(Getty) Aussies Alexei Popyrin and Taylah Preston have been awarded US Open reciprocal wildcards in agreement with Tennis Australia. Preston, 20, sits one place outside the top 100, but is nonetheless excited to compete on one of tennis' biggest stages. "I'm extremely grateful to be given the opportunity to compete in the main draw in New York," said Preston, who recently won the WTA 125 Vancouver title against Maddison Inglis in the final. "It means so much to me – I've put

(Getty/Emmanuele Ciancagliani) Reputable Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport reports that world No.1 Jannik Sinner is preparing for a fitness test in the coming days to determine whether he will enter the upcoming US Open. Sinner, who turned 25 this week, withdrew from the Cincinnati Masters due to a knee injury. "My right knee has been bothering me, and even though we have been working hard with my medical team, I have to accept that I'm not ready to compete yet," he said

(Getty/Matthew Stockman) New Toronto champion Iga Świątek made sure to put a few people in their place following consistent criticism. The 25-year-old dropped only five games in Canada's WTA 1000 final against Elena Rybakina, winning 6-2, 6-3 in a dominant display. "The journey has been bumpy this season," admitted Świątek. "To be here and to hold the trophy… means a lot, and I'm just proud of myself and super-happy." Listen to The First Serve Live every Monday at 8pm AEST in

(Getty/Kelly Defina) Former world No.33 John Millman believes that there's "not the volume of players coming through" in the Australian tennis system despite the rise of Cruz Hewitt. Millman, who retired in 2024, shared his thoughts on Cruz, son of former world No.1 Lleyton, after reaching the Wimbledon Boys' final and earning his maiden ATP Tour victory. "For me, Cruz is very, very talented. Sometimes when I watch him play, and when I was with him, his biggest opponent at ti

Carlos Alcaraz in the stands to watch his brother, Jaime. (Getty/Europa Press) The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) have launched a scathing reality check following the concerning number of player withdrawals, linking injuries to a demanding schedule. The men's field has been more open in recent months since Carlos Alcaraz's absence dating back to April (wrist injury), and just recently, world No.1 Jannik Sinner withdrew from the Cincinnati Masters due to a knee

Following a hugely successful 2026 tournament, the Kooyong Classic has continued its momentum into 2027, today announcing Australian star Nick Kyrgios and former World No. 2 Paula Badosa as the first players to join the 2027 tournament. Returning to the spiritual home of Australian tennis from 12–14 January 2027, former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios is one of the world’s biggest drawcards, renowned for his shot-making, creativity and ability to entertain crowds whenever he

Cruz Hewitt at the Washington Open. (Getty/ Emilee Chinn) Days after 17-year-old Cruz Hewitt took a massive step in his pro tennis career, a healthy discussion has materialised about his junior environment and the lessons Tennis Australia can take away from it. Hewitt, who qualified as a wildcard for his first-ever Tour-level main draw at the ATP 500 Washington Open, won his first Tour-level match against world No.85 Marcos Giron before falling to 2025 champion and mentor Ale

Players react in shock during the AO 1 Point Slam. (Getty/David Gray) As expected off the back of huge success, the AO 1 Point Slam will be making another appearance at Rod Laver Arena for the 2027 Australian Open. The event was played during January's Opening Week, where a knockout format saw amateurs take on pros, with the first player to win a point progressing to the next round. NSW State Champion Jordan Smith won the inaugural AO 1 Point Slam, defeating world No.1 Jannik

(Getty/Clive Brunskill) Former Wimbledon champion Markéta Vondroušová has learnt the full findings of the tribunal report following her four-year ban. Vondroušová, 27, was handed the ban in June after the Czech star denied a doping officer entry to her home to conduct a routine doping test, arguing that the officer failed to follow "protocol". She was fearful of a similar incident occurring to that of fellow Czech, Petra Kvitová, who was stabbed in her apartment in 2016, addi

(Getty/Emilee Chinn) Top seed Alex de Minaur has kept his Washington title defence alive after getting past Aussie teenager Cruz Hewitt in what was a "weird" experience. The world No.5 was broken once throughout the contest as he sealed his progression to the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 event with a routine 6-2, 6-3 win. All the pre-game talk centred on the duo's relationship, dating back over a decade, with photos circulating on social media. Listen to The First Serve Live

Cruz Hewitt and Edward Winter (Getty/Emilee Chinn, Matthew Stockman) Cruz Hewitt and Edward Winter tasted a first ATP Tour-level victory on the same day in different tournaments, as the North American swing kicks into full gear. Hewitt, 17, took down world No.85 American Marcos Giron 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the ATP 500 Washington Open without conceding a break point chance. Having recently reached the final of the Wimbledon Boys' final, the Sydneysider is continuing hi

The USTA has confirmed the initial list of star-studded teams entered into the second edition of the reimagined US Open Mixed Doubles Championships. Aryna Sabalenka/Novak Djokovic Elena Rybakina/Taylor Fritz Mirra Andreeva/Andrey Rublev Iga Swiatek/Casper Ruud Belinda Bencic/Flavio Cobolli Diana Shnaider/Daniil Medvedev Amanda Anisimova/Learner Tien Alex Eala/Felix Auger-Aliassime Leylah Fernandez/Frances Tiafoe Taylor Townsend/Alexander Zverev Elena Gabriela Ruse/Nuno Borges

The 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Tennis Event will expand from nine to 10 days and will be held from Wednesday 19 until Friday 28 July 2028. The event will take place just after Wimbledon, with the LA28 opening ceremony being held on Friday 14 July, while Wimbledon is still going. The event will be played at Carson Courts in the Carson Zone. Eleven outdoor hard courts will be used: a 10,000-capacity permanent Centre Court; two temporary show courts – Court 1 and Court 2; and

(Getty/Morgan Hancock) The 2027 Australian Open will implement an unprecedented change for ground passes, but clarity has been issued amid questions from fans. On Tuesday morning, it was announced that ground passes for January's event will be limited. It comes after backlash from tennis fans during the 2026 Australian Open, with many left frustrated by long queues and difficulty in finding a seat on the outside courts. Listen to The First Serve Live every Monday at 8pm AEST

(Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images) The men's and women's singles entry lists have been confirmed for the US Open, announced after Monday's six-week cutoff with the latest rankings updated. The women's cutoff was No.102, while the men's cutoff was No.101. World No.1s and past US Open Champions Aryna Sabalenka (2024 and 2025) and Jannik Sinner (2024) lead their respective fields, with Sabalenka aiming to become the first woman to win three consecutive US Open sin

Craig Tiley speaking at Melbourne Park. (Getty/Daniel Pockett) Ex-Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley has commenced his first day in office as the new United States Tennis Association (USTA) CEO, five months after being appointed. The 65-year-old decided to leave Tennis Australia after 21 years, serving as both the CEO and Australian Open tournament director since 2013. Listen to The First Serve Live every Monday at 8pm AEST in its 18th year on the SEN Network/App, Australia's

(Getty/Robert Prange) A new policy established by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) will require all players on the women's circuit to be genetically sex tested to remain eligible to compete. The breaking news story, reported by Ben Rothenberg at Bounces, reveals that although there are no known transgender women on the WTA Tour, the Board has decided to take precautionary measures to protect the sport's integrity amid a "phantom threat of trans women in women's sport", as

(Karolína Muchová/Instagram) Recent Wimbledon runner-up Karolína Muchová has confirmed she will miss "a few weeks" after undergoing a "small surgery". This time last week, the world No.6 lost the Wimbledon final to Czech compatriot Linda Nosková in three sets. "I had to undergo a small surgery that will keep me off the court for a few weeks," said Muchová. "Everything went well, and I'm already working on my recovery." Listen to The First Serve Live every Monday at 8pm AEST i

(Getty/Matthew Stockman) Argentinian tennis player Facundo Bagnis has accepted a 12-month ban after testing positive for a banned substance. The 36-year-old, who hasn't competed on Tour since September last year, was found to have taken hydrochlorothiazide, which is used to treat high blood pressure and fluid retention caused by heart, kidney, or liver conditions. Listen to The First Serve Live every Monday at 8pm AEST in its 18th year on the SEN Network/App, Australia's only

Endorsed by Matteo Berrettini and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, the new HEAD Extreme 2026 tennis racquet series is engineered for players who attack with heavy topspin, sharp angles, and explosive power. Power is not just physical. It is the feeling of an unstoppable shot, the confidence to alter momentum, and the competitive edge to dominate on court. The HEAD Extreme 2026 series is built to deliver all of this. Powerful spin is the defining quality of the Extreme range. Ever