(Getty/Phil Walter) Just when you thought Novak Djokovic was on his last legs at the final stretch of his long and illustrious career, somehow, someway, he proved the doubters wrong. To win a major, you need a bit of luck on your side, and fortune definitely favoured the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2026 Australian Open — no doubt about it. In his own words, Djokovic was "on his way home" as he struggled to cope with the craft and variety of Lorenzo Musetti and his scin

Getty Images One of two things will happen tonight in Melbourne. Either 22-year-old Carlos Alcaraz will become the youngest man in history to complete the career slam  – winning all four of tennis’ prized majors - breaking an 87-year-old record. Or 38-year-old Novak Djokovic will become the oldest man to ever win a Grand Slam  – whilst defeating the two new-era titans back-to-back - breaking a 53-year-old record. Who wants this one more? You’d think the answer would be the 38

(Getty/Quinn Rooney) You wouldn't need to be the biggest tennis fan to have come across the controversy surrounding the ban on Whoop bands. For those unaware, a Whoop band is a screenless fitness tracking device that can be worn just like a regular watch, with its purpose to monitor players' body strain, recovery, and sleep to help optimise performance. It is designed to collect data that is then turned into suggestions and insights. Although they may seem harmless, world No.

(Getty/Cameron Spencer) Iga Świątek is now just three matches away from completing the career Grand Slam. Having won four French Opens, a Wimbledon, and a US Open, the Australian Open is her final piece of the puzzle. Świątek has reached the semi-finals in 2022 and 2025, and now it's former finalist Elena Rybakina standing in the way of another appearance in the semis. Their head-to-head stands at 6-5 for Świątek , but to her, that makes absolutely no difference once the two

Craig Tiley speaking at the Australian Open. (Getty/Morgan Hancock) The fact that the Australian Open is the only one of the four Grand Slams where the Tournament Director is also the national association's CEO surely means that when the all-powerful Craig Tiley announces as early as next week that he is joining the USTA, Tennis Australia will be left with two key roles to fill. Few administrators are as closely identified with an event as Tiley, who has run the AO since 2006

(Getty/Morgan Hancock) For an Aussie ranked No.6 in the world and playing some of his best tennis at his home Slam, there sure isn't a Hewitt-like hype following Alex de Minaur around Melbourne Park.  In fact, public sentiment suggests his upcoming quarter-final against Spaniard Carlos Alcataz is a fait accompli.   Such pessimism arguably sells our top-ranked Australian short, and he doesn't like it.  You can understand that from his perspective, too. His continual improvemen

Stan Wawrinka shows his appreciation to the crowd on John Cain Arena after playing his final Australian Open match. (Getty/Hannah Peters) As the sun began to set on Stan Wawrinka's career in Australia, he conjured up the crowd one last time. They had been raucous all match, with Wawrinka often encouraging them with a hand signal or a clap, which only cranked up the stadium's volume. With opponent Taylor Fritz serving for the match at 15-all, the American had to abort his ball

(Getty/William West) There is an old saying commonly attributed to a Roman philosopher that says, "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity".  The idea being that luck isn't random or the result of cosmic good fortune, but rather that luck is the result of being ready to seize an unexpected opening.   For American Ben Shelton, this 2026 Australian Open might be his opportunity to make his first Grand Slam final. Drawn in the bottom half of the men's singles dra

A fired-up Jakub Menšík in action against Ethan Quinn. (Getty/Lintao Zhang) Jakub Menšík has made his deepest run at a Grand Slam yet, reaching the fourth round of the 2026 Australian Open. The 20-year-old Czech, seeded No.16, now faces Novak Djokovic in a rematch of their 2025 Miami Open final. In that famous encounter, Mensik claimed his first ATP title by defeating the 24-time Grand Slam champion in straight sets, marking one of the biggest surprises of the year. In hindsi

(Getty/Robert Prange) There's the Grand Slam (aka the pinnacle). A club with just Don Budge (1938), Maureen Connolly (1953), Rod Laver (1962, 1969) and Steffi Graf (1988) as members. There's the Golden Slam (which adds the Olympic title in the same calendar year). Still Graf's exclusive domain. Then there's the career Grand Slam (all four majors, at least once), achieved by 18 singles greats, but just 10 in the Open era, and most recently Novak Djokovic in 2016. Add the surfa

(Getty/William West) In September last year, he lost in the opening round of a French challenger and had a total of 11 ATP Tour-level wins to his name. This week, he booked his ticket to the third round of the Australian Open as the tournament's 30th seed. His name is Valentin Vacherot, and he might be the most unlikely player to (soon) find himself in the world's top 20 in recent memory after defeating Australian Rinky Hijikata 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in front of a disappointed h

(Getty/Paul Crock) Tommy Paul has cruised through his first two Australian Open matches, with a strong 6-4 6-3 6-3 win over countryman Aleksandar Kovacevic, followed up with a 6-3 6-4 6-2 victory over Thiago Agustin Tirante. So far, everything seems to be running smoothly for the American 19th seed. When asked if he was somewhat surprised with his first week so far, Paul leaned towards his serve as a big strength. "I don't want to say I was surprised, but I feel like somethin

Janice Tjen holding the Chennai title. (WTA) Just a day after Filipino young gun Alexandra Eala set the crowd alight, Indonesia's Janice Tjen did a similar thing at Melbourne Park. Except this time, the script was different. Tjen won. Tjen took down Canada's 22nd seed, Leylah Fernandez, 6-2, 7-6, becoming the first Indonesian to win a main draw match at the Australian Open since Yayuk Basuki back in 1998. Tjen, at just 23, has been on a tear lately, and this victory is the la

(Getty/Izhar Khan) Have you ever had to give back the biggest bonus you've earned in your career?  That's the reality for American up-and-comer Michael Zheng, who earned the biggest win of his life on Opening Sunday, defeating compatriot Sebastian Korda 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(0), 6-3 on Kia Arena.  Zheng, a psychology undergraduate at Columbia University in New York, is subject to the ever-contentious and, arguably, prehistoric NCAA rules of amateurism that prevent student-athlet

(Getty/Cameron Spencer) Arthur Fery, the unheralded world No.186 from Great Britain, delivered the first shock of the 2026 Australian Open, just hours after the gates opened, taking down 20th-seeded Italian Flavio Cobolli, 7-6, 6-4, 6-1. Despite the Italian struggling with his fitness at times, it was a stunning win from Fery, who came through qualifying just to make it into the main draw. Fery, speaking after the match, suggested playing the three matches beforehand, and the

Record crowds have flooded through the gates at Melbourne Park. (Photo: The First Serve) The very crowded house that was Rod Laver Arena on a Saturday night that included a set from, yes, Crowded House symbolises the transformation of the Australian Open from the far more modest affair it was when Flinders/Melbourne Park shared this writer's Grand Slam debut almost four decades ago. Since 2024, Saturday night has been tournament eve for the now-15-day event, but never like th

(Getty/Ian MacNicol) Tennis is always on the lookout for the next big thing, the next prodigy. This is especially so at the beginning of a new season. In 2026, things are no different. We are fortunate in Australia to have the majority of early-season events on our doorstep, meaning we can keep a close eye on who might be ready to take that rankings leap. One player already making some waves on the WTA tour is 17-year-old Austrian Lilli Tagger. After watching one practice ses

Who is Rafael Jódar? As the 2026 tennis season kicks off, Rafael Jódar is quickly proving that his transition from junior standout and top college player to full-time professional was the right move. The 19-year-old Spaniard’s recent performances, particularly at this week’s ATP Challenger 125 in Canberra is highlighting his ascent and growing presence on the men’s tour. Born on 17 September 2006 in Madrid, Jódar developed into one of the world’s elite junior players early in

(Getty/William West) Ah, yes, it's that time of the year when Australian Open wildcards are passionately debated at length. 'Why has this player been offered a wildcard?' 'Why has that player been overlooked?' They are often questions asked by the Australian tennis public, which actually opens the door for healthy discussion. Unlike Thanasi Kokkinakis, who has activated his protected ranking to compete in the 2026 Australian Open main draw, Nick Kyrgios could no longer rely o

In professional tennis, long-term progress is rarely accidental. It is shaped by clear structure, informed planning, and the ability to manage the realities of life on tour. Samuel Guarin built his coaching career around those principles, working internationally across the ATP, WTA, and ITF circuits while supporting players through the technical, tactical, and organisational demands of modern professional tennis. Over the years, Guarin has accumulated extensive international