has been heavily bandaged for every match — until the final, that is, when only a single piece of beige athletic tape was visible — and had worried him at the beginning of Week 1, prompting him to turn to what he said was “a lot” of pain-killing pills and other treatments he didn’t detail.
And then there was the more complicated matter of his father, Srdjan, being filmed with a group of people with Russian flags — one with an image of Vladimir Putin — after Djokovic’s quarterfinal victory. The tournament banned spectators from bringing in flags of Russia or Belarus, saying they would cause disruption because of the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Both Djokovic and his father said it was a misunderstanding, based on Srdjan thinking he was with a group of Serbian fans.
Because of that episode, Srdjan Djokovic did not attend his son’s semifinal victory over Tommy Paul on Friday, and was not seen in the Djokovic guest box on Sunday.
No matter any of it, Djokovic managed to excel as he so often does, winning 17 sets in a row after ceding one in the second round last week.
The 24-year-old Sabalenka, who is from Belarus, was appearing in her first major final.
She improved to 11-0 in 2023, and the only set she has dropped all season was the opener on Saturday against Wimbledon champion Rybakina.
But Sabalenka turned things around with an aggressive style that resulted in 51 winners, 20 more than her opponent. She used 17 aces to overcome seven double-faults. And she managed to break the big-serving Rybakina three times, the last coming for a 4-3 lead in the third set that she never relinquished.
Sabalenka needed to work for the championship, double-faulting on her initial match point and requiring three more to close things out.
When Rybakina sent a forehand long to cap the final after nearly 2 1/2 hours, Sabalenka dropped to her back on the court and stayed down for a bit, covering her face as her eyes welled with tears.
Sabalenka is a powerful player whose most glowing strength was also her most glaring shortfall: her serve. Long capable of hammering aces, she also had a well-known problem with double-faulting, leading the tour in that category last year with nearly 400, including more than 20 apiece in some matches.
After much prodding from her team, she finally agreed to undergo an overhaul of her serving mechanics last August. That, along with a commitment to trying to stay calm in the most high-pressure moments, is really paying off now.
Sabalenka was 0-3 in Grand Slam semifinals until eliminating Magda Linette in Melbourne. Now Sabalenka has done one better and will rise to No. 2 in the rankings.
Saturday’s contest is, after all, Sabalenka’s first singles title match at a Grand Slam tournament. Rybakina is more familiar with this stage: She won Wimbledon a little more than six months ago.
“That’s OK, to feel little bit nervous. It’s a big tournament, big final,” Sabalenka said. “If you’re going to start trying to do something about that, it’s going to become bigger, you know?”
She is seeded No. 5; Rybakina is No. 22. Sabalenka is a 24-year-old from Belarus; Rybakina is a 23-year-old who was born in Moscow and began representing Kazakhstan in 2018 when that country offered to fund her tennis career.
“For me, this time, I would say it was a bit easier, compared to Wimbledon, when I was playing for the first time (in a major) quarters, semis, final,” said Rybakina, the first woman since Jennifer Capriati in 2001 to beat three past Grand Slam champions during one edition at Melbourne Park.
That run includes victories over three-time Slam winner and Iga Swiatek, 2012-13 Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka and 2017 French Open champ Jelena Ostapenko, along with Danielle Collins, the runner-up at Melbourne a year ago.
Both Rybakina and Sabalenka are among the most powerful players on tour, using big serves and groundstrokes to overwhelm opponents. It’s a style that evokes the way the Williams sisters went about winning when they began to transform the sport — and rather different from the way the current No. 1, Iga Swiatek, and her predecessor, the retired Ash Barty, went about things.
“As a matchup, I mean, it’s going to be a lot of mistakes, a lot of winners, I’m sure about that, from both sides, because there is going to be a lot of pressure,” said Stefano Vukov, Rybakina’s coach. “I think who serves well tomorrow goes through. That’s my feeling.”
Both finalists are indeed capable of terrific serving, which was not always the case for Sabalenka.
She has won a tournament-high 89% of her service games, holding in 49 of 55, meaning she has been broken an average of just once per match. It’s a significant development for someone who struggled mightily with double-faulting last year, accumulating nearly 400 over the course of the season, including more than 20 in some matches.
But Sabalenka reworked the mechanics on her serve during a five-day session less than a month before the U.S. Open, where she got to the semifinals. Something else Sabalenka has improved that has made her a better player: the way she manages her mindset during a match.
Instead of “screaming after some bad points or some errors” the way she used to, Sabalenka said she now tries to “hold myself, stay calm, just think about the next point. … Just less negative emotions.”
Rybakina rarely lets so much as the slightest trace of emotion show, even when she clinched the championship at the All England Club.
Both tend to seek to put an end to points with quick strikes from the baseline.
Sabalenka has managed to keep the ledger tilted quite a bit in her favor, accumulating 196 winners (32.7 per match) and 136 unforced errors (22.7 per match). Rybakina’s numbers are more even, averaging 26.3 winners and 24.8 unforced errors.
This will be their fourth head-to-head meeting, and Sabalenka is 3-0 so far, winning each in three sets, although they haven’t played each other since Wimbledon in 2021.
Since then, Sabalenka’s coach, Anton Dubrov observed, “Aryna lost (her) serve. Then she found the serve. Meanwhile, Rybakina won a Slam. They both kind of came here from different directions. So I would say … all previous matches don’t matter at all. It’s going to be something really new.”
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Elena Rybakina powered her way past two-time champion Victoria Azarenka to reach the Australian Open final, winning 7-6 6-3 in just over an hour on Thursday.
The huge-hitting Rybakina has now made two of the last three grand slam finals after her victorious Wimbledon run last summer and, at just 23 years of age, is likely to be a force on the WTA Tour for many years to come.
When everything clicks, Rybakina’s game is almost unstoppable and a marvel to watch. Her ferocious serve and booming groundstrokes allow her to dictate points with ease, so long as she can maintain the consistency to go with the power.
The momentum swung back and forth in the opening set and the more experienced Azarenka looked as though she had the upper hand going into the tie break, but Rybakina found her serve when she needed it most to take a crucial lead.
The second set was a somewhat more straightforward affair, as Rybakina broke Azarenka three times en route to securing a place in her second grand slam final.
“I’m super happy and proud, with my team also because without them it would be difficult to be here,” Rybakina said in her post-match interview. “And really thank you [the crowd] a lot because it’s an incredible atmosphere. I’m super happy to be in the final and play one more time here.
“I’ve got a little bit of experience from Wimbledon, and I want to come on court and enjoy the moment and atmosphere because it’s amazing to play in front of you guys. We’ll see how it’s going to go – for sure, I’ll try my best. I’ll fight and, hopefully, I’m going to win.”
It was yet another near-perfect display of tennis from the 35-year-old, as he continued his seemingly inevitable march towards a record-equaling 22nd grand slam with a 6-1 6-2 6-4 victory in just two hours and three minutes.
Djokovic is now playing arguably the best tennis of his career and has lost just 12 games over his last two matches, extending his winning run at the Australian Open to 26, tying Andre Agassi’s record.
The early signs were ominous for Rublev, who looked to still be feeling the effects of his five-set epic against Holger Rune, with the Russian broken in only his third service game.
It was a setback he never looked like recovering from, as Djokovic ran away with the match and took one step closer to winning a record-extending 10th Australian Open title.
“I would rank this win as No. 2 [this year], but very close to the performance of two nights ago,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview. “I could not be happier with my tennis. I’ve been playing very solid from the back of the court, I love playing in these conditions … this court, I’ve said it before, it’s the most special court for me.
“The scoreline in the first two sets doesn’t speak to the reality of the match, there were some close games we had. Andrey is a great opponent and great player, I have great respect for him. I knew what the gameplan was, but one thing is to imagine how you want to play and another thing is to execute on court. In the most important moments, I found my best tennis.
“I’ve tried about any bio feedback machine on this planet in order to get my leg ready, it worked and I’m going to keep going. I miss tennis on my days off, but it’s important to be smart and wise with the body in these particular circumstances where it’s more important to get ready for the next challenge.”
Djokovic will now face American Tommy Paul, playing in his first grand slam semifinal, for a place in Sunday’s Australian Open final.
“Obviously, he doesn’t have much to lose, first time in the semifinals of a grand slam,” Djokovic said. “He’s been playing some great tennis in the last 12 to 15 months … so I’ve got to be ready mentally, not approach it anyway differently to the last couple of matches.
“If I pay this way, I think I have a good chance to go through.”
And then there were none. Felix Auger-Aliassime’s fourth-round loss at the Australian Open means none of the stars of Netflix’s new tennis documentary ‘Break Point’ have made it through to the second week in Melbourne.
Such poor showing from the series’ stars has led to talk of a ‘Netflix curse’ as player after player crashed out of the tournament.
Canada’s Auger-Aliassime was the last one standing, but the sixth seed fell 6-4 3-6 6-7 (2-7) 6-7 (3-7) to the Czech underdog Jiri Lehecka.
The first five episodes of the documentary, which focuses on the next generation of tennis stars, was streamed earlier this month.
Its aim is to showcase the sport’s younger talent to the world, the ones tipped to step out of the shadows of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic (and, at the time of filming, Roger Federer and Serena Williams as they hadn’t yet retired).
Maria Sakkari, Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud, Matteo Berrettini, Ons Jabeur, Thanasi Kokkinakis have all been eliminated from the first grand slam of the year – which began on January 16 – while Nick Kyrgios, Ajla Tomljanovic and Paula Badosa withdrew before the start of the tournament because of injuries.
It means none of the show’s players, who have all featured in the world’s top 10 at some point in their careers, have made it to the quarterfinals.
Speaking earlier this week, Auger-Aliassime laughed off talk of a so-called curse.
“I thought it was funny,” he told reporters. “I don’t know; I don’t think it’s connected.
“Maybe the players that lost, maybe they do feel like it’s connected, somehow. I don’t think they do. I don’t think it’s connected, anyhow. It’s funny how things work out sometimes.”
The hashtag ‘NetflixCurse’ has been trending on Twitter, with many users writing that the “Netflix curse is now complete” following the Canadian’s exit.
Earlier this week, Netflix’s UK & Ireland Twitter account tweeted: “To clarify: this is purely a coincidence,” in response to a tweet about the so-called curse.
Women’s world No. 1 Iga Swiatek is out of the Australian Open, after losing in the fourth round on Sunday.
Elena Rybakina defeated the 21-year-old Polish tennis player in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 at Rod Laver Arena.
Światek had been favored heading into this year’s tournament after reaching the semifinals last year and winning eight titles in 2022, including two grand slams.
Rybakina, who was born in Russia but has represented Kazakhstan since 2018, won her maiden grand slam title at Wimbledon last year and the first for Kazakhstan.
She will now face the winner of American Coco Gauff and Latvian Jelena Ostapenko in the quarterfinal.
Gauff lost to Światek in the final of the French Open last year but finished 2022 ranked seventh and is considered a serious contender for all four grand slams this year.
The 2023 Australian Open runs through January 29 in Melbourne.
American Jenson Brooksby topped No. 2 seed Casper Ruud on the men’s side of the Australian Open on Thursday, just a day after fellow American Mackenzie McDonald defeated top seed Rafael Nadal. On the women’s side, American Katie Volynets stunned No. 9 seed Veronika Kudermetova to advance to the third round of the Australian Open. Steph Baumgartel, a reporter for Network 10, joins CBS News from Melbourne.
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Prices for used cars have been high in recent years as inventory has been hampered by computer chip shortages and other pandemic-related woes. Luckily, for those who are currently shopping for a vehicle, many automakers are reporting they have more of the parts they need and are ramping up production – meaning used car prices will likely continue to plunge.
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After an onslaught of atmospheric rivers recently battered California with flooding, a much-needed break from the rain is finally in sight. Flood watches that covered millions in coastal Central California have expired, though crews will be busy cleaning up the damage over the next several weeks. The storm system is now advancing farther inland and is expected to bring heavy snowfall into the Four Corners Region. Up to two feet of new snow is expected in parts of Colorado by this evening, while rain is in the forecast for much of the Southwest. By midweek, the threat will be in the South. The Storm Prediction Center has already highlighted an area from East Texas to the Lower Mississippi Valley for the potential for strong storms.
Another spate of shootings this week is shaking up communities across the US. At least six people, including a mother and her 6-month-old baby, are dead after a “cartel-style execution” occurred Monday in the town of Goshen, California. The shooting appears to be gang-related, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office said. Separately, eight people were shot Monday at a block party in Fort Pierce, Florida, where the community was gathering to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. An investigation is ongoing to identify the shooter, authorities said. This incident marks the 30th mass shooting in the country this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. So far in 2023, the US is averaging about two mass shootings per day.
Following the discovery of misplaced classified documents from President Joe Biden’s time as vice president, House Republicans are demanding that the White House turn over more information – including any visitors logs to Biden’s private residence, where a batch of documents was found. The White House counsel’s office, however, said there are no visitors logs that track guests who come and go at Biden’s home in Wilmington, Delaware. “Like every President across decades of modern history, his personal residence is personal,” the counsel’s office said in a statement Monday. Some Republicans are crying foul, saying former President Donald Trump was treated differently when FBI agents searched his Mar-a-Lago residence last August. Meanwhile, the White House is labeling the Republican investigations into the documents as “shamelessly hypocritical.”
The Biden Administration has no visitor logs for Biden’s private home, where classified documents were found
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CNN
Cryptocurrencies are rebounding after getting pummeled by losses for the better part of last year. This is prompting speculation that the so-called crypto winter – the digital asset world’s equivalent of a bear market – is over. Bitcoin, the world’s most popular crypto, is up 25% over the past month, hovering above $20,000 for the first time since November, following the collapse of the crypto trading platform FTX. Ethereum, the No. 2 crypto, is up more than 30% over the past month, trading above $1,500 on Monday. Still, Bitcoin is substantially down from its peak in November 2021, just shy of $69,000. Two months ago, when FTX imploded and sent shock waves through the industry, bitcoin plummeted to a two-year low of $15,480.
Actor rips crypto as ‘largest Ponzi scheme in history’
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CNN
Some players at the Australian Open expressed irritation today after extreme heat postponed play for hours at the tennis tournament. As temperatures reached almost 97 degrees Fahrenheit, organizers announced at around 2 p.m. local time that matches on outdoor courts would come to a halt. Separately, a Russian flag that was displayed in the stands at the Grand Slam event has sparked controversy and a rules update from Tennis Australia. Fans will no longer be allowed to bring Russian or Belarusian flags to the site of the tournament, officials said, citing the conflict in Ukraine. The decision comes after Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia “strongly condemn[ed]” the Russian flag being displayed Monday during the first-round match between Ukraine’s Kateryna Baindl and Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova.
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Enjoying nature may lessen the need for some medications, study finds
Gina Lollobrigida, a legend of Italian cinema, has died, according to members of her family. She was 95. Together with Sophia Loren, Lollobrigida came to symbolize the earthy sexuality of Italian actresses in the 1950s and 1960s. In addition to appearing in several European films, she made her English-language film debut in 1953 in John Huston’s “Beat the Devil,” alongside Humphrey Bogart.
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That’s how many states have taken action to restrict TikTok on government devices, reflecting a wave of recent clampdowns by Republican and Democratic governors targeting the short-form video app. The accelerating backlash comes amid renewed security concerns about how the platform handles user data and fears that it could find its way to the Chinese government.
“We don’t talk about a collapse, but it can happen any second.”
– Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko, saying Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure remains severely threatened and could completely collapse if it were to be hit by Russian rockets. Klitschko’s warning comes as millions of Ukrainians continue to endure a winter without electricity, water, and central heating due to relentless Russian strikes.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Flags from Russia and Belarus were banned from the site of the Australian Open on Tuesday after more than one was brought into the stands by spectators on Day 1 of the year’s first Grand Slam tournament.
Normally, flags can be displayed during matches at Melbourne Park.
“Our initial policy was that fans could bring (flags) in but could not use them to cause disruption,” Tennis Australia said in a statement on Tuesday. “Yesterday we had an incident where a flag was placed courtside. We will continue to work with the players and our fans to ensure that this is the best possible environment to enjoy the tennis.”
One Russian flag was displayed during Ukrainian player Kateryna Baindl’s 7-5, 6-7 (8), 6-1 victory over Russian player Kamilla Rakhimova on Court 14 in the first round on Monday.
Another was offered to Russian player Daniil Medvedev to autograph after his 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 win over Marcos Giron in Rod Laver Arena on Monday night.
Daniil Medvedev of Russia autographs a Russian flag after defeating Marcos Giron of the U.S. in their first round match at the Australian Open.
Asked about the new flag ban, Belarusian player Aryna Sabalenka said after her first-round victory Tuesday that she would prefer that politics and sports remain separate, but understands the decision by Tennis Australia.
“I mean, if everyone feels better this way, then it’s OK,” said Sabalenka, a three-time Grand Slam semifinalist who is seeded No. 5 at Melbourne Park. “I have zero control on it. What can I say? They did it. OK. No flags? No flags.”
Sabalenka was among the athletes from Russia and Belarus who were barred from competing at Wimbledon and team events such as the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup last year because of the war in Ukraine. Russia invaded, with help from Belarus, in February.
Russian and Belarusian players have been allowed to enter the other three Grand Slam tournaments but as “neutral” athletes, so their nationalities are not acknowledged on any official schedules or results for the event and their countries’ flags are not displayed on TV graphics.
Novak Djokovic is set to make his return to action at the Australian Open after being banned from the country a year ago because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19. He has won 30 of his past 31 tournament matches dating to the end of last season. He is chasing his 10th trophy at the Australian Open and 22nd Grand Slam title overall, which would tie rival Rafael Nadal for the most by a man in tennis history. Djokovic faces Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena on Tuesday at Rod Laver Arena in a first-round matchup. No. 2 seed Casper Ruud opens against Tomas Machac, while three-time major champion Andy Murray takes on Matteo Berrettini. The No. 2-seeded woman, two-time Slam runner-up Ons Jabeur, plays Tamara Zidansek, and No. 4 Caroline Garcia faces Katherine Sebov.
TUESDAY’S FORECAST
Chance of showers. High of 97 degrees Fahrenheit (36 Celsius).
MONDAY’S KEY RESULTS
Women’s First Round: No. 1 Iga Swiatek beat Jule Niemeier 6-4, 7-5; No. 3 Jessica Pegula beat Jaqueline Adina Cristian 6-0, 6-1; No. 6 Maria Sakkari beat Yuan Yue, 6-1, 6-4; No. 7 Coco Gauff beat Katerina Siniakova 6-1, 6-4; No. 13 Danielle Collins beat Anna Kalinskaya 7-5, 5-7, 6-4; No. 15 Petra Kvitova beat Alison van Uytvanck 7-6 (3), 6-2; No. 17 Jelena Ostapenko beat Dayana Yastremska 6-4, 6-2; No. 24 Victoria Azarenka beat Sofia Kenin 6-4, 7-6 (3); Bianca Andreescu beat No. 25 Marie Bouzkova 6-2, 6-4; Marta Kostyuk beat No. 28 Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 6-4.
Men’s First Round: No. 1 Rafael Nadal beat Jack Draper 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1; No. 10 Hubert Hurkacz beat Pedro Martinez 7-6 (1), 6-2, 6-2; No. 15 Jannik Sinner beat Kyle Edmund 6-4, 6-0, 6-2; No. 28 Francisco Cerundolo beat Guido Pella 6-4, 6-4, 6-3; No. 16 Frances Tiafoe beat Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6); No. 20 Denis Shapovalov beat Dusan Lajovic 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1; No. 29 Sebastian Korda beat Cristian Garin 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2; Alex Molcan beat Stan Wawrinka 6-7 (3), 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4.
STAT OF THE DAY
Zero — Number of main-draw wins at the Australian Open in the professional era by Chinese men until Monday, when 17-year-old qualifier Shang Juncheng beat Germany’s Oscar Otte 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-5.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Yes, we feel pressure being the top Americans and want to do well for our country, but I feel they’re on the ‘GOAT’ status and we’re not even close to reaching that, so there’s no need for us to put pressure on ourselves for that yet.” — Coco Gauff, asked whether she and Jessica Pegula feel pressure trying to represent the U.S. after all of the Grand Slam success of Serena and Venus Williams sisters.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic beat Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-4 at the Adelaide International on Friday to set up a semifinal with Daniil Medvedev.
The combined ATP-WTA event is a warmup for this year’s Australian Open, which the top-seeded Djokovic missed last year after being barred from the country because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19.
“Early on he was a better player. He was dictating,” said 35-year-old Serb Djokovic after improving to 8-0 against his Canadian opponent. “(Then) I started finding my serve and my groove on the court.”
The 21-time Grand Slam winner, who is preparing for a shot at a 10th Australian Open title, will face third-seeded Medvedev on Saturday.
“I don’t think there’s going to be too many short points tomorrow unless we both serve well,” Djokovic said. “Normally when you play Daniil, you have to be ready to go the distance, physically, mentally, game-wise.”
Medvedev, the runner-up last year to Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open, defeated fellow Russian Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-3 on Friday.
“It’s never easy to play your compatriot,” Medvedev said. “I’m happy that I managed to really raise my level, especially in the end of both sets, and really happy to be through to the semis.”
Medvedev is the 2021 U.S. Open champion, but has lost twice in the finals in Australia — and in 2021 it was against Djokovic.
“For sure I played well last year and I’m playing well right now,” Medvedev said, “To be honest, that’s all that matters. In order to win a slam, or be in the final, you have to be at your best for seven matches.”
“I managed to do it once and I was really close last year,” he added. “And that’s what I’m going to try to do again in a few weeks in Melbourne.”
In other quarterfinals on Friday, American Sebastian Korda defeated sixth-seeded Jannik Sinner 7-5, 6-1 and Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan beat Alexei Popyrin of Australia. Korda will face Nishioka in the semifinals.
Teenage qualifier Linda Noskova also beat two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka. The 18-year-old Czech player overcame Azarenka 6-4, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (6) in a quarterfinal that lasted nearly three hours.
A first-round winner over third-seeded Daria Kasatkina, Noskova has now won five consecutive matches in only her sixth appearance in the main draw of a WTA event.
World No. 5 Aryna Sabalenka was the first woman through to the semifinals after beating Marketa Vondrousova 6-3, 7-5.
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More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
