The men’s champion and Caroline Wozniacki withstood the intense temperatures which affected so many playersThis turbulent Australian Open has been about longevity, endurance and iced towels, three of the defining features of the modern game.The wonder of Roger Federer’s victory against the 29-year-old Marin Cilic on Sunday was not just that it gave him his 20th major in a record 30th final but that the 36‑year‑old Swiss fashioned a fortnight of such sweet perfection to get there, spending less than 11 hours on court while his younger rivals laboured in the killing heat for much longer. Cilic clocked up 17hr 3min en route. At the end it showed. Related: Caroline Wozniacki ends years of doubt with maiden grand slam | Simon Cambers...
Despite Serena Williams’s absence, the women’s draw provided more excitement than the men’sWith close friend Caroline Wozniacki competing for her maiden grand slam, seven-time Australian Open champion Serena Williams went to bed, “too nervous to watch”. This is not the first time Williams has publicly admitted to “turning the channel” on a tournament she has made her own, but this time the inference could not have been more different. The irony is that in this case Williams missed a classic; an epic all the more impressive given her sizeable absence.After all, publicity for the 2018 women’s draw began with Craig Tiley doing his best to hype Williams’ possible return, at one point promising there was “no question” she would be...
Tim Henman highlights the weapons the Briton can deploy to beat Marin Cilic in the Australian Open semi-finalKyle Edmund’s forehand is one of the great shots in the game. It’s definitely among the top five forehands and he’s more mature, he’s been on the Tour a while and the pieces of the puzzle are coming together. He has to look to dictate as much as he can because, if he doesn’t, Marin Cilic will be the one dictating. Continue reading...
As the journeyman’s Cinderella run through the Australian Open has invited scrutiny of his political views, a modern dilemma resurfacesThe final five words of Tennys Sandgren’s 17-word Twitter bio are: “likes/rtwts are not endorsements.” It’s a line many Twitter users post as a means to insulate their employer and associates from any controversial opinions they may share, such as a distaste for the McDonald’s McRib sandwich or actually enjoying Mondays. But in Sandgren’s case, the line sits there like an attempt to say: Hey, just because I read, like and share alt-right bigotry does not mean I’m an alt-right bigot.A week ago, few knew or cared about Tennys Sandgren’s Twitter account. Most didn’t even know who Tennys Sandgren was. But...
Melbourne crowds are likely to offer warm support to her this week and research suggests fans continue to back stars and sports laid low by doping scandalsHere is a prediction. Every time Maria Sharapova steps on to court at the Australian Open this year she will be greeted with shrieks of: “Come on Maria!” and elongated waves of goodwill. There will be smiles. And, before even the Russian’s first practice stroke, the unease generated when she received the honour of parading the women’s trophy at the draw last week will be ancient history – much like her positive test for meldonium at Melbourne Park two years ago, and her 15-month suspension.The thing is, we – the public – talk a...