4 d. ago Australian Open 2026: Sinner and Osaka advance, Bencic crashes out – as it happened

Jannik Sinner continued his title defence, Naomi Osaka won a tetchy contest and qualifier Nikola Bartunkova shocked Belinda BencicCilic has punched his ticket into round three for the first time since 2022, with the 37-year-old and 2014 US Open champ taking out the 21st seed Shapovalov in straight sets. Decent win, that. He’ll face the winner of Casper Ruud v Jaume Munar.Stan is still alive! He’s broken Gea in the final game of the fourth set to snatch it 7-5, finishing off with a vicious backhand winner down the line. It’s got to be one of the most devastating shots in tennis hasn’t it? I don’t think even Federer’s single-handed backhand quite had the equal beauty and brutality that Wawrinka’s does. They’re going to a fifth. Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago Australian Open 2026: Bencic crashes out, Ruud through, Sinner and Osaka advance – live

Updates from the evening session at Melbourne Park Qualifier Inglis through | Follow us on Bluesky | Mail KatyCilic has punched his ticket into round three for the first time since 2022, with the 37-year-old and 2014 US Open champ taking out the 21st seed Shapovalov in straight sets. Decent win, that. He’ll face the winner of Casper Ruud v Jaume Munar.Stan is still alive! He’s broken Gea in the final game of the fourth set to snatch it 7-5, finishing off with a vicious backhand winner down the line. It’s got to be one of the most devastating shots in tennis hasn’t it? I don’t think even Federer’s single-handed backhand quite had the equal beauty and brutality that Wawrinka’s does. They’re going to a fifth. Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago Australian Open 2026: Bencic crashes out, Ruud in action, Sinner and Osaka advance – live

Updates from the evening session at Melbourne Park Qualifier Inglis through | Follow us on Bluesky | Mail KatyCilic has punched his ticket into round three for the first time since 2022, with the 37-year-old and 2014 US Open champ taking out the 21st seed Shapovalov in straight sets. Decent win, that. He’ll face the winner of Casper Ruud v Jaume Munar.Stan is still alive! He’s broken Gea in the final game of the fourth set to snatch it 7-5, finishing off with a vicious backhand winner down the line. It’s got to be one of the most devastating shots in tennis hasn’t it? I don’t think even Federer’s single-handed backhand quite had the equal beauty and brutality that Wawrinka’s does. They’re going to a fifth. Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago Australian Open 2026: Sinner and Osaka advance, Wawrinka wins in five sets – live

Updates from the evening session at Melbourne Park Qualifier Inglis through | Follow us on Bluesky | Mail KatyCilic has punched his ticket into round three for the first time since 2022, with the 37-year-old and 2014 US Open champ taking out the 21st seed Shapovalov in straight sets. Decent win, that. He’ll face the winner of Casper Ruud v Jaume Munar.Stan is still alive! He’s broken Gea in the final game of the fourth set to snatch it 7-5, finishing off with a vicious backhand winner down the line. It’s got to be one of the most devastating shots in tennis hasn’t it? I don’t think even Federer’s single-handed backhand quite had the equal beauty and brutality that Wawrinka’s does. They’re going to a fifth. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Bencic delivers statement Australian Open performance to outclass Boulter

Bencic wins 6-0, 7-5 after Briton rallies in second setSonay Kartal dispatched 7-6(3), 6-1 by KalinskayaBefore her meeting with one of the most in-form tennis players in the world, Katie Boulter reassured herself in all the right ways. All the pressure, she reasoned, would be on her opponent’s shoulders and nobody expected her to win, meaning this was the perfect opportunity to swing freely.Even when playing with total freedom, toppling a confident top 10 player is an immense challenge. As the sun set over Margaret Court Arena, and Boulter attempted to impose her weapons in her first round match against the 10th seed Belinda Bencic, the former British No 1 was outclassed by a sensational Bencic, who confidently closed out a comfortable 6-0, 7-5 win. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Australian Open 2026: Osaka and Tsitsipas in action; Sinner and Bencic ease through – live

Live updates from all the action at Melbourne Park Dramatic day two marred by retirements | Email KatyFritz’s 2025 was a slight disappointment, he didn’t quite push on from his US Open final appearance in 2024, and as a result he’s no longer the highest-ranked American – that’s Ben Shelton. Fritz has also been dealing with a knee injury during the early stages of this season, but he leads Royer, the Frenchman who’s making his Australian Open debut, 7-6, 5-5.I’m loving the new multiview action on Discovery+. It’s making this job much easier. Gone are the days of needing an extra laptop, mobile and iPad just to keep track of everything. So I’m currently keeping an eye on Sinner v Gaston, Boulter v Bencic, Fritz v Royer and Dimitrov v Machac. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Australian Open 2026: Jannik Sinner in action, Boulter v Bencic on day three – live

Live updates from all the action at Melbourne Park Dramatic day two marred by retirements | Email KatyAn inauspicious start from Boulter as she’s broken to 30. The Brit snuck into the main draw after a couple of late retirements but that’s where her luck ended, because she’s been handed a tough assignment against the Swiss, one of the most in-form players, who’s back in world’s top 10 after dropping as low as No 1,213 after the birth of her daughter in 2024. Bencic won all five of her singles matches at United Cup, including a very impressive victory against Iga Swiatek. Bencic backs up the break for 2-0.Jannik Sinner has made his way through the new upgraded tunnel on Rod Laver, which looks like a slightly discombobulating hall of mirrors, and he’s warming up against the French left-hander Hugo Gaston. Also getting going on Margaret Court: Katie Boulter against Belinda Bencic, and Boulter is already facing break points in the opening game. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago ‘I was still breastfeeding in the first tournaments I played’: Belinda Bencic on getting back to her best

The Tokyo Olympic champion has climbed more than 1,200 places back to the world top 10 following the birth of her daughter, Bella“I definitely think I’m a better player now than I was before my pregnancy,” Belinda Bencic says as she reflects on climbing more than 1,200 places up the world rankings since returning to competitive tennis as a new mother. In October 2024 Bencic had plummeted to a lowly spot as world No 1,213 when she stepped back on to court feeling secure that baby Bella was being looked after by her husband, Martin Hromkovic – who is also her strength and conditioning coach.On 11 January, 14 months since her comeback began, Bencic played Iga Swiatek in the final of the United Cup in Sydney. The world No 2, and current Wimbledon champion, won the first set but Bencic played supreme tennis as she swept Swiatek aside 6-0, 6-3 in the next two sets to seal her ninth consecutive victory of the week for Switzerland. Her imperious performance also meant that Bencic was back i...

Politics