3:21 PM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — Moments after winning what will be remembered as one of the greatest slugfests in Grand Slam history, Naomi Osaka stood at center court, shoulder-to-shoulder with Australian Open runner-up Petra Kvitova, and allowed the slightest satisfied smile to slowly lift her cheeks. As the crowd inside Rod Laver Arena stood,
Tennis
6:37 AM ET ESPN News Services This time there was no such controversy surrounding Naomi Osaka‘s Grand Slam victory. Osaka took advantage of her second chance in the third set to defeat Petra Kvitova 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-4 on Saturday, win the Australian Open and become a back-to-back Slam champion. Her US Open victory last
5:38 AM ET Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia — With every loud squeak of his blue-hued shoes, Novak Djokovic put himself in perfect position to control a point — and step closer to a record seventh Australian Open championship. Djokovic was downright flawless right from the outset of his semifinal against an overmatched No. 28 Lucas
1:24 PM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — All that talk about the Next Generation players — you know, the under-25ers scoring all the headlines and upsets here in Melbourne, the guys poised to take the baton from the aging Big Four and usher a new era into the game: Let’s shelve that for now. Because after
6:54 AM ET Simon Cambers MELBOURNE, Australia — The one thing we can tell you for certain ahead of the Petra Kvitova–Naomi Osaka battle for the Australian Open title is that nothing is certain. While so many previous finals have had clear-cut favorites, this one does not. Kvitova and Osaka are playing next-level tennis. The
7:40 AM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — Petra Kvitova knew this moment could come. When it did, she broke out in a smile as exuberant as the cheers in Rod Laver Arena. No, we’re not talking about match point. We’re referring to the announcement, at four-all in the first set of her semifinal match against Danielle
6:19 AM ET Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia — Rafael Nadal needed all of 11 minutes in his Australian Open semifinal to show 20-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas — and everyone else — that the kid’s upset of Roger Federer was not going to be replicated on this night. Not even close. Naomi Osaka got past Karolina Pliskova
Looking to join Yannick Noah (1983 French Open) as the only Frenchmen in the Open era to win a major title Which begs the question: Should more men hire more women’s coaches? “They should. They should,” Pouille said. “She has the right state of mind, she knows everything about tennis. It’s not about being a
4:49 AM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — It’s a quick turnaround for both Karolina Pliskova and Naomi Osaka, who clash just one night after their quarterfinal wins at the Australian Open. But before they take the court, American Danielle Collins takes on two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova (Wednesday, 10 p.m. ET on ESPN2). Kvitova hasn’t dropped
6:03 AM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — Serena Williams was one point from victory, one serve from setting up a semifinal rematch against 2018 US Open champion Naomi Osaka. The crowd inside Rod Laver Arena was beginning to thin, as Williams came back from a set and a break down against No. 7 Karolina Pliskova to