Australian Open draw: Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Świątek’s path to career Grand Slams
The Australian Open begins Sunday in Melbourne, and the draws for the men’s and women’s singles have thrown up some blockbuster first-round matches. The Athletic’s Matthew Futterman and James Hansen analyze an intriguing draw, as well as offering some of their picks for the best matches of the opening days. A boost for Carlos Alcaraz’s career Grand Slam hopes? Alcaraz, who is bidding to become the youngest man to win all four majors, is a favorite for every Grand Slam he plays alongside Jannik S
Read more: Australian Open draw: Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Świątek’s path to career Grand Slams
Madison Keys’ Australian Open Prep Takes a Hit as 19-Year-Old Sensation Ousts Defending Adelaide Champion
Giron beats rain but Shelton forced to wait in delayed Auckland ATP quarterfinals
Top-seeded Ben Shelton was a set down to seventh-seeded Sebastian Baez when their quarterfinal at the ASB Classic was suspended because of rain on Thursday. The first quarterfinal won by Marcos Giron over third-seeded Luciano Darderi 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 took more than seven hours to complete because of repeated rain breaks. Eighth-ranked Shelton and 39th-ranked Baez finally took the court at the start of the scheduled night session and Baez led 6-4, 0-1 when a thunderstorm brought torrential rain which caused play to be suspended for the day.
Read more: Giron beats rain but Shelton forced to wait in delayed Auckland ATP quarterfinals
WATCH: Novak Djokovic Left Speechless After Roger Federer Chants Echo Through the Crowd
Novak Djokovic’s preparation for the upcoming Australian Open hit another bump on Wednesday, as the 10x champion was forced to cut short his second practice session after just 12 minutes due to a neck issue. Physio Miljan Amanaovic worked on the affected area right on the court, but the session never resumed.
Read more: WATCH: Novak Djokovic Left Speechless After Roger Federer Chants Echo Through the Crowd
Roger Federer revisits the Happy Slam and holds court on contemporary tennis
On his much belated farewell tour to the tournament he first described as the “Happy Slam," Roger Federer has held court on contemporary tennis. Federer won five U.S. Open titles, five at Wimbledon and three in Australia before he finally completed his career Grand Slam in 2009 with a victory at Roland Garros, where Rafael Nadal was dominant on the clay.
Read more: Roger Federer revisits the Happy Slam and holds court on contemporary tennis
