Tennis

8:16 AM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — A bizarre post-match on-court dispute involving Italian pair Fabio Fognini and Salvatore Caruso has marred a gripping five-setter at the Australian Open. Fognini twice rallied from a set down to wrap up the match on John Cain Arena 4-6, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(12) in three hours and 56 minutes,

9:38 PM ET ESPN News Services MELBOURNE, Australia — No. 1-ranked Ashleigh Barty carries the hopes of her homeland at the Australian Open, which may be why she stumbled before closing out a second-round win Thursday. Barty blew a big lead in the second set and survived a shaky tiebreaker to beat fellow Aussie Daria

5:58 PM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — A little over 12 months ago, Novak Djokovic had been crowned Australian Open champion for the eighth time, American upstart Sofia Kenin secured a maiden Slam win, millions of dollars had been raised for Australia’s bushfire relief fund and the tennis season was just getting underway. And then the

5:16 AM ET D’Arcy MaineESPN.com When asked earlier this week about her legendary journey in professional tennis that has spanned over 25 years, Venus Williams took a moment and reflected on what was most important to her. “I’m trying to get better every day,” she said Monday after her first-round victory at the Australian Open.

2:00 AM ET Novak Djokovic‘s path to another Australian Open title won’t necessarily be an easy one for the No. 1 seed. Through to third round after his straight-sets victory against American Frances Tiafoe on Wednesday, Djokovic’s quarter of the draw includes 2020 US Open finalist Alexander Zverev and former Australian Open semifinalist Milos Raonic,

7:00 AM ET D’Arcy MaineESPN.com There was only a smattering of fans in the crowd at Rod Laver Arena on Monday for Naomi Osaka‘s first-round victory over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at the Australian Open. The 15,000-seat stadium sat largely empty with those in attendance generously spaced throughout. Any other year the vacant chairs would be disappointing,

6:50 AM ET A ball girl was sent home to recuperate after collapsing on court during the second day of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Tuesday. The incident occurred during the first-round tie between South African Lloyd Harris and Denmark’s Mikael Torpegaard on Court 16. Play was interrupted while staff helped the girl off

2:00 AM ET Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia — If Rafael Nadal has a bad back, he didn’t show any signs of it in his 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 win over Laslo Djere on Tuesday in the first round at the Australian Open. The No. 2-ranked Nadal is aiming to go one better than Roger Federer and

1:23 PM ET It’s bizarre to think the world No. 1 player entering the year’s first Grand Slam hadn’t played a competitive match in almost 11 months before last week, but these are strange times. While many others were following a considerably pared-down WTA tour around the world last year, Ashleigh Barty made a decision

7:00 AM ET Jake Michaels Close ESPN Associate Editor Jake Michaels is a Melbourne-based sports writer who covers everything from Aussie Rules to Formula One, basketball to boxing. He joined ESPN in June, 2013 and works as an Associate Editor, covering sport in Australia and around the world. Matt Walsh Close Assistant Editor Matt Walsh

8:46 PM ET ESPN News Services Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka are off to fast starts at the Australian Open. After losing the opening game, Williams won 10 games in a row and beat Laura Siegemund 6-1, 6-1 on the first day of the tournament Monday. The victory marked the start of Williams’ latest bid

8:00 AM ET ESPN staff The first Grand Slam event of the year has finally arrived. The 2021 Australian Open will provide a little bit of a return to normalcy, as fans will be in attendance. Despite the obstacles, from 72 players having to quarantine upon arrival and forced to train in their hotel rooms

1:37 AM ET D’Arcy MaineESPN.com Rafael Nadal said he was feeling “not great” during his Australian Open news conference Sunday due to a persistent back injury that prevented him from playing in last week’s ATP Cup. “It’s true that for the last 15 days I have been suffering with the back,” he said. “So here

1:00 AM ET Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia — After celebrating their ATP Cup triumph as teammates for Russia, Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev will go their own ways at the Australian Open next week and might meet at Melbourne Park as rivals in the quarterfinals. Medvedev improved his winning streak to 14 matches and secured

3:05 AM ET Italian teenager Jannik Sinner saved a match point before battling past Russian Karen Khachanov 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(4) in a three-hour tussle to reach the final of the Great Ocean Road Open in Melbourne on Saturday. The 19-year-old Sinner looked set for a straightforward win after leading by a set and a break,

3:05 AM ET Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime moved a step closer to his maiden ATP title after a 6-1, 6-2 win over Corentin Moutet in the Murray River Open semifinals in Melbourne on Saturday. Third seed Auger-Aliassime, who had saved a match point against Egor Gerasimov in the last 16 of the Australian Open warm-up event,

10:52 AM ET D’Arcy MaineESPN.com After an eventful three weeks in Melbourne, filled with hard quarantines and some creative uses of hotel rooms, the 2021 Australian Open is almost here. While players continue to comply with the strict coronavirus protocols of the local Victorian government, the tournament could still give us the closest glimpse of

3:22 PM ET Andre SnellingsESPN Welcome to ESPN’s tennis contest for the Australian Open: Tennis Major Pick’em: Melbourne! What is it? It’s a free-to-play game, where you take a few minutes to answer a series of questions related to the upcoming Australian Open tennis Grand Slam event, which starts on Monday, Feb. 8, and ends