If the ATP has any say in it, the Australian Open is staying put in Melbourne forever as the season-opening grand slam once again boasts record crowds and bumper TV ratings. Officially branded the grand slam of Asia Pacific, the Open could conceivably come under threat from the likes of cashed-up China or Saudi Arabia.

To most of us, mention Saudi Arabia and visions of blindingly hot deserts are conjured up, but the two men reliving an epic 1927 road trip between London and Melbourne reckon northern Australia tops the Middle East for roasting.

Coco Gauff has made improvements to her serving and her forehand. And the strides in both of those areas are among the reasons she's considered one of the few women ready to challenge two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka for the title at the Australian Open.

Jessica Pegula feels the decision to give herself an extra week to recover from a niggling knee injury has paid off as the American heads into the Australian Open on the back of a run to the final of the tune-up tournament in Adelaide.

Saudi weighs support - Saudi Arabia cut ties with Assad's government in 2012 and had long openly championed his overthrow. But in 2023 it hosted an Arab League meeting at which Assad was welcomed ...

Considering the challenges Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and her doubles partner Erin Routliffe faced ahead of the Australian Open, including limited preparation, a semifinal finish in the women’s doubles was a good result.

On top of his £100k Australian Open prize cheque, Fonseca earned an eye-watering sum when he won the Next Gen ATP Finals in Saudi Arabia at the end of 2024. As an undefeated champion, the Brazilian banked £424k for winning the aged 20-and-under event. Fonseca joined the likes of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in the list of tournament champions.

There has never been a more lucrative time to be a tennis player, with prize money at the Australian Open doubling in the last 10 years.

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The last time they met, Djokovic defeated Nadal in the 2024 Paris Olympics on the clay courts of Roland Garros (not counting the exhibition at the Six Kings Slam). Tennis fans can follow Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the sport.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP ... That includes taking the title last month in Saudi Arabia at the Next Gen ATP Finals for top players who are under 21, and another trophy this month at a lower-tier Challenger tournament in Canberra. Those within tennis ...

A series of jaw-dropping upsets of top 10 players at the Australian Open by fearless teenagers has fuelled excitement at the future of men's tennis as the old guard fades into history.