Australian Open 2019: Petra Kvitova thumps Danielle Collins to enter final
The eighth seeded Czech is bidding for her first Grand Slam triumph since claiming the second of her Wimbledon titles in 2014.
By Reuters | Melbourne
UPDATED ON JAN 24, 2019 10:35 AM IST
Petra Kvitova will compete in her first Grand Slam final in five years after ending the fairytale run of unseeded American Danielle Collins with a decisive 7-6(2) 6-0 victory on a scorching afternoon at Melbourne Park on Thursday.
The eighth seeded Czech is bidding for her first Grand Slam triumph since claiming the second of her Wimbledon titles in 2014.
The match at Rod Laver Arena was riven with tension, with a delay to close the roof during the first set due to the stifling conditions and a malfunction of the net cord sensor at the start of the second that left server Collins fuming.
Kvitova capitalised on the American’s distraction to break her three times in succession on the way to an emphatic victory that made her the first Czech woman to reach the Melbourne final since Jana Novotna lost the 1991 decider to Monica Seles.
Two Russian tennis players banned for life for match-fixing
AP
PUBLISHED ON JAN 27, 2021 07:32 PM IST
The International Tennis Integrity Agency said Alija Merdeeva was found guilty of two counts of match-fixing. Sofia Dmitrieva was found guilty on six counts of match-fixing and was also charged with failing to cooperate with an investigation.
Andy Murray enters challenger event in Italy
AP
PUBLISHED ON JAN 27, 2021 07:26 PM IST
Murray is listed to play an indoor tournament in Biella starting February 15, the Italian Tennis Federation said Wednesday.
Trapped in Australian Open 'hard quarantine', Bopanna waiting for 'freedom day'
PTI
PUBLISHED ON JAN 27, 2021 04:31 PM IST
The 40-year-old was on one of the three flights out of a total of 17 Tennis Australia-arranged chartered planes, that landed in Melbourne with positive cases on board.
Djokovic is our LeBron but we have to call him out sometimes: Kyrgios
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 26, 2021 01:40 PM IST
The maverick Australian called the Serbian's ill-fated Adria Tour in June "boneheaded" and described Djokovic as a "tool" last week when he wrote to Australian Open organisers asking for the easing of quarantine conditions.
Paes eyeing French Open comeback in record eighth straight Olympics bid
PTI, Kolkata
PUBLISHED ON JAN 25, 2021 11:32 PM IST
Paes eyeing French Open comeback in record eighth straight Olympics bid
Barty enjoying Australian training 'camp' ahead of Grand Slam
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 25, 2021 01:12 PM IST
Having remained in Australia through most of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world number one has avoided the two-week quarantine that nearly 1,000 players and officials are undergoing after landing in the country.
In quarantine, Rohan Bopanna forced to hunt for new doubles partner
By Rutvick Mehta
PUBLISHED ON JAN 25, 2021 08:21 AM IST
- The doubles world No. 38 faces uncertainty after his original partner, Portugal’s Joao Sousa, pulled out on Saturday night due to the strict quarantine protocols in Australia.
WTA event added for quarantining players in Melbourne
AP
PUBLISHED ON JAN 24, 2021 05:54 PM IST
The new tournament will be staged from Feb. 3-7 and will cater to players who have not been able to train. A total of 72 players remain in hard lockdown after three chartered flights to the Australian Open returned positive Covid-19 cases.
Spanish federation apologises to Tennis Australia over player quarantine
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 23, 2021 03:09 PM IST
More than 70 players have been confined to their rooms after some passengers on three charter flights that brought them to Australia tested positive for the new coronavirus. Other players are able to train for up to five hours a day.
Barty itching to get started at Australian Open
Reuters
UPDATED ON JAN 23, 2021 02:26 PM IST
Barty reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park for the first time last year before sitting out most of the rest of the season at home because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
_1611384544513_1611384549652.jpg "Tennis players during lockdown.(Agencies)")
Why the tennis world's best players are hitting balls against hotel walls
By Rutvick Mehta
UPDATED ON JAN 23, 2021 12:22 PM IST
For a group of 72 players, a knock on the door usually means either a RT-PCR test or a delivery of food or some other essential.
Expected Australian honour for tennis great Court stirs controversy
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 22, 2021 07:51 PM IST
Court is to be awarded a Companion in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AC), the highest category of honour, after previously receiving recognition in 2007, media reported.
Spanish tennis player says she tested positive for COVID-19
AP
PUBLISHED ON JAN 22, 2021 08:51 AM IST
- Paula Badosa, a 23-year-old who reached the fourth round at last year's French Open, wrote Thursday on Twitter that she received her test result for the illness caused by the coronavirus on the seventh day of her hard quarantine.
World No.1 Barty joins elite field for Adelaide exhibition
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 21, 2021 02:33 PM IST
U.S. Open winners Dominic Thiem and Naomi Osaka and women's No. 2 Simona Halep will be part of the eight-player field, which also includes 19-year-old Italian Jannik Sinner.
Top-ranked Ash Barty to make return in Adelaide exhibition
AP
PUBLISHED ON JAN 21, 2021 08:53 AM IST
The world No. 1-ranked Barty on Thursday said she'll play in a one-day exhibition event in Adelaide on Jan. 29 which includes Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka and Simona Halep.