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.
Tennis
9:40 PM ET ESPN News Services MELBOURNE, Australia — Former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu‘s comeback from injury stalled Wednesday at the Australian Open when she became the latest top-10 player to be beaten by crafty veteran Su-Wei Hsieh of Taiwan. Andreescu’s power was no match for Hsieh’s shotmaking in a second-round upset, 6-3, 6-2.
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,
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
12:56 AM ET D’Arcy MaineESPN.com Following her 7-5, 6-4 loss in the first round at the Australian Open on Tuesday to American player Jessica Pegula, Victoria Azarenka said her preparation for the year’s first major was adversely affected by the 14-day hard quarantine period she had to endure. “Of course, it has impacted [on court],”
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
1:39 AM ET ESPN News Services Gael Monfils‘ eyes filled with his tears as he spoke to reporters after his seventh consecutive tour-level loss — and the first time he’s exited the Australian Open in his opening match in 15 years. The 10th-seeded Frenchman is a two-time Grand Slam semifinalist, but he can’t seem to
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