COVID case at Australian Open hotel cancels play at tuneups
An Australian Open courtesy car waits outside the Grand Hyatt hotel in central Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021. The Australian Open is scheduled to begin Monday. Australian Open organizers didn’t immediately have details of how many players were ordered to isolate. Williams won her last major title at the 2017 Australian Open, when she was pregnant with her daughter, Olympia. On the bottom half of the draw, defending Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin rallied from a set and a break down to fend off Jessica Pegula 5-7, 7-5, 6-2.
Nadal sidelined, team Djokovic wins to open ATP Cup defense
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after defeating Canada's Denis Shapovalov in their ATP Cup match in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)MELBOURNE – Rafael Nadal didn't make it for Spain's ATP Cup opener because of a sore back, deciding it wasn't worth the risk a week ahead of the Australian Open. Back at Melbourne Park, where he has won a record eight Australian Open titles, he had plenty of energy to feed off. Osaka, who won the U.S. Open last year and the Australian Open in 2019, will next face No. Two-time Australian Open quarterfinalist Tennys Sandgren also advanced, winning his first match since coming out of the hard lockdown.