Poll: Which Aussie will go furthest in the men’s Australian Open?
World No.3 Ruud v No.16 Berrettini
Players are on court in Brisbane for the first match up there, Norway’s Casper Ruud taking on Italy’s Matteo Berrettini.
Ruud leads 2-1 as both players hold serve to start.
Italy lead this tie 2-0 and a win for Berrettini, a gallant Australian Open semi-finalist against eventual champion Rafael Nadal last year, will secure their passage to the final.
Berrettini enjoyed a career-high ranking of No.6 after that impressive run before being sidelined by surgery.
Ruud meanwhile, he peaked at No.2 last year with a loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the US open final and he’s the top-ranked Norwegian in their history.
Casper Ruud (left) and Carlos Alcaraz before the 2022 US Open men’s singles final.Credit:Getty Images
Pegula takes the first set
Another break for world No.3 Jessica Pegula and she claims the first set in 44 minutes, prevailing 6-3.
Siegemund’s 21 unforced errors bringing her undone but there was a rally of sorts from her after a very sluggish start. All in all though, Pegula doing it easy and a 3-0 lead in this USA-Germany tie looms.
Pegula leads 1-0 (6-3)
ICYMI – Venus beats opponent half her age
From Auckland’s ASB Classic yesterday, 42-year-old Venus Williams beat qualifier Katie Volynets 7-6 (4) 6-2, a 21-year-old from the States as well.
This was Williams’ first singles victory since Wimbledon 2021, and ends a nine-match WTA losing streak dating back two years.
Venus Williams in action in Auckland.Credit:Getty
The seven-time major champion has been awarded a wild-card entry to play at the Australian Open.
“This is one of my favourite places to come and I was so excited that I made it here,” the former No. 1 player said in her on-court interview. “It is so great to be back and thank you for staying so late and I am glad that I managed to get a win.”
Big guns come out to play in Adelaide
Couldn’t fit more marquee players on court if they tried down in the City of Churches today, here’s the rough schedule for day 6 of the Adelaide International. All times are AEDT.
11.30am Daniil Medvedev (world No.7) v Lorenzo Sonego
Followed by Novak Djokovic (world No.5) v Constant Lestienne
Daniil Medvedev leads a host of top-class players in action in Adelaide.Credit:Getty
Not before 2.30pm
Jannik Sinner (world No.15) v Kyle Edmund
Not before 3pm
Victoria Azarenka v Anhelina Kalinina
Not before 7pm
Roberto Bautista Agut v Andrey Rublev (world No.8)
Siegemund survives double-break
An ominous start for the American Jessica Pegula, she so nearly had a double-break and 3-0 lead over Germany’s Laura Siegemund. Must say a lot of that was down to Siegemund’s rusty serving, a couple of double faults and unforced errors before being taken to deuce in the third game.
She just held onto that second service game but needs to lift.
Pegula leads 2-1.
Play about to get under way
The first matches of day 6 in the United Cup are just about to kick off. This morning we have:
USA v Germany – USA lead 2-0 in Sydney
Jessica Pegula v Laura Siegemund
Greece v Belgium – tied 1-1 in Perth (from 12pm AEDT)
Maria Sakkari v Elise Mertens
Italy v Norway – Italy lead 2-0 in Brisbane (from 11am AEDT)
Matteo Berrettini v Casper Ruud
That last clash in Brisbane shapes as a cracker, world No.3 Ruud up against No.16 Berrettini. Italy needs a win to progress, a Norwegian comeback would send Brazil through to the final from their group.
Poll: Which Aussie will go furthest in the men’s Australian Open?
Navratilova’s ‘double whammy’ cancer diagnosis
And from New York overnight, Martina Navratilova has been diagnosed with throat and breast cancer.
The prognosis is good and she starts treatment in February, but never what you want to hear.
“This double whammy is serious but still fixable, and I’m hoping for a favourable outcome,” the 66-year-old Navratilova said. “It’s going to stink for a while but I’ll fight with all I have got.”
Recap: Giant killing Aussies
While we’re here, a recap of yesterday’s events – led by some homegrown heroics in Sydney and Adelaide.
Upset No.1: No Nick Kyrgios, no worries. Alex de Minaur has pulled off the biggest win of his career, knocking over Rafael Nadal to hand the world No.2 his fifth loss in his past six matches.
Two days after pleading with media to stop asking about his retirement date, questions over Nadal’s grand slam credentials will ramp up after losing his second consecutive match of the United Cup 3-6, 6-1, 7-5.
Upset No.2: Australia’s Alexei Popyrin beat world No.6 Felix Auger-Aliassime in a stunning boilover at the Adelaide International.
And Thanasi Kokkinakis survived a tense serve-off with American giant Maxime Cressy – and an early injury scare – to continue his on-court love affair with Adelaide.
The hometown hero has a mighty task to match his heroics from last year, including his maiden ATP Tour title, but made a promising start on Monday night, outlasting Cressy 7-6(7-4), 7-6(9-7) in a two-hour-plus rollercoaster.
Welcome one, welcome all
Morning sports fans, anyone for tennis?
It’s a big day right across the country with United Cup finals positions on the line in Brisbane and Perth, a host of big names taking the court at the Adelaide International and Australia duking it out with Spain in the evening.
We’ve got Michael Chammas and Marc McGowan on the ground, myself manning the keys in Maroubra and play kicking around the nation from 10am AEDT.
