#australian-open

#australian-open

It's hard to think of anyone in tennis who works harder than Alex de Minaur, the Australian who next month will once again carry the hopes of a nation as he tries to become the first home winner of the men's title at the Australian Open for 50 years. No one is faster around the court, no one more diligent off it than the 26-year-old. It's a work ethic that has helped him to 10 titles so far in his career and he ends 2025 as the world No 7, his highest year-end ranking, and having won the prestigious Newcombe medal for a fourth time.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Tennis great Venus Williams plans to play for a 33rd straight season on the WTA Tour, starting in Auckland in January. Organizers of the ASB Classic in New Zealand said Wednesday that Williams, 45, would feature at their Jan. 5-11 event. It suggests the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion is preparing for the Australian Open later that month, a tournament she has twice lost in the final.

Big tennis events, such as the French Open, the U.S. Open, and Wimbledon, tend to top travelers' dream lists. The January tournament in Australia, on the other hand, can feel out of reach. But savvy sports fans are getting wise to the fact that the annual event in Melbourne merits the long flight-not least because it happens in the Southern Hemisphere's summer. Sometimes called the Happy Slam, the Australian Open has earned a reputation for good times, cultivating a feel-good atmosphere across nearly 100 riverside acres of Melbourne Park.

For me, what's missing is the complete feedback of where my level is. That's going to come slowly with time playing.