Elena Rybakina and Alex Zverev. (Getty) Elena Rybakina and Alex Zverev are the first big names to be locked in for January's Brisbane International. The tournament is classified as a WTA 500 and an ATP 250 and runs from January 3-10. Rybakina, who claimed the world No.1 ranking for the first time after defeating Aryna Sabalenka in last month's US Open final, will make her third appearance in Brisbane. "I'm really looking forward to starting my season in Brisbane," said Rybaki

(Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images) Global tennis superstars are set to descend in Hobart for another year with tickets now on sale for the 2027 Hobart International. Fresh off record-breaking attendance at the 2026 tournament, Tasmania’s only international tennis event will return to the Domain Tennis Centre from 9–16 January, combining world-class competition with entertainment, premium hospitality, food and beverage experiences and a vibrant summer atmosphere overlooking

(Getty) Tennis has readily established itself as one both one of the most lucrative and elite, as well as one of the toughest sports to become professional and earn a living. Other sports such as soccer and rugby attract and sustain higher numbers of youth athletes that transition to professional levels in Australia. So perhaps, instead of the other widely discussed and debated issues with Australian grassroots tennis, could it be the lack of options and opportunities to earn

Andrew Abdo speaking at the 2027 Australian Open Launch. (Getty/Josh Chadwick) Former Australian player and tournament director Peter Johnston has shared what it takes to be a tournament director and offered solutions to help Tennis Australia develop its player pathway. Johnston, 66, is an experienced tournament director currently in the role at the ATP 250 Hangzhou Open and the WTA 250 Hong Kong Open, as well as the Kooyong Classic leading up to the Australian Open each year

Australia's Chris O'Connell at the Cincinnati Masters. (Getty/Emilee Chinn) Aussie Chris O'Connell is currently managing an injury, giving him a personal reminder of the physical demands of professional tennis. Yet the 32-year-old is reluctant to join the growing chorus of players criticising the tour's schedule. "I'm someone that doesn't really get too involved or, I guess, speak my mind on some of these sorts of topics because at the end of the day, I love playing tennis,"

(Getty/Daniel Pockett) Tennis Australia CEO Andrew Abdo has been confirmed as the new Australian Open tournament director and believes it's "incredibly important" for Australian tennis to produce more champions. The former Rugby League CEO spoke at the 2027 Australian Open Launch, where the map was laid out for what to expect to see at the first major of the year. Australian Open 2027's three-week tennis and entertainment program includes: AO Ballpark presented by Emirates TO

A discussion paper on the foundations of Australian player development. Sent to The First Serve Kevin Klose | Albury NSW Australian tennis is rightly asking why too few players appear capable of succeeding at the highest level. You have warned that the foreseeable future could be among the most barren periods in Australia’s rich tennis history, while John Newcombe, Lleyton Hewitt and John Millman have raised their own concerns about player development and the junior pathwa

(Getty/Fred Lee) World No.4 Coco Gauff has defended herself after an "unfortunate situation" occurred during her third round match at the WTA 1000 Beijing Open. The 22-year-old defeated Chinese local Xinran Sun 7-5, 6-1 on Centre Court. But controversy struck towards the end of the opening set when Gauff was serving to stay in it at 4-5, as her opponent thought she had hit a winner until Gauff raised her hand to stop the point, explaining that a light in the side panels was f

Daniil Medvedev fronting the media after being controversially defaulted. (Getty/Greg Baker) A "terribly sorry" Daniil Medvedev hopes he can apologise in person after hitting a spectator in the eye during his semi-final in Beijing, resulting in disqualification. In what was a high-quality match against Novak Djokovic, the first set lasted 79 minutes as the Serbian star clinched the opener 7-5. Djokovic, who arrived at the ATP 500 event as the sixth seed, pulled away in the se

(Credit: Mike Ruane/Picture Story Agency) It has been a big year for weddings on the professional tennis tours. Alex de Minaur and Katie Boulter tied the knot in July. Casper Ruud married long-time partner Maria Galligani. Tommy Paul married Paige Lorenze. Daria Kasatkina, Liudmila Samsonova, Asia Muhammad, Bernarda Pera and Tereza Mihalikova were also among a remarkable run of tennis weddings in 2026, while Alexei Popyrin and Harmony Tan have joined the newlywed club. The ph

(Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) The WTA has revealed its 2027 calendar. It will comprise 55 events in 26 countries and territories, including a new WTA 250 tournament in Manila, Philippines, while building throughout the season toward the WTA Finals in its new home of Charlotte, North Carolina. The season will also mark a defining milestone for women's sport. For the first time, all combined WTA 1000 tournaments will award equal prize money, building o

Australia's Tristan Schoolkate at the US Open. (Getty/Julian Finney) For all the glamour of professional tennis, there is a less visible side to life on tour: the cost of actually getting there. Flights, accommodation, food, coaching, equipment and support staff can quickly turn professional tennis into a six-figure business. But exactly how much a player needs to spend varies enormously depending on their ranking, ambitions and circumstances. Former top-100 Aussie, Tristan S

Karolína Plíšková at the US Open. (Getty/Pete Staples) Two-time Grand Slam finalist Karolína Plíšková has skipped the upcoming WTA 1000 event in Wuhan because there is "not that much of a motivation" to compete. The former world No. 1 returned to the Tour at the 2026 Australian Open after a year-long absence due to serious left ankle ligament and tendon damage. Listen to The First Serve Live every Monday at 8pm AEST in its 18th year on the SEN Network/App, Australia's only de

The collegiate sports community in the US has been rocked by recent discourse and uproar over the number of international athletes featured on sports rosters. One of the main sports involved in this heated topic is tennis, following the proposal of a 20 per cent international cap on American collegiate sports rosters by former professional player and U.S. Davis Cup captain, as well as analyst Patrick McEnroe. But what do the coaches behind the recruiting have to say about it?

Rajeev Ram playing his final US Open. (Getty/Dustin Satloff Rajeev Ram has been one of the most exciting doubles players of the last two decades. With a game so closely modelled on Pete Sampras that he was given the moniker 'Rampras', he has translated immense promise on the singles court, with two ATP titles, into an incredible doubles career which included 6 Grand Slams and two Olympic silver medals. After barely playing this year with injury, few expected much from what

(Getty/Jean Catuffe) Former Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley has been filmed in a docushort which will be released at the end of the month. Tiley, who accepted the United States Tennis Association (USTA) CEO role earlier this year, has had cameras following him during his final weeks at Tennis Australia and his new start at the USTA. Listen to The First Serve Live every Monday at 8pm AEST in its 18th year on the SEN Network/App, Australia's only dedicated weekly tennis progra

Todd Woodbridge on stage with Cruz Hewitt at the 2025 Newcombe Awards. (Getty/Graham Denholm) Australia's win over Poland on the weekend ended a 19-month drought without a Davis Cup tie victory, following previous defeats against Belgium and Ecuador. As 28-time winners of the competition, Australia returning to next year's qualifiers for a chance to compete at the 2027 Finals is the bare minimum for a country with a proud tennis history. So many Aussie legends have created mo

Aryna Sabalenka after losing the US Open final. (Getty/Sarah Stier) The 2026 US Open crowned its two new champions, Elena Rybakina on the women's side and Alex Zverev on the men's. However, it's the finalists and the starkly different reactions to their post-final reactions and behaviour that have the media in a stir. Aryna Sabalenka has once again faced a barrage of scrutiny, while Ben Shelton has received swarms of praise. What does this tell us about the price of "emoti

Pat Rafter Arena, Brisbane. (Getty/Albert Perez) The ATP and WTA are currently drawing up plans to relocate February's Middle East swing due to the ongoing war and conflict in the region, with Australia viewed as a possible destination. Exclusively reported by journalist James Gray, tennis authorities are scrambling to ditch Dubai and Doha, which are scheduled to host events after January's Australian Open, given the security risks and potential logistical implications. Liste

(Getty/Tobias Titz) Former Tennis Australia officials Karen Mak and Simon Cannavan have filed legal proceedings against Tennis Australia in the Federal Court, concerning alleged breaches of workplace rights under the Fair Work Act. Late last year, allegations were put forward to the Fair Work Commission after four board members - chair Karen Mak, umpires Simon Cannavan and Catherine Caswell, and court supervisor Jim Goode - had their officiating registrations terminated by Te