Belarusian top seed Aryna Sabalenka kicked off her quest for a third consecutive Australian Open title with a dominant win against Sloane Stephens. She aims to join a select group of women to complete a three-peat at Melbourne Park. Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen also secured a first round victory, while Alexander Zverev will face a tough challenge from Lucas Pouille in his opening match. Despite a wobbly first set, Sabalenka managed to close out the match in two sets against Stephens.
Australian Open 2023: Sabalenka, Zverev Kick Off Title Defense
The Australian Open, one of the four Grand Slam tournaments, commenced on January 16, 2023, at Melbourne Park. The tournament attracts the world's top tennis players, and this year's edition promises thrilling action.
Belarusian Top Seed Aryna Sabalenka Aims for Three-Peat
Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, the number one seed in the women's singles, began her quest for a historic three-peat at the Australian Open with a convincing straight-sets victory over American Sloane Stephens. If she is successful, Sabalenka will join an elite group of women to have won the Australian Open three times in a row.
Olympic Champion Zheng Qinwen Impresses
Chinese Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen made a strong start to her Australian Open campaign with a first-round win over American Katie Volynets. Qinwen has been in excellent form recently, and she is considered a rising star in the women's game.
Alexander Zverev Faces Stiff Test
Reigning Olympic champion Alexander Zverev faces a challenging opening match against French veteran Lucas Pouille. Zverev, who reached the semifinals at the Australian Open last year, will have to be at his best to overcome the experienced Pouille.
Wobbly Start for Sabalenka
Despite her dominant win over Stephens, Sabalenka had a shaky start to the match. She dropped serve twice in the first set, but she managed to recover and win the set in a tiebreaker. Sabalenka's resilience and mental strength were on full display, as she never lost her composure and eventually prevailed.
Top 5 FAQs and Answers Related to Australian Open
1. Who has won the most Australian Open titles? Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic have both won the tournament nine times.
2. When was the first Australian Open held? The first Australian Open was held in 1905 at the Warehouseman's Cricket Ground in Melbourne.
3. Who is the defending champion in the men's singles? Rafael Nadal is the defending champion, having won the title in 2022.
4. Who is the youngest female player to win the Australian Open? Martina Hingis won the tournament in 1997 at the age of 16 years and 3 months.
5. Which country has won the most Australian Open titles? Australia has won the most titles in the men's and women's singles, with 87 and 84 titles, respectively.
Rising Indian cricketer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, has made a shocking decision to leave Mumbai and join Goa in the upcoming domestic season, as he seeks a change for personal reasons. The left-handed opener, who has already shown great potential in international cricket, will now represent a lesser-known team in hopes of making a bigger impact. This move is unprecedented, especially considering Jaiswal's successful stint with Mumbai and a lack of big names in the Goa team. Fans eagerly await the results of this surprising shift.
After Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) faced their first eight-wicket home defeat during IPL 2025, team mentor Zaheer Khan expressed his dissatisfaction with the pitch conditions. He stated that the curator did not consider it a home game, and requested for more support from the home facilities in order for the team to perform better in their home ground. Despite expecting the track to favour spin bowling, LSG's decision to bring in M Siddharth instead of Prince Yadav backfired as PBKS's fast bowling group proved to be too much for them.
On Monday, Mumbai Indians' medium-pacer Ashwani Kumar, a 23-year-old from Punjab's Jhanjeri, became the first Indian ever to take four wickets on his Indian Premier League debut, helping his team to an easy win against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium. Despite appearing at trials for multiple IPL franchises, Ashwani's humble village background and love for classic Punjabi food kept him grounded and motivated for his record-breaking performance. Coach Varinder Singh worked with Ashwani to develop his skills, and his proud mother, Meena Kumari, shared his love for besan ka chilla and aloo parathas with the media after the match.
Batting superstar Virat Kohli recently expressed his criticism towards the BCCI's decision to limit family time on international tours. This move has caused controversy, with players feeling that it affects their focus and personal well-being. Yuvraj Singh's wife, Hazel Keech, has spoken out in support of the updated policy, stating that it benefits both players and their families. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has confirmed that the rule will remain in place for the time being, citing its importance to the country and the board.
After leading the Indian cricket team to victory in the ICC Champions Trophy, Virat Kohli has announced his next big goal - winning the ODI World Cup in 2027. Amid speculation about his potential retirement, Kohli made it clear that he is not looking to slow down anytime soon. Meanwhile, other Indian players, including Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer, are set to retain their A+ grade contracts.
Pakistan's struggles continued in the second ODI against New Zealand as they lost seven wickets while chasing a target of 293. Star batter Babar Azam, who failed to perform in the first ODI, could only manage 1 run before being dismissed by Jacob Duffy. With fans and cricket enthusiasts expressing frustration over his ongoing struggles with the bat, the pressure is on Babar to deliver in the upcoming matches of the three-match ODI series against New Zealand. Despite his form difficulties, many still believe that Babar's class is permanent and a big innings is just around the corner.
In a high-scoring and intense game, the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Denver Nuggets, 140-139, in double overtime. Despite a career-high 61 points from Nikola Jokic, the Timberwolves were able to rally and secure the win with two clutch free throws from Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The win also marks the Timberwolves' fourth consecutive victory over the Nuggets this season.
Nishant Dev, a young boxer from India, has recently turned professional after being inspired by legends like Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. The 23-year-old made his debut in the professional boxing world after falling in love with the sport while watching YouTube videos. Despite his loss in the Paris Olympics, Nishant's decision to go pro was not influenced by that defeat and he continues to train hard under the guidance of former American boxer Ronald Simms.
KKR all rounder Ramandeep Singh gives glowing praise to Mumbai Indians' Ashwani Kumar for his four-wicket haul in Mumbai's victory against Kolkata Knight Riders in Match 12 of the IPL 2025. Ashwani becomes the first player to achieve this feat on his IPL debut.
The Mumbai Indians started their IPL campaign with an 8-wicket victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders, with 23-year-old pacer Ashwani Kumar stealing the spotlight with his impressive performance. MI skipper Hardik Pandya praised the team's scouting efforts for discovering Kumar's talent, and highlighted his crucial wickets of Andre Russell and Quinton de Kock as the game-changers for the team. Fans can catch all the latest updates from IPL 2025 on News24, and follow them on social media for breaking news and updates.