CNN — Defending champion Rafael Nadal will face English youngster Jack Draper in the opening round of the Australian Open in a bid to retain his 2022 crown and extend his grand
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Before a ball was even hit at this year’s US Open, many would have predicted three of the four semifinalists in the men’s draw.
Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev have all been at this stage before. All have won at least one grand slam and the trio occupy the top three ranks in the world.
Then there is American hopeful Ben Shelton. In truth, not many would have predicted the 20-year-old would make it this far in New York, but his place in the semifinals has been no fluke.
With his booming serve and powerful ground strokes, the world No. 47 has certainly demonstrated his potential to sit among the sport’s elite, but he will have to find new levels to book his place in the final.
Djokovic and Shelton kick off proceedings in Arthur Ashe Stadium at 3 p.m. ET on Friday, with Medvedev taking on Alcaraz afterwards.
Viewers in the US can watch all the action on ESPN, while Sky Sports will broadcast the matches in the UK.
After beating compatriot Frances Tiafoe in the last round, Shelton set up a tie with arguably the greatest player to ever play the game, Djokovic.
The Serbian is bidding to win his fourth US Open title and his 24th grand slam overall. Once again, he’s been in superior form at the tournament and will likely test Shelton like he’s never been tested before as they meet for the first time.
However, with the home crowd behind him, Shelton is hoping he can surprise a few people in Friday’s semifinal.
“I think that whenever you play somebody for the first time and someone who has been in this situation so many times and come out victorious so many times, that’s in the back of your head,” Shelton admitted.
“I also think it’s an advantage with my game style playing someone who’s never played me before.
“I think that I can bring some things to the table that maybe you don’t see in your normal match.”
Shelton has enjoyed a quite remarkable 12 months since making his grand slam debut at last year’s US Open, where he lost in the first round.
He broke into the world top 100 later that year without ever playing outside of the US, before starting his 2023 with a quarterfinal run at the Australian Open.
Coached by his father, the youngster has only continued to improve and is now the youngest American man to reach a singles semifinal since 1992.
“I think the mental has improved more than the physical,” Shelton told reporters, speaking about his development.
“There’s plenty of times where I could have gone over to my box today and said, ‘Guys, I’m cooked. I’m tired. I don’t know if I can go anymore.’
“Instead, I told myself, ‘I’m fine and he’s feeling it too.’ I think being able to flip it in your head is more than half the battle.”
Djokovic, playing in his 47th grand slam semifinal, will be the favorite to progress on Friday, but he’ll certainly be made to work for it.
The carefree Shelton, who is 16 years younger than his opponent, has nothing to lose and will therefore have license to take it to Djokovic.
With the “brutal” heat already testing players at this stage of the tournament, veteran Djokovic knows he needs to plan for a battle.
“I have to have an approach that is different from what it was 10 years ago,” he told reporters about adapting his game as a 36-year-old.
“I’m the father of two children, a lot of things are happening off the court that are obviously part of my life that affect me in one way or another, my mental state, my emotional state.
“I need to know how to handle all of these things and create a formula that works. So far, so good.”
The other semifinal will see world No. 1 Alcaraz face Russian third seed Medvedev.
The pair have won the last two US Open titles between them, Alcaraz last year and Medvedev in 2021, and have both looked sharp over the last two weeks.
Spain’s Alcaraz will have the added pressure of being reigning champion, but it’s something he’s had to quickly get used to over the past 12 months.
His win at Flushing Meadows in 2022 announced the Spaniard as a global superstar and he’s gone from contender to favorite in almost every tournament he plays.
“Last year, I was facing my first semifinal of a grand slam. Now, I’m facing my fourth one,” Alcaraz told reporters.
“I feel like I’m a totally different player. I feel like I’m more mature. I deal better with the pressure.”
Medvedev, meanwhile, has been around much longer, but is also surfing a wave of momentum in recent weeks.
After a disappointing third-round exit at the Australian Open, the 27-year-old has turned around his form and has gone on to win five titles so far in 2023.
Despite struggling with the extreme heat during his semifinal battle with Andrey Rublev, Medvedev is producing some impressive performances and looks to be a very real threat to Alcaraz.
“That’s how tennis is. I think that’s how sometimes it can be in life, many things can happen, and you can be disappointed,” Medvedev told reporters.
“Then the next day is a new day and something good can happen.”
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Novak Djokovic cruised through to the US Open final after a dominant 6-3 6-2 7-6 (7-4) win against American youngster Ben Shelton.
Shelton, playing in his first ever grand slam semifinal, came out all guns blazing but was unable to lay much of a glove on the ever-impressive Djokovic.
The world No. 2 was at his imperious best during the clash and controlled proceedings against Shelton from start to finish.
“These are the kinds of matches and occasions that I still thrive on and get me going and inspire me every day to try and work as hard as the young guys,” Djokovic said during his on-court interview after the win.
“The grand slams are the ones that motivate me the most to play my best tennis, perform my best tennis.”
The Serbian’s first break came in the sixth game of the match and after going up 4-2 in the first set, Djokovic never looked back – going on to win the first set 6-3.
This momentum carried into the next set where Djokovic raced on to claim the second set 6-2 to grab a stranglehold on the encounter inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Being two sets down against Djokovic is a place where no tennis player wants to be and, despite being behind, Shelton will be proud of his efforts in the final set.
The world No. 47 toiled away, making it difficult for Djokovic to advance to the final, and he was even able to break the serve of the 23-time grand slam winner twice during the final frame – forcing a tiebreak.
Djokovic eventually took the third set in the tiebreak and celebrated by imitating his opponent’s celebration – which involves miming holding a phone to his ear and then hanging it up – something that has become a trademark of Shelton’s victories during his US Open run.
The win also means that the Serbian now has a 30-1 record against players playing in their home slam after knocking out the home crowd favorite Shelton.
“I knew prior to the quarterfinals that I would play an American player and that is never easy. To control the nerves and be composed in the moments that matter,” Djokovic added.
“Today things were going really smoothly for me and then he broke back and it was anyone’s game at the end of the third set. This is the kind of atmosphere we all like to play in, so I am really, really pleased with this win today.”
At 20 years old, there will likely be plenty of opportunities for the big serving youngster to go big in future tournaments and, based on this year’s US Open, he has more than enough skill to do so.
For Djokvoic, he has now made it to a record-equaling 10th US Open final and he will be looking to win his fourth title at Flushing Meadows in Sunday’s final.
He also has the chance to make history and level Margaret Court’s record of 24 grand slam singles titles.
The 36-year-old will play the final on Arthur Ashe Stadium against the winner of the semifinal between Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev who play later on Friday.
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Here’s a look at the Australian Open, one of four competitions that make up the “Grand Slam” in professional tennis. The other three are Wimbledon, the French Open and the US Open.
January 13-28, 2024 – The 112th Australian Open takes place.
January 16-29, 2023 – The 111th Australian Open takes place.
The tournament is played at Melbourne Park, in Melbourne, Australia.
The Australian Open is played on hard courts with a blue surface.
Jannik Sinner overcomes a two-set deficit to defeat Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in a five-set final and claims the men’s Australian Open title, becoming the first Italian man to win a grand slam since 1976.
Aryna Sabalenka successfully defends her Australian Open women’s title, defeating China’s Zheng Qinwen in the final.
Novak Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets to win a 10th Australian Open title and a record-equaling 22nd grand slam.
Belarusian-born Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elena Rybakina in three sets, becoming the first player competing under a neutral flag to secure a grand slam.
Total prize money for 2024 was a record high $86.5 million AUD, a 13% increase from $76.5 million AUD in 2023.
Youngest winners – men’s singles – Ken Rosewall (18); women’s singles – Martina Hingis (16)
Oldest winners – men’s singles – Rosewall (37); women’s singles – Thelma Long (35)
Most consecutive singles wins – men’s – Roy Emerson (five) 1963-1967; women’s – Margaret Court (seven) 1960-1966
Most singles titles overall – men’s – Djokovic (10); women’s – Margaret Court (11)
1905 – The Australasian Championships are played in Melbourne.
1927 – The name is changed to the Australian Championships.
1954 – Thelma Long wins the Women’s Singles Championship at 35 years and eight months, becoming the oldest female to do so.
1969 – The name is changed to the Australian Open.
1972 – Ken Rosewall wins the Men’s Singles Championship at age 37, becoming the oldest male player to win the Australian Open. Rosewall also holds the record for youngest champion, winning at age 18 in 1953.
2001 – Begins paying men and women equal prize money.
January 15-16, 2022 – World No. 1 and 2021 men’s singles champion Novak Djokovic is detained and deported from Australia over a visa and Covid-19 vaccination dispute, missing the tournament.
November 15, 2022 – Australia’s Immigration Ministry announces the repeal of Djokovic’s three-year ban from entering the country, paving the way for the nine-time singles champion to enter the 2023 Australian Open.
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Novak Djokovic won the US Open on Sunday, defeating Daniil Medvedev 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 in the men’s final to extend his record grand slam singles titles to 24.
The world No. 2 further cemented himself as one of the greatest tennis players ever – with Sunday’s win, he matches Margaret Court’s record for most all-time grand slam titles.
In a rematch of the 2021 US Open final, the Serbian avenged his loss to No. 3 seed Medvedev at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York to complete his triumphant return to the United States.
“It obviously means the world to me,” Djokovic said after the match. “I’m really living my childhood dream to compete at the highest level in the sport that has given me and my family so much.”
Playing in front of a who’s who crowd, Djokovic was in his usual dominant form in the first set, never facing a break point, while hitting 12 winners in nine games. Entering Sunday’s final, Djokovic was 72-1 all-time at the US Open when winning the first set, with his only loss coming to Stan Wawrinka in the 2016 final.
The second set proved to be more competitive, as Djokovic and Medvedev exchanged games in a nail-biting back and forth, culminating in the Serb’s 7-5 tiebreak victory after an hour and 45 minutes.
From there, with the momentum in his favor and a fourth US Open title a set away, Djokovic cruised to victory, needing only one championship point to seal the historic title.
With the victory, the 36-year-old becomes oldest man to win the US Open singles title in the Open era and the first man to win three grand slam titles in a season for the fourth time – previously doing so in 2011, 2015 and 2021.
Djokovic also extends his lead over Spaniard Rafael Nadal (22) and Switzerland’s Roger Federer (20) for most men’s singles titles of all time.
“To make history of this sport is truly remarkable and special in every possible and every possible meaning of the word special,” Djokovic said.
Sitting in the front row during the game was Djokovic’s six-year daughter, he said during a news conference after the match, sharing with reporters that she would smile at him when he needed her energy most.
It was important to him that his daughter – as well as his nine-year-old son – got to experience their father win when they were old enough to understand the victory, he said.
And as for what keeps him going, Djokovic said: “I don’t want to leave the sport if I’m still playing at the top.”
After his win, an emotional Djokovic momentarily dropped to his hands and knees before walking toward his family in the stands to celebrate.
When he returned to the court, Djokovic honored the late NBA superstar Kobe Bryant by changing into a blue shirt bearing a photo of himself and the Lakers legend with the words “Mamba Forever” emblazoned on the front, and the number on the back. Bryant wore the number 24 in the second half of his professional basketball career.
“I thought it could be a nice symbolic thing to acknowledge him,” said Djokovic, who considered Bryant a close friend.
“We chatted a lot about the winner’s mentality when I was struggling with the injury and trying to make my comeback, work my way back to the top of the game,” Djokovic said of his relationship with Bryant.
“He was one of the people that I rely on the most. He was always there for any kind of counsel, advice, any kind of support in the most friendly way.”
At every grand slam this year, Djokovic had an opportunity to make history.
He drew level with Rafael Nadal’s 22 grand slam titles at the Australian Open, pulled clear with a men’s record 23 grand slam titles at the French Open and was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final.
The Serb will have an opportunity to pass Court and etch his name as the all-time winningest player at the Australian Open in January 2024.
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The Australian Open will add an extra day to its schedule next year in a bid to reduce pressure on players and fans following a series of punishing matches in recent years that ended well into the early hours.
The new 15-day schedule for January’s season-opening grand slam in Melbourne comes after growing calls to limit finish times across a notoriously crowded schedule marked by a number of matches going long into the night and taking a grueling toll on players.
At this year’s tournament, Andy Murray and Thanasi Kokkinakis famously ended a marathon battle at 4:05 a.m. in a second-round match that lasted nearly six hours.
Murray, a three-time grand slam champion and former world No. 1, was left fuming not just at the duration of the match but also because he was denied a chance to go to the toilet in the middle of the contest.
The Australian Open has a demanding schedule in the early rounds of the tournament; five matches are regularly played each day on the show courts – three during the day session and two at night.
“We’ve listened to feedback from the players and fans and are excited to deliver a solution to minimise late finishes while continuing to provide a fair and equitable schedule on the stadium courts,” Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said in a statement.
With the new changes, the tournament’s first round will last for three days, instead of the previous two, easing the squeeze in the busy opening stages.
The Australian Open’s new dates for 2024 will be January 14-28 and the Sunday start will increase the number of sessions across three arenas from 47 to 52. But organizers did not mention whether there would be a cutoff time for night matches.
The battle between Murray and Kokkinakis was only the second-latest finish in the tournament’s history.
In 2008, Lleyton Hewitt beat Marcos Baghdatis in five sets at 4:33 a.m. after Roger Federer had taken four and a half hours to defeat Janko Tipsarevic earlier in the day.
Those late finishes are a bonus for international viewers in Europe and North America, who are able to enjoy the drama and tension of a five-set match in their daytime hours. But they are less fun for the players and those watching in the stands.
The lack of a time cap in tennis means matches last as long as it takes players to win.
Three out of the four grand slams – the Australian Open, the French Open and the US Open – currently schedule night sessions, while Wimbledon ends evening sessions at 11 p.m. with unfinished matches resuming the following day.
The Wimbledon curfew, implemented in 2009, is said to be intended to get spectators home safely from the venue but the cutoff has at times left fans hanging on a cliff during the most intense matches.
The longest professional match occurred at Wimbledon in 2010 when US player John Isner eventually defeated French opponent Nicolas Mahut after an epic 11-hour contest played over three days.
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Coco Gauff, the world No. 10 women’s singles player, has defeated Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka 2-6 6-3 6-2 with a dramatic comeback in the women’s US Open final.
The star-studded crowd erupted with applause after Gauff’s home-turf victory at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens. The win is 19-year-old Gauff’s first career grand slam and makes her the first American teenager to win the US Open since 23-time major champion Serena Williams took the title in 1999.
“I feel like I’m in shock at this moment,” said an emotional Gauff after her win. “God puts you through tribulations and trials, and that makes this moment sweeter than I would have imagined.”
She thanked her family, her team, and “the people who didn’t believe in me.”
Bidding for her second major title of the year, the soon-to-be women’s world No. 1 Sabalenka made quick work in the first set, breaking Gauff’s serve three times to win 6-2 in dominant fashion.
However, with the packed crowd chanting “Let’s go Coco,” Gauff raised her level in the second set, going up a break before eventually taking it 6-3 to force a deciding third set.
A locked-in Gauff took control in the third set, going up a double break to inch ever closer to her maiden grand slam title. Although Sabalenka took the next two games, Gauff closed out the match to become the 12th teenager in US Open history to win the title.
“I don’t know, I just knew that if I didn’t give it my all, I had no shot at winning,” Gauff said on how she found the strength to rally after dropping the first set.
In her run to the final, the athlete twice lost the first set of a match, once in the first round against Laura Siegemund and again in the third round against Elise Mertens.
With the victory, Gauff becomes the third American teenager to win the US Open title, joining Williams and Tracy Austin. She is set to move up to No. 3 in the WTA singles rankings, and co-No. 1 in doubles along with compatriot Jessica Pegula.
After clinching the victory, Gauff dropped to the ground before getting up to hug Sabalenka. Afterward, Gauff was overcome with emotion and knelt down to take in the moment.
Gauff poked fun at her father after the match as she thanked her family. “Thank you first to my parents,” she said. “Today was the first time I’ve ever seen my dad cry. He doesn’t want me to tell y’all that, but he got caught in 4K!”
Gauff also told reporters her parents helped when she would be too self-critical, placing too much value in whether she won or lost.
“I used to put my tennis and compare it to like my self-worth. When I would lose, I would think, you know, I was not worth it as a person. So having my parents always remind me that they love me regardless of how I do helped me today.”
When asked the significance of being the latest Black woman to win the women’s singles title, Gauff credited prior champions such as Venus Williams and Serena Williams, who “paved the way for me to be here” and added she was inspired by seeing Sloane Stephens win the US Open in 2017.
“I hope that another girl can see this and believe that they can do it, and hopefully their name can be on this trophy, too,” she said.
Meanwhile, despite the loss, the Belarusian star will move to No. 1 in the WTA singles rankings on Monday, ending Iga Świątek’s 75-consecutive week reign.
Sabalenka congratulated her competitor, saying, “I hope we play in many more finals” and calling Gauff “amazing.”
The American in turn congratulated Sabalenka on her rise to the No. 1 position. “Aryna is an incredible player,” she said. “Congratulations on the No. 1 ranking, it’s well deserved.”
At a news conference after the match, Sabalenka said the loss was a “lesson” for her and she had started “overthinking” during the second set.
“It’s me against me,” she said. Gauff “was moving really and defending better than anybody else.”
“I was playing against the crowd,” she added.
In pictures: Coco Gauff victorious in US Open women’s final
A first grand slam for Gauff
The last time Gauff and Sabalenka met was in the quarterfinals of Indian Wells in March, with the Belarusian winning comfortably, 6-4 6-0. Saturday’s final was an altogether different contest, however, with Gauff having improved rapidly in the six months that have passed since that defeat.
The 19-year-old has won three WTA titles this season, including the biggest of her career in Cincinnati just before the US Open.
The competition was the second grand slam final of Gauff’s career after reaching the French Open final in 2022, where she was swiftly defeated by Iga Świątek.
Following her 6-4 7-5 semifinal win over Karolína Muchová, Gauff spoke about the improvement in her mentality, going from somebody blighted by imposter syndrome to now believing she is capable of contending with the best players in the world.
She is not only contending but can now be regarded as one of the best players in the world after this win.
Gauff was facing a formidable opponent – the best player in the world. Until her semifinal against Madison Keys, Sabalenka had been dominant in New York – not dropping a set and never losing more than five games in a match.
However, despite defeat Sabalenka’s run to the final has capped a remarkable year in which she won three titles – including her first grand slam at the Australian Open and her sixth Masters 1000 title in Madrid.
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One of the most prestigious tennis tournaments outside of the four grand slams, the Madrid Open attracts the biggest names in the sport.
However, this year’s edition has drawn as much attention for off-court controversy as it has for the action on the clay surface.
During the Masters 1000 event – which ended over the weekend with Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka being crowned men’s and women’s singles champions – organizers were criticized for dressing the ball girls on the main court in crop tops and short skirts.
Following the backlash, the skirts were swapped for long shorts in Sunday’s final, but the crop tops remained.
“It’s a feminized way of treating girls versus guys who don’t dress like that,” Pilar Calvo, spokesperson for The Association for Women in Professional Sports, told Spanish outlet Público.
“In the end, it is a form of sexist violence that is so widespread because people don’t even notice it.”
The sexism row didn’t stop there, though, with the players in Sunday’s women’s doubles final accusing organizers of not allowing them to speak after the match.
Neither the winners – Beatriz Haddad Maia and Victoria Azarenka – or the losers – US pair Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff – gave acceptance speeches.
“Wasn’t given the chance to speak after the final today,” Gauff tweeted with a sad face, while Azarenka added that it was “hard to explain to Leo that mommy isn’t able to say hello to him at the trophy ceremony.”
“I don’t know what century everyone was living in when they made that decision,” Pegula added, per the BBC. “Or how they had a conversation and decided, ‘Wow, this is a great decision and there’s going to be no-backlash against this.’
“I’ve never heard in my life we wouldn’t be able to speak. It was really disappointing. In a $10,000 [lower level] final you would speak.
“It spoke for itself. We were upset when it happened and told during the trophy ceremony we weren’t able to speak. It kind of proved a point.”
World No. 7 and last year’s winner Ons Jabeur called it “sad and unacceptable,” with former grand slam doubles champion Rennae Stubbs labelling it a “disgrace.”
“We sincerely apologize to all the players and fans who expect more of the Madrid Open tournament,” Gerard Tsobanian, CEO & Tournament Organiser of the Madrid Open said in a statement.
“Not giving our women’s doubles finalists the chance to address their fans at the end of the match was unacceptable and we have apologized directly to Victoria, Beatriz, Coco and Jessica.”
That marked the second time Azarenka had criticized tournament organizers during this year’s edition of the Madrid Open after a fan posted two photos on Twitter showing the difference in size of the birthday cakes given to Alcaraz and Sabalenka, who share a birthday on May 5.
Azarenka replied to the tweet, saying: “Couldn’t be more accurate on the treatment.”
That drew a response from tournament director Feliciano López, a former world No. 12 and seven-time winner on the ATP Tour, who said he was “surprised by this reaction after this gesture.”
Explaining the reasons for Alcaraz getting a multi-tiered cake and Sabalenka getting a single-tier cake, López said it was because Alcaraz had just reached the final, was playing on the main court and that he is the home favorite for the Spanish tournament.
“PS: I hope Rune wasn’t also upset by his treatment,” he finished, accompanied by a winking emoji and a photo of men’s player Holger Rune also receiving a single-tiered cake earlier in the tournament.
Lopez wasn’t immediately available for comment when contacted by CNN Sport.
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When 19-year-old South Korean prodigy Inbee Park lifted the first of her seven major championships at the 2008 US Women’s Open, she became the tournament’s youngest ever champion.
Bella Simões would not be born for around another six years. On Tuesday, she attempted to qualify for the major.
At nine years old, the Brazilian is the youngest player ever to attempt qualification to the tournament, set to tee off at California’s acclaimed Pebble Beach course for the first time in its 78-year history in July.
Simões hit the very first shot of her qualifying group at The Club at Mediterra in Naples, Florida. An impeccable swing technique – posted to the USGA’s Twitter account – drew plenty of plaudits.
Yet that should come as no surprise given Simões’ already-impressive résumé. A US Kids Golf World champion for the under-seven’s category in 2020, she defended her title a year later before clinching another victory in the eight-year-olds competition in 2022.
It’s a youth tournament with pedigree: World No. 7 and 2014 Chevron Championship winner Lexi Thompson was twice a champion before she became one of the game’s elite players.
Thompson became the youngest golfer ever to qualify for the US Women’s Open when she – at 12 years old – made it to the 2007 edition of the major.
Golf’s greatest-ever prodigies
Simões still has a few attempts left to usurp that title but will have to wait at least another year after finishing tied-59th in the 67-player field. The Brazilian shot 23-over par, as two players – Lindy Duncan and Brooke Matthews – secured automatic qualification with scores of 10-under and 8-under respectively.
The USGA announced a record number of entries for July’s championship, with 2,107 applicants from 47 US states and 62 countries dwarfing the previous record of 1,874 set last year, when Minjee Lee went on to clinch victory at Pine Needles.
Players must have a handicap index of 2.4 or below, or be a professional, to attempt qualification. Several groups are exempt and receive an automatic invitation, including the last 10 champions and the top 75 players in the world rankings.
Kimberly Williams, a 60-year-old pro from Bethesda, Maryland, was the oldest player to attempt qualification this year, according to the USGA.
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