Tennis News

Djokovic, Medvedev Lead 18 Of Top 20 At Australian Open

Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev headline the seeds list for the 2022 Australian Open, which features 18 of the Top 20 players in the ATP Rankings.

Djokovic will pursue a record-extending 10th trophy at the season’s first major, where he owns an 82-8 record. The Serbian has won the past three titles at the event and nine of the past 14. Last year’s finalist Medvedev won his first major crown at the US Open in September.

Nadal, who returned after a five-month absence to capture last week’s Melbourne Summer Set title, is the sixth seed. The Spaniard will try to claim a second victory at the Australian Open (2009), having advanced to the final in three of the past eight editions.

2022 Singles Seeds

1. Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
2. Daniil Medvedev (Russia)
3. Alexander Zverev (Germany)
4. Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece)
5. Andrey Rublev (Russia)
6. Rafael Nadal (Spain)
7. Matteo Berrettini (Italy)
8. Casper Ruud (Norway)
9. Felix Auger-Aliassime (Canada)
10. Hubert Hurkacz (Poland)
11. Jannik Sinner (Italy)
12. Cameron Norrie (Great Britain)
13. Diego Schwartzman (Argentina)
14. Denis Shapovalov (Canada)
15. Roberto Bautista Agut (Spain)
16. Cristian Garin (Chile)
17. Gael Monfils (France)
18. Aslan Karatsev (Russia)
19. Pablo Carreno Busta (Spain)
20. Taylor Fritz (United States)
21. Nikoloz Basilashvili (Georgia)
22. John Isner (United States)
23. Reilly Opelka (United States)
24. Daniel Evans (Great Britain)
25. Lorenzo Sonego (Italy)
26. Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria)
27. Marin Cilic (Croatia)
28. Karen Khachanov (Russia)
29. Ugo Humbert (France)
30. Lloyd Harris (South Africa)
31. Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)
32. Alex de Minaur (Australia)

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Australian Open: Emma Raducanu loses as Andy Murray wins in Sydney Tennis Classic first round

Britain’s Emma Raducanu is heavily beaten in the first round of the Sydney Tennis Classic but Andy Murray is through to round two.

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Novak Djokovic: Questions raised over tennis star's travel declaration

Australian officials are investigating whether inaccurate information was given, local media say.

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Kwon Saves 1 M.P. In Adelaide; Fucsovics, Kokkinakis Advance

Soonwoo Kwon saved one match point on Tuesday to knock out fifth-seeded South African Lloyd Harris 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 in two hours and 21 minutes at the Adelaide International 2.

The South Korean, who led Harris 5-3 in the first set, saved one match point on serve at 4-5, Ad Out, in the second set. Last year’s Nur-Sultan titlist will now face France’s Arthur Rinderknech in the second round.

Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics overcame Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands 6-3, 7-6(4) in one hour and 53 minutes. The eighth seed now challenges French qualifier Corentin Moutet, who saved seven of eight break points to defeat Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany 6-2, 6-4 in 88 minutes.

Australian wild card Thanasi Kokkinakis recorded his fourth win in five matches in 2022 to beat Benoit Paire of France 6-4, 6-0 in 70 minutes. The 25-year-old lost just two of his first-service points (25/27) and now plays second-seeded American John Isner.

Italian Gianluca Mager set up a clash against third-seeded Russian Karen Khachanov after a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 win over Egor Gerasimov of Belarus in one hour and 56 minutes. Last week, Khachanov fell to Gael Monfils in the Adelaide International 1 final.

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Murray Secures Sydney Win

Andy Murray earned his first win in Australia in three years on Tuesday, overcoming Norwegian qualifier Viktor Durasovic 6-3, 6-1 to reach the second round at the Sydney Tennis Classic.

The former World No. 1 lost to Facundo Bagnis in his first match of the season last week in Melbourne, but bounced back with a dominant performance against Durasovic, advancing after 72 minutes to improve to 2-0 in their ATPHead2Head series.

“It is perfect conditions here,” Murray said in his on-court interview. “It feels like you are playing indoors. It is really nice to get your range here and hopefully I can carry that through to Melbourne. I was hoping to get matches in Melbourne last week, but that didn’t happen. Thankfully the tournament organisers and Tennis Australia agreed to give me the wild card and the opportunity to play here and I am very grateful for that.”

Murray, whose last victory in Australia came against James Duckworth in Brisbane in January 2019, will next play second-seeded Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili at the ATP 250 event.

“It is my first time in Sydney and it is a beautiful city,” Murray added. “I have been on the Tour for a very long time and it is nice to come to new places and I had heard a lot about it and it hasn’t disappointed.”

The wild card reached tour-level quarter-finals in Metz and Stockholm last season and earned Top 10 wins over Hubert Hurkacz and Jannik Sinner as he built his way back up to top form.

In a solid display against Durasovic on Ken Rosewall Arena, the Scot played consistently from the baseline, hitting his flat backhands with great power and depth as he drew errors out of the 24-year-old. Murray won 96 per cent (25/26) of his first-serve points and sealed victory when he fired a forehand winner past Durasovic.

Murray has a strong record in Australia, having advanced to the final at the Australian Open five times (2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016) and triumphed in Brisbane twice (2012, 2013).

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Safiullin's Hot Streak Continues In Melbourne

Roman Safiullin’s strong start to the season continued on Tuesday when the World No. 146 moved past Bernard Tomic 6-1, 6-4 to reach the second round of qualifying at the Australian Open.

The 24-year-old earned impressive victories over Top 100 pair James Duckworth and Arthur Rinderknech for Team Russia at ATP Cup last week and played with confidence against Australia’s Tomic, hitting 19 aces to advance in 58 minutes.

Safiullin will next face Christopher Eubanks after the American defeated Tristan Schoolkate 6-3, 6-4 in 62 minutes.

Former World No. 28 Joao Sousa overcame Frenchman Manuel Guinard 6-3, 6-2 to earn his first win of the year. The 32-year-old, who has reached the third round in Melbourne three times (2015, 2016, 2019), saved all five break points he faced to move through after 71 minutes.

Sousa will next play Australian Marc Polmans following the 24-year-old’s 7-6(3), 6-2 victory over Geoffrey Blancaneaux.

J.J. Wolf won 75 per cent (27/36) of his first-serve points en route to his 6-3, 6-4 triumph against former World No. 31 Sergiy Stakhovsky. The American, whose best result at a major was a run to the third round at the US Open in 2020, next meets Great Britain’s Liam Broady after the World No. 127 downed Kacper Zuk 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 in one hour and 53 minutes.

The 19-year-old Dominic Stricker defeated Mohamed Safwat 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, while Japan’s Taro Daniel saw off World No. 250 Andrea Arnaboldi 6-3, 6-3.

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Nakashima Marches On In Sydney

#NextGenATP American Brandon Nakashima earned his maiden tour-level win on Australian soil on Tuesday, edging Czech qualifier Jiri Vesely 7-6(2), 7-6(0) to reach the second round at the Sydney Tennis Classic.

The World No. 68, who enjoyed a standout 2021 season, by advancing to two tour-level finals, fired 12 aces and did not face a break point in the encounter to advance after one hour and 50 minutes. The 20-year-old now leads Vesely 2-0 in their ATP Head2Head series and next meets seventh seed Fabio Fognini.

Fellow #NextGenATP star Sebastian Baez also booked his spot in the second round, downing Australian Christopher O’Connell 6-2, 1-6, 7-6(4) in two hours and 16 minutes to record his first tour-level win of the season.

The Argentine qualifier, currently at a career-high No. 95 in the ATP Rankings, won 81 per cent (21/26) of his first-serve points and saved two break points at 4-4 in the third set, before triumphing in two hours and 16 minutes. Baez will next face fifth-seeded Italian Lorenzo Sonego.

Sixth seed Dusan Lajovic began his campaign with 7-6(5), 6-4 one-hour, 39-minute victory over Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, while Pedro Martinez upset home favourite Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 33 minutes.

Lajovic next plays Maxime Cressy after the American beat Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 7-5, with Martinez taking on third-seeded Briton Daniel Evans.

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Novak Djokovic's visa controversy 'damaging on all fronts' – ATP

The controversy over Novak Djokovic’s visa to enter Australia has been “damaging on all fronts”, says the ATP.

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Ros Atkins on… Novak Djokovic’s Australia visa victory

The world number one made it onto a tennis court in Melbourne, but he could still be deported.

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ATP Statement On Novak Djokovic Entry Into Australia

The ATP fully respects the sacrifices the people of Australia have made since the onset of COVID-19 and the stringent immigration policies that have been put in place. Complications in recent days related to player entry into Australia have however highlighted the need for clearer understanding, communication and application of the rules.

In travelling to Melbourne, it’s clear Novak Djokovic believed he had been granted a necessary medical exemption in order to comply with entry regulations. The series of events leading to Monday’s court hearing have been damaging on all fronts, including for Novak’s well-being and preparation for the Australian Open. Player medical exemption requests are made independently of ATP, however we have been in constant contact with Tennis Australia to seek clarity throughout this process. We welcome the outcome of Monday’s hearing and look forward to an exciting few weeks of tennis ahead.

More broadly, ATP continues to strongly recommend vaccination for all players on the ATP Tour, which we believe is essential for our sport to navigate the pandemic. This is based on scientific evidence supporting the health benefits provided and to comply with global travel regulations, which we anticipate will become stricter over time. We are encouraged that 97 per cent of the Top 100 players are vaccinated leading into this year’s Australian Open.

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