Incredible Kenin Is Australian Open Champion
Locker Room
February 1, 2020
Sofia Kenin displayed such a phenomenal will to win that no one could stop her in the end. Not even a double Grand Slam winner with the force of Garbine Muguruza could prevent the relentless realisation of a dream. Superhuman defence. Fearless, lethal attack. Always sending one, simple message: ‘I will not be denied my […]
Dominic Thiem Plays Novak Djokovic In Australian Open Final
Locker Room
January 31, 2020
Dominic Thiem dug deep to defeat Alexander Zverev and advance to face Novak Djokovic on Sunday. Victory didn’t come naturally to the popular Austrian. There were times when his touch deserted him and even his breathing seemed laboured. But Thiem summoned enough willpower and winning strokeplay to deserve his place in the Australian Open final. […]
Djokovic Downs Federer To Reach Eighth Australian Open Final
Locker Room
January 30, 2020
Novak Djokovic is the last man standing among the old guard in Melbourne this year. You get the feeling he will find a way to defeat whichever youngster he faces in the final on Sunday, too. The man has a computer-brain when it comes to figuring out tennis solutions. Just when you think Djokovic is […]
Magical Muguruza Faces Kenin In Final
Locker Room
Garbine Muguruza reached her first Australian Open final with one of the greatest performances of her entire career. She will face Sofia Kenin in the unlikeliest of finals after edging Simona Halep 7-6 (10-8), 7-5. Halep did little wrong. She too was brilliant. But she was facing an irresistible force across the net. After a […]
Thiem Shocks Nadal To Set Up Zverev Showdown
Locker Room
January 29, 2020
Dominic Thiem has pulled off a big shock by dumping Rafael Nadal out of the Australian Open. Now he will face Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals. And that guarantees a new finalist in Melbourne come the weekend. It also offers evidence that the changing of the guard in men’s tennis has begun. Few would have […]
Emotional Novak Djokovic To Face Roger Federer
Locker Room
January 28, 2020
Novak Djokovic is through to face Roger Federer for the fiftieth time. And you get the feeling that nobody – not even Federer and his extraordinary fighting spirit – can stand in Novak’s way for very long. The Serb defeated big-serving Milos Raonic 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7-1) to reach his eighth Australian Open semi-final. Djokovic […]
Roger Federer Saves Seven Match Points
Locker Room
A defiant Roger Federer saved no fewer than seven match points while nursing a groin injury. The Swiss genius needed only one match point when it came to the crunch and admitted: ‘I believe in miracles.’ Of all his achievements in the game, those magnificent seven demonstrations of sporting bravery must be among Roger’s greatest. […]
Nadal Downs Kyrgios But Wawrinka Steals The Show
Locker Room
January 27, 2020
Rafael Nadal will face Dominic Thiem in the Australian Open quarter-finals after he defeated Nick Kyrgios on an emotional day for world sport. The level of tennis was extraordinary. And the respect between the two feisty rivals was only fitting on the day the world mourned the death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter. Kyrgios […]
Has Roger Federer Played His Way Back Into Contention?
Locker Room
January 26, 2020
You know what everyone was saying about Roger Federer after his marathon against John Millman? “He won the match but used up so much energy that he will have no chance when he comes up against the big boys.” Well, the tennis world might just have to reconsider that verdict. Federer looked remarkably fresh against […]
Barty Gains Revenge For Wimbledon But Fears Kvitova Heartbreak
Locker Room
Ashleigh Barty gained sweet revenge for her Wimbledon defeat to Alison Riske. Now she is out to avenge her quarter-final reverse at the hands of Petra Kvitova this time last year. Barty didn’t play like a world number one against American Riske, as she struggled to cope with the dramatic wind variations from one end […]