'Timid' Keys overcomes nerves to start title defence with win
Madison Keys overcomes nerves to begin her Australian Open title defence with victory over Grand Slam debutant Oleksandra Oliynykova.
Madison Keys overcomes nerves to begin her Australian Open title defence with victory over Grand Slam debutant Oleksandra Oliynykova.
Marin Cilic made a resounding start to his 2026 Australian Open Monday when he ousted Daniel Altmaier 6-0, 6-0, 7-6(3). Now 37 years old and No. 70 in the PIF ATP Rankings, the Croatian showed he is still plenty capable of producing lights-out tennis at an event where he reached the final in 2018.
When conducting his post-match media, Cilic shook hands with Denis Shapovalov, who even joked that 2019 or 2016 Marin Cilic was back. The former World No. 3 quipped it was 2014 Marin, the year he won the US Open.
ATPTour.com caught up with Cilic about his game, traveling with family, the evolution of the sport and more.
Today you won the first two sets without losing a game. When you’re playing well, it’s very clear that your tennis is still right up there, so when you feel yourself playing like that, what goes through your mind?
For me, that level comes from the sensation in training. I see where I’m at, I see physically how well I was training in the whole 2025, especially in the offseason. I’m also obviously looking at what the other guys are doing, what their routines are, how I compare to them physically.
Obviously, my body is not the same as when I was 26 or 27. But still, I feel that I’m on a great level and it gives me great satisfaction that I’m still able to produce great tennis. That gives us and my team that feeling of excitement.
Your family is here in Melbourne, including your two sons, so now they’ve been to all four Grand Slam tournaments. To what extent are you still pushing so they get to experience all of this with you?
I am pushing myself first of all, because I have big support from the family. On the other side, they’re able to travel, so that balance makes it easier. If they were at home, not traveling, and I am on the road, it doesn’t work because it would break apart really, really quickly. I would miss home, they would miss me; it just doesn’t work because the boys are already now six and four, it would be too much.
On the other side, they enjoy traveling, and I also feel that I have a really good position with my body, with my game. I think I can challenge myself in this season to see how far I can go. I added another team member to my team, Mate Delic, who was working with Borna Coric for a few years and also with Borna Gojo, so he’s very knowledgeable. He was also a great player, we are really good friends. I’m also seeing that as another motivation to do better and to do well in this season.
Guys like Roger Federer, who you competed against, have been around Melbourne Park and you’re still out there competing at such a high level. How rewarding is that for you?
It’s beautiful because I still enjoy what I do. And then, obviously it’s a reward because when I started young — when I was 15, 16 — I started with a really great work ethic, discipline, being professional, always having a full team with me, taking care of my body. I was planning the scheduling, planning the rest, peaking with the training. And when you add all these things for five, 10, 15 years, the body has rewarded me for another couple great seasons. I’m enjoying the fruits of that, so it’s just fantastic.
How interesting is it for you to see how the game has changed from when you started with Roger and Rafa and how guys like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are playing?
It’s interesting how the game changed and I think it came out of nowhere, without sort of any influence from anybody. I think it came as well because of the Covid time…. If you would go and speak to Top 100 or Top 200 players on the Tour, the average racquet weight is, let’s say, 305, 310 grams. And that was just impossible to see during the 2000s or 2010s in the past 10 or 20 years. Most of the guys were playing with the racquets which were 330, 340, 345 grams.
My own racquet, I would say is one of the heaviest on the Tour. And so this changed and the game then changed into power and speed. Everyone is athletically incredible. Everyone can hit the ball big, but it shifted a little bit of the game into this direction of ‘Who’s going to hit bigger and harder? Who’s going to be athletically incredible?’ And then it took away a little bit of the intricacies of the game, playing cat and mouse, just different styles of the game, which we had in these past 15 to 20 years.
Do you just focus on what you do, or do you craft your game again to evolve a little bit, to face these opponents?
You try to adapt, because obviously, the times have changed, and if you are waiting for the change to go back, you are in the wrong position. You have to adapt to what’s going on, and adapt to what your needs are. It definitely has changed and so you have to really follow what is going on and try to do the best you can.
Some people might say they would love to play Roger or someone else in a match. You have played all of these guys from your time on Tour… If you could play one match, which opponent would be most intriguing to you?
There are a few incredible champions that shaped tennis when you look at back [at] the start of tennis [like] Rod Laver, how much he has achieved and how many Grand Slams he won at that time. He wasn’t playing for six years [in them] because he was considered as a professional, and he definitely shaped the game.
Then Borg, McEnroe, Connors, guys that played after to the ’90s [with] Sampras, Agassi, and all these guys. It would be just incredible to go back in time and play some with Borg or even Mats Wilander or Rod Laver.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]When opponents dared to move forward in 2025, Grigor Dimitrov made them suffer. The Bulgarian led the ATP Tour by winning 40.6 per cent of points when his opponent was at the net, a remarkable return rate that earned him a fitting label: the pass master.
That number speaks directly to Dimitrov’s artistry. Armed with one of the game’s most elegant one-handed backhands, he repeatedly carved out impossible angles, dipping the ball at an opponent’s feet or threading it past outstretched volleys.
Dimitrov believes that success is rooted in years of experience dealing with aggressive opponents from a young age, having learned early how to neutralise players who rushed the net.
“When I was a junior, I was always playing against the older guys and [those] taller than me,” Dimitrov explained. “I was not that tall when I was younger, and a lot of them were coming to the net a lot, especially some of the American players when I played as they were always playing serve and volley or attacking me.
“So I always liked to have targets. I loved when some of it was coming through because I was fairly agile to move around the court and [could] predict some of the shots in advance, knowing where I’m going to position the ball in order to get [an easier] next ball coming back at me.”
It wasn’t just about touch, either. Dimitrov stayed composed in high-pressure moments, trusting his timing and feel to find passing lanes when the court seemed closed off. In a sport where net-rushers often expect reward, he turned their aggression into opportunity. But how does he decide whether to hit an attempted winner or a shot intended to set up an easier pass on the next ball coming back?
“It’s very difficult to know what you’re going to do, because you just don’t know,” Dimitrov said. “You have a split second to make a decision… So for me, I’ve always focussed most on the ball, because the ball gives me the information, and then hopefully I can make the right decision.”
[NO 1 CLUB]Nowhere was that skill more evident than at Wimbledon, where Dimitrov’s grass-court efficiency and shot-making gave even the very best trouble. In the fourth round, he surged to a two-sets-to-love lead against eventual champion Jannik Sinner, repeatedly neutralising the Italian’s forward forays with clean passes and sharp angles. It was a performance brimming with control and creativity, cut short only by a heartbreaking pectoral injury that forced his retirement.
That blend of flair and resilience defined Dimitrov’s season. The former No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings and Nitto ATP Finals winner also reached the semi-finals at the ATP Masters 1000 in Miami, another week in which his ability to absorb pressure and counterpunch with precision stood out against the Tour’s elite.
Points Won When Opponent At Net (2025)
| Player | Points won (%) |
| 1) Grigor Dimitrov | 40.6% |
| 2) Roman Safiullin | 40.1% |
| 3) Frances Tiafoe | 39.8% |
| 4) Holger Rune | 39.5% |
| 5) Christopher O’Connell | 38.9% |
See all stories in this series
Visit our Infosys ATP Stats section for more insights.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Carlos Alcaraz’s new-look serve has been the hot topic around the tennis world this past week and the Spaniard himself admitted in Melbourne that there might be a familiar influence behind it.
That influence? Novak Djokovic.
On Monday night at the Australian Open, Djokovic was finally asked about the resemblance and he didn’t miss the chance to have some fun with it.
“As soon as I saw it, I sent him a message. I said, we have to speak about the copyrights,” Djokovic said with a smile. “Then when I saw him here, I told him we have to talk about percentage of his winnings. Every ace I expect, you know, a tribute to me. Every ace that he makes here. Let’s see if he’s going to stick to the agreement.”
[NO 1 CLUB]Djokovic, who could only meet Alcaraz in the final in Melbourne, was doing plenty of damage on his own serve in his first-round win at the Australian Open on Monday.
The record 10-time champion won 93 per cent of his first-serve points and did not face a break point en route to victory against Pedro Martinez. Djokovic has now won 100 matches at the hard-court major, moving to within two wins of Roger Federer’s all-time mark of 102.
The 38-year-old Serbian was pleased with how he started.
“It felt good tonight. Let’s see how it’s going to feel in a few days’ time,” Djokovic said on how his body and mind are feeling. “Performance-wise, the feeling on the court, it was great. I couldn’t ask for more. Obviously a great serving performance. Just overall felt really good on the court that has made me feel good on it for so many times throughout my career.”
The No. 4 player in the PIF ATP Rankings Djokovic will next face Italian Francesco Maestrelli in what will be a first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting between the two.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Arthur Gea may not have been born when Stan Wawrinka first stepped onto the ATP Tour in the early 2000s, but sentiment will take a back seat when the two meet in the second round of the Australian Open on Wednesday.
Fresh off a stunning upset of 17th seed Jiri Lehecka in his Grand Slam main-draw debut on Monday, the 21-year-old Frenchman booked a marquee second-round clash with Wawrinka. The 40-year-old Swiss, a three-time major champion, is contesting his final season on the ATP Tour.
“It’s going to be an incredible match,” Gea, the No. 198 in the PIF ATP Rankings, told ATPTour.com. “He’s a legend and I’m going to try to get it, but of course it’s going to be really cool. A match on a big stage… I’m happy about this.
“I was practising on clay, watching him [when I was younger]. It was incredible from him but I hope that I’m going to get it.”
Gea is riding a nine-match winning streak across all levels. He opened his 2026 season by claiming his maiden ATP Challenger title in Noumea, then carried that momentum through qualifying at Melbourne Park before making headlines in the main draw.
“I think I’m close to the best tennis of my life,” said Gea, who had no tour-level wins prior to his match with Lehecka. “The preseason was really hard, but good, so it’s going in a good way.”
Gea has followed a traditional path through the French Tennis Federation system before assembling his current support team. Along the way, he sought guidance from former World No. 10 and Davis Cup-winning countryman Lucas Pouille during last year’s Roland Garros, advice he credits as valuable during his transition to the next level.
A four-time champion on the ITF World Tennis Tour in 2025, Gea is now coached by Austrian Gerard Melzer and feels most comfortable on hard courts. His game is built around first-strike tennis balanced by resilience.
“I like to play with a big serve and big forehead, and also with good defence,” Gea explained. “I sometimes come to the net, but I really like to go with my forehand and try to move my opponent from right to left.”
Remember the name 🌟
Arthur Gea knocks out No. 17 seed Lehecka on his Grand Slam debut.@AustralianOpen | #AO26 pic.twitter.com/SUB6RvJ4bM
— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 19, 2026
That fearless mindset was on full display in his straight-sets victory over Lehecka, a two-time ATP Tour winner. Gea, who absorbed pressure and extended rallies, won 10 of 15 break points he carved out on Lehecka’s serve, according to Infosys Stats.
Now, in his first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with Wawrinka, the Frenchman will hope to extend his rising run in Melbourne.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Novak Djokovic cruises through to the second round on day two of the Australian Open and is one of several top seeds to progress.
Novak Djokovic delivers a serving masterclass in his 100th Australian Open victory – a straight-set first-round win over Spain’s Pedro Martinez.
Great Britain are drawn away to Australia in the qualifying round for the Billie Jean King Cup on 10-11 April.
Novak Djokovic marked a triumphant return to his most successful event on Monday at the Australian Open, where he added another historic milestone at the hard-court major.
The former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings delivered a near-flawless display to defeat Pedro Martinez 6-3, 6-2, 6-2, sealing his 100th career victory at Melbourne Park. The record 10-time Australian Open champion, Djokovic will now set his sights on surpassing Roger Federer’s all-time mark of 102 match wins at the tournament.
Feels just like home 🇦🇺@DjokerNole defeats Martinez 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 to reach the second round for the 19th time.@AustralianOpen | #AO26pic.twitter.com/zEyX7ORiOh
— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 19, 2026
“What can I say? I like the sound of it… Centurion is pretty nice,” Djokovic said. “It’s nice to be a centurion in these numbers. History making is a great motivation, particularly in the last five, 10 years of my career. Once I got myself in a position to create history, I was even more inspired to play the best tennis.
“I was very fortunate early on to encounter some people that taught me and guided me to play the long shot with my career: not to burn out too quickly, and try to have the longest career possible. I’m blessed to still be playing at this level.”
Djokovic has now recorded 100 or more victories at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and Roland Garros, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, and is the only player to achieve that feat at three different major tournaments.
Djokovic’s record at Grand Slam tournaments (prior to AO R2)
| Tournament | Win-Loss Record |
| Australian Open | 100-10 |
| Roland Garros | 101-14 |
| Wimbledon | 102-13 |
| US Open | 95-15 |
Advancing to the second round in his 19th consecutive Australian Open appearance, Djokovic will next face 23-year-old Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli. The debutant fought past Terence Atmane 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-1 to earn his first main-draw victory at a major.
Amid lingering questions surrounding his fitness, particularly during last year’s run to the semi-finals in New York, Djokovic looked extremely sharp and mobile. In his first Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with Martinez — and first match since winning the Athens title in November — Djokovic controlled play from the baseline and struck more than three times as many winners as the Spaniard (49-14).
The 38-year-old Serbian reached the semi-finals at all four Grand Slams last season, and his pursuit of an 11th Melbourne crown could hinge on a potential semi-final showdown with two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner.
[NO 1 CLUB]Casper Ruud also safely advanced to the second round by defeating Mattia Bellucci 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 for his 50th major win. The 27-year-old, who is expecting a daughter alongside his wife, Maria, will next meet Jaume Munar after the Spaniard battled past Dalibor Svrcina 3-6, 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-3.
“It was a perfect start to this tournament and this court is probably one of my favourites in the world,” 12th seed Ruud said of Margaret Court Arena. “It’s a really good atmosphere and a great way to kick off. I’m excited to be back here in a couple of days. I have to thank Maria for letting me [come] in the first place. I know she’s back home resting, getting ready.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Iga Swiatek’s bid to complete the career Grand Slam gets off to an underwhelming start as she struggles past Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue in the Australian Open first round.