Seasonal; Team; Individual; Extreme; Gear;

"I could just as easily be in the semis right now, but I'm not," said Tennys Sandgren.
Tennys Sandgren saw seven match points slip from his grip as Roger Federer pulled off one of the most miraculous comebacks of his career.

The 38-year-old Swiss, who took a medical timeout for a groin issue earlier in the match, fought off seven match points in a stirring 6-3, 2-6, 2-6, 7-6(8), 6-3 triumph.

More: Federer's Match-Point Miracle

"I mean, I could just as easily be in the semis right now, but I'm not," Sandgren said afterward. "So back to the drawing board."

The 100th-ranked Sandgren, who was bidding to become the lowest-ranked man to reach the AO semifinals since a 114th-ranked Patrick McEnroe contested the final four in 1991, was philosophical in the face of a gut-wrenching defeat.

Sandgren conceded he could have been a bit more aggressive, but credited Federer for "fantastic" play under match-point pressure.

"I wanted to play out the point and see if he would give me a look, give me something to play with," Sandgren said. "I guess I only had one on my serve. I was doing that, and he was playing the points fantastic. He kept the ball deep and kept pressure with his backhand. Didn't seem like, especially during the second and third set, that wasn't the case.

"If I played a few, like three, four, five deep shots to his backhand, I'd get a look. I wasn't getting a look in those rallies. He was playing them great. You play it as it comes. I thought I did that. I'm sure I could have played them better, at least some of the moments better. But I didn't, so here I am."

Sandgren, who played three hours, 37 minutes in his fourth-round win over 12th-seeded Fabio Fognini, said he felt Federer lift his level as the fourth-set progressed.

"I thought once he kind of could see the finish line being a real thing, I thought his level picked up, as my level was, like, maybe decreasing a little bit," Sandgren said. "I did think he picked his level up a little bit in the fifth set, which is to be expected.

"When you survive that many times, you can't give a good player, let alone maybe the best player ever, that many chances to come back. They're going to find their game and start playing well. That seemed to me what happened."

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Nick Kyrgios gets candid after gripping fourth-round AO loss to Rafa Nadal.
Nick Kyrgios went for broke and conceded he was "shattered" following his gripping Australian Open fourth-round loss to Rafael Nadal.

The world No. 1 smacked 64 winners—14 more than the explosive Aussie—in a dynamic 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(4) charging into his 12th Australian Open quarterfinal in stirring style.

Watch: Nadal Edges Kyrgios

A candid Kyrgios said he was both shattered and strengthened by his second straight Grand Slam loss to Nadal. The 19-time Grand Slam champion topped Kyrgios by the same score at Wimbledon last summer.

I'm shattered to have lost tonight," said Kyrgios, who is still alive in mixed doubles with partner Amanda Anisimova. Obviously was one of the matches these are the matches that I want to win the most. But, I mean, overall all this summer has been fun.

"My focus shifts to mixed now. Yeah, I mean, I just want to go out there and have fun. I'm still in the tournament. I'm not going to take it for granted, another day at the Australian Open. "

The 23rd-seeded Kyrgios, who is playing under ATP probation after his racquet-smashing tirade in Cincinnati last summer, found purpose playing for a cause down under. Kyrgios' hometown of Canberra was devastated by bushfires, which have ravaged the country.

Kyrgios pledged $200 to bushfire relief for every ace he hits during this Aussie summer season and helped inspire the AO's Rally For Relief charity exhibition that raised more than AU$5 million for bushfire relief. AO fans shared the love for Kyrgios.

"Yeah, I feel like I've made progress as a human," Kyrgios said. "A tennis player, I don't really care about as much. But yeah, I mean, I feel good. Obviously today was horrendous, like the news. But I want to keep going in this direction, for sure."

The latest installment of a ferocious rivalry came after the temperamental Aussie admitted he tried drilling Nadal "square in the chest" during his second-round Wimbledon loss last summer. Then Kyrgios mocked Nadal's pre-serve ritual earlier this week by picking at the seat of his shorts.

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Nadal, who called Kyrgios' actions "dangerous" at Wimbledon, said after tonight's triumph his opinion of the sometime volatile Kyrgios remains unchanged: when Kyrgios is committed and playing with positive energy he's an asset to the sport.

"I am never against his way or style to play," Nadal said. "When I criticize him in the past is because I think he did a couple of things that are not right and are not the right image for our sport and for the kids. But when he's doing the right things, I am the first one who support this.

"Personally I saw him playing during the whole tournament almost every match, and he has been great, with very positive attitude. Personally, I like to watch him play when he's doing that way. I think everybody likes to watch Nick plays when he's able to play like this. His talent is to be one of the best of the world, without a doubt, with good chances to fight for every tournament. "

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

The former World No.3 has been suffering pain since his first surgery on the knee in June of 2019.
2009 US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro will undergo a second surgery to his right knee on Monday in Miami. Del Potro had surgery on the knee in Barcelona in June of 2019 after he re-injured his patella at the Fever Tree Championships in London.

“After his previous operation performed in June by Dr. Angel Ruiz Cotorro in Barcelona, the recovery progressed, but pain persisted throughout,” Del Potro’s team said in a written statement.

The pain limited Del Potro’s ability to train as he was forced to cancel his commitments late last season, including an exhibition in South American with Roger Federer. After consultations with doctors in South America, the United States and Europe, Del Potro’s team reports that most doctors believed a new intervention on the knee is necessary.

Dr. Lee Kaplan will perform the surgery today (January 27th) in Miami.

Yet more rough news for Juan Martin del Potro, who will undergo another knee surgery on Monday after his last was unsuccessful and left him in pain.

From his team: pic.twitter.com/iogZz4UbF3

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 26, 2020

The Austrian cut tes with the Austrian legend after two rounds in Australia. Dominic Thiem‘s new partnership with former Austrian legend Thomas Muster has proven to be short-lived. Thiem announced recently that Muster would spend 20 weeks with his team this year, but after Muster sat courtside in Thiem’s box for two matches at the Australian Open, he was already let go by the third.

"We ended our working relationship," Thiem told Austrian reporters at the Australian Open. "It did not fit. It's easy like that. It is just about work. We get along well personally, and we said in the beginning, if anything is not all right we will tell each other."

Thiem will continue working with Nicolas Massu and his father, Wolfgang.

"I'm 26," Thiem said on Monday. "I'm not the youngest anymore. So I really have to be careful with my career now. I have to take really the right decisions, and I'm also a little bit experienced already. So, I mean, I cannot explain what feeling it was, but it was just there. So I decided to take that decision and to continue like I worked last year, because it worked out very well."

According to Tennis Magazin, Thiem elaborated further:

“Tom put a lot of pressure on me, especially in the boxing coaching,” he said. “The pressure that I put on myself is big enough. It is not easy when two different characters meet. Then I said that it is better that I continue like last year.”

Thomas Muster in an interview with @TheBorisBecker about @ThiemDomi:

„I saw myself fully involved for the next two years. […] Frankly spoken, there are houses that look nice from the outside, but you rarely know who lives inside.“@Eurosport_DE @AustralianOpen #AusOpen

— Mario Harter (@marioharter) January 26, 2020

According to Eurosport journalist Mario Harter, Muster said the following in an interview with Boris Becker:

“I saw myself fully involved for the next two years. […] Frankly spoken, there are houses that look nice from the outside, but you rarely know who lives inside.”

The Swiss likes to keep it simple when it comes to his post-match recovery.

We’ve all hear that tennis players like nothing more than to dip their tired, aching bodies into a freezing cold ice bath after a match. It’s trendy. It’s smart. And it’s necessary.

Not for Roger Federer.

The Swiss admitted that he’s not buying into the ice bath craze after his Day 7 win over Marton Fucsovics at the Australian Open. He was asked how he went about the business of getting his 38-year-old body to recover after his grueling four hour and three-minute encounter with John Millman.

Federer, it seems, like to recover the old-fashioned way.

“I'm a guy that doesn't do ice baths,” he said. “I tried it once, didn't like it, so I'll never do it again.”

Federer added that his recovery game hasn’t changed a whole lot over the years.

“I'm still doing the things like I used to: trying to sleep enough, take a massage and a stretch,” he said. “That's it really. Do that for as much as I can to get ready.”

Federer said that he was thankful to get through his fourth round match with Marton Fucsovics in just over two hours. And also that he’s feeling nothing unusual beyond the typical fatigue that comes with Grand Slam tennis.

“Most important is that you're not carrying any injury away from a match like this because fatigue is one thing, you can deal with that with I think mental strength,” he said. “Actually I'm very happy how I'm feeling considering my age, considering everything I've gone through throughout my career. The toughness of the first real tough match of the season for me after having not played these kind of matches for some time, it's nice to see that the work I did in the off-season paid off.”

Lakers superstar, who died in a helicopter crash at age 41, forged friendships with several tennis champions.
Kobe Bryant's shocking passing in a helicopter crash prompted an outpouring of tributes and love from the tennis community.

The 41-year-old Lakers legend was among nine people, including his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, who perished in the crash in Calabasas, California on Sunday morning.

More: Djokovic on Facing Bomb Servers

An 18-time NBA all-star, Bryant was widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players in history. Bryant was more than a global sports icon, he was a philanthropist and a mentor to many athletes in several different sports, including Novak Djokovic.

Earlier this week, reigning Australian Open champion called Bryant his "mentor" and credited his insight and wisdom with helping the Serbian return from injury and surgery earlier in his career.

"When I was going through the injury with my elbow and struggling to mentally and emotionally handle all of these different things that were happening to me and dropping in the rankings and then having to work my way up, he was one of the people who was really there for me to give me some very valuable advice and guidelines to kind of believe and trust in myself, trust the process that I’ll be back, Djokovic told ESPN of Bryant's influence. "I’m very grateful to him for being there for me, for being very supportive. I love Kobe, who doesn’t?

"He’s an amazing guy and one of the best basketball players and athletes of all time."

#Update Downed aircraft is a helicopter. Flames extinguished. #Malibu deputies at crash site looking for survivors, 4200 blk Las Virgenes Rd #Calabasas #LASD pic.twitter.com/eixLhGhLyE

— LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) January 26, 2020

A tennis fan who visited the US Open last summer, Bryant formed friendships with several champions, including Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Naomi Osaka, Roger Federer and Djokovic.

"The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do," Bryant said.

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Nick Kyrgios, a massive NBA fan, never met Bryant, but was inspired by the superstar's passion. Kyrgios paid tribute wearing a Kobe Bryant jersey in the warm-up of his fourth-round match vs. Rafael Nadal and said he tried to emulate Bryant's example during the match.

"When I woke up to the news, it was pretty emotional. It was pretty heavy, like, all day," Kyrgios said. "It's horrible news. 

"I mean, if anything, it motivated me. If you look at the things he stood for, what he wanted to be remembered by, I felt like, if anything, it helped me tonight. When I was down a break in the fourth, I was definitely thinking about it. I fought back."

During a visit to the US Open last summer, Bryant called fellow Nike endorser Naomi Osaka "a phenomenal talent" and praised tennis players for the solitary strength they show on court.

"The speed of the game is truly remarkable," Bryant told US Open TV. "And their footwork and the fact they're really isolated there's no teammate that can cover for them in a blown coverage."

Kobe Bryant is survived by wife Vanessa, as well as the couple’s three daughters: Natalia, 17; Bianka, 3; and Capri Kobe Bryant, born last June.

Friends, fans and players paid tribute to Bryant on social media. 

Kobe – you were a true inspiration to me as an athlete. I always admired your professionalism, drive and dedication. Our thoughts are with your loved ones. RIP. 💔 pic.twitter.com/q9HLczKKo8

— Kim Clijsters (@Clijsterskim) January 26, 2020

I woke up this morning with the horrible news of the tragic death of one of the greatest sportsman in the world. Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and other passengers. My condolences to his wife and families. I am in shock.

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) January 27, 2020

My heart truly mourns over the news today. Kobe was a great mentor and friend to me. You and your daughter will live forever in our hearts. There are not enough words to express my deepest sympathies to the Bryants and every family suffering from this tragedy. RIP my friend pic.twitter.com/VRmgaOaITT

— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) January 27, 2020

Vive la vida al máximo.
Live life to the fullest.

RIP #KobeBryant pic.twitter.com/BV7zuevsaz

— Garbiñe Muguruza (@GarbiMuguruza) January 26, 2020

I can’t. pic.twitter.com/Vc3dJZztYS

— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) January 27, 2020

Terribly sad to wake up to this news today. RIP Kobe Bryant. Too young. Deepest condolences to family and friends of the sporting legend.

— Rod Laver (@rodlaver) January 26, 2020

Kobe was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act. To lose Gianna is even more heartbreaking to us as parents. Michelle and I send love and prayers to Vanessa and the entire Bryant family on an unthinkable day.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) January 26, 2020

I’ve just learned that Kobe’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, who loved basketball just as much as her dad did, has also passed away today. My heart is with the Bryant family. pic.twitter.com/TTjrGY2lyE

— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) January 26, 2020

RIP 🐐. The definition of intensity 🖤🙏🏾 #RIPKobeBryant #24 #8 pic.twitter.com/USdHMWM4D1

— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) January 26, 2020

Dear Kobe: pic.twitter.com/Vy3o4nmAi2

— ESPN (@espn) January 26, 2020

RIP LEGEND ! 🙏🏻💔 #kobebryant https://t.co/rKkUtND5EF

— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) January 26, 2020

This. I’ve started and deleted tweets all day. I’ve admired Kobe from afar for so long. Nobody is invincible in this life. Love harder. Be better. Never punt on a day. Kobe didn’t. Rest In Peace Kobe. Rest In Peace Gigi #RIPMamba https://t.co/8VL1ogUfc8

— andyroddick (@andyroddick) January 27, 2020

Life is so precious man. I was a huge fan. RIP Mamba

— Mardy Fish (@MardyFish) January 26, 2020

So gutted right now for his wife and Beautiful Girls https://t.co/13MVFxpG1o

— Brad Gilbert (@bgtennisnation) January 26, 2020

Just the other day Day Djoker told story to @ChrisMcKendry how Kobe was his mentor. life is so fragile and cruel prey 🙏 for #Kobe family and his Girls

— Brad Gilbert (@bgtennisnation) January 26, 2020

Literally this morning you reached out to me ….😔 I love you forever unc❤️ I love you pic.twitter.com/3oVgvKKUkm

— Shareef O’Neal (@SSJreef) January 26, 2020

There’s no words to express the pain Im going through with this tragedy of loosing my neice Gigi & my brother @kobebryant I love u and u will be missed. My condolences goes out to the Bryant family and the families of the other passengers on board. IM SICK RIGHT NOW pic.twitter.com/pigHywq3c1

— SHAQ (@SHAQ) January 26, 2020

A month ago in Newport Beach Kobe witnessed a major accident and stayed to comfort victims and redirect traffic until help arrived

Mamba Mentality, forever 🕊 #8 #24 pic.twitter.com/wewykSn5J0

— Boosky (@sheabooskyy) January 26, 2020

Life is too short. Love your loved ones.

— Sloane Stephens (@SloaneStephens) January 26, 2020

A true icon ,, a legend lost too soon ,, thank you for what you’ve done for the entire sports world ,, a great athlete but also a great person ,,, life can be so brutally tragic, Rest In Peace 💔🙏🏽 https://t.co/cYhMJgr9xE

— Paul Annacone (@paul_annacone) January 26, 2020

When you shake hands with an ANGEL. Rest in peace my beautiful brother. May love and peace surround the families of all involved. Sooo sad. 💔 @kobebryant #24 pic.twitter.com/B56VDohNnO

— Marc Anthony (@MarcAnthony) January 26, 2020

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement today regarding the passing of Kobe Bryant pic.twitter.com/P88GwIwmYV

— NBA (@NBA) January 26, 2020

Jay Williams well said… 💔

pic.twitter.com/YvaO0Bv9Cm

— Ball Realm (@TheBallRealm) January 26, 2020

Photo credit: Getty

The first Tunisian–or Arab–to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal hopes to inspire the next.

Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur became the first player from Tunisia to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal with her Day 7 victory over China’s Wang Qiang. The talented 25-year-old has set her sights high—she wants to reach the Top 20 in 2020—and hopes that she is also setting the bar high for other Tunisians and the rest of the Arabic world.

She was asked if she felt her run in Melbourne would provide extra motivation for young tennis players back home.

“I'm trying,” she said. “I mean, quarterfinals for the first time, trying to inspire many young generation back home either in Tunisia or the Arabic world, especially in Africa, which is amazing. I mean, it's not impossible. I made it. Like I said before, I've been practicing in Tunisia from the age of 3 through 16 or 17. I'm 100 percent Tunisian product.

Jabeur, who plays a creative, unconventional brand of tennis and is a former Roland Garros junior champion, is eager to help fellow Tunisians learn that they too can dream big when it comes to tennis.

“Hopefully now we can see more and more,” she said. “Maybe one day I can share my experience, Malek Jaziri could share his experience with this young generation. I'm in touch with a lot of players. They ask me what to do sometimes with the program and everything. I'm happy to share. I don't have a lot of experience obviously, but I'm happy to share what I know.”

The 25-year-old is playing in her 13th main draw at a major and had never been beyond the third round before. She entered the week ranked at 78 but is slated to make her Top 50 debut after the Australian Open. At times, she said, hope was difficult to come by.

“I knew it was going to come one day,” Jabeur said on Sunday in Melbourne. “I just had to be patient, still believe in it. I won't lie to you guys. Sometimes I kind of lost hope little bit. But then, I mean, I have such a good team behind me, my family, I couldn't stop dreaming about it, so I'm really happy that it came this year.”

Jabeur will face American Sonia Kenin in the quarterfinals.

The Canadian discussed the differences between Nadal and Djokovic as returners.

Very few players can make inroads on the Milos Raonic serve when he’s running hot. And that has been the case this week at Melbourne as he has saved all seven break points he has faced en route to his fourth Australian Open quarterfinal.

But what about the game’s two best returners, what’s it like to try to hold against them?

After his straight-sets win over Marin Cilic on Day 7, Raonic was asked if his quarterfinal opponent Novak Djokovic was the toughest returner he’s ever faced. Is there anybody close to Novak, a reporter wanted to know.

Here is Raonic’s reply:

“I think Rafa is close,” he said. “I think it's two very different things. I think Rafa puts in as many returns but you sort of have a chance to swing away at the first one.

“Novak, his is a little bit more different because he goes straight through the middle so he takes away the first angle. And he stands close so there is not as much time to sort of organize yourself after.

“They both have made a hell of a career doing well in that end of the court and punishing players when they let up.”

Raonic will take an 0-9 record against Djokovic into their quarter-final tussle. He knows he needs to serve to perfection to have a shot at pulling the upset.

“I have to serve well,” he said. “[Last time we played in] Cincinnati I had more of my opportunities than most times. I think I was up a break in each set. So I have got to be sharp in those moments if I can create them and if they arise.”

The Frenchman has also recently said he wants to get inside the Top 5 this season.

Photo Source: Mark Peterson/ Corleve

Gael Monfils still believes he has what it takes to become France’s first men’s singles Grand Slam winner since 1983. The window has not closed, insists the 32-year-old.

After taking down Ernests Gulbis in straight sets on Day 6 in Melbourne the flying Frenchman says that he is still motivated by the possibility of doing the unthinkable.

“I love the game,” Monfils said. “I love waking up every morning with the goal to win for the first time a slam. I love to play big matches. I think it's, yeah, it's that keep me, keep the fire in me, keep myself on alert. And also still I have a strong belief I can make it.”

You think you can win a Slam? A reporter wanted to know.

“Yeah,” he replied.

Monfils, 33, has also stated previously that he wants to see if he can break into the Top 5 this season. His previous career-best ranking is No.6 in the world, but he has not been that high since January of 2017.

Ahead of the ATP Cup Monfils stated his goal of getting into the Top 5 for the first time.

“I had a great year last year and I tried to set my goals a bit higher than it was for last year,” Monfils told reporters. “So, obviously, I really want to be in the top-5, so I will do anything that's possible, working-wise and with my team, to find the keys to try to enter this very short circle. It will be hard with the guys that are coming up and also with the older players. I think the top-50 is very strong. So I don't put any pressure on myself. I try to do what I can do best.”

The lone Frenchman remaining in the singles draw will face Dominic Thiem in the round of 16 on Monday in Melbourne. Thiem owns the 5-0 edge against him lifetime, and Monfils knows he has his work cut out.

“I feel fine physically, so that will help,” Monfils said. “I think it's a challenge that I will have to face.”

The Swiss talks about why it is difficult to crack the Millman code.

Photo Source: Mark Peterson / Corleve

Roger Federer has had his hands full with John Millman in their last two meetings at the Slams, the first of course Millmans now famous four-set upset of the Swiss in the fourth round of the 2018 US Open, and the second last night’s stirring five-set win by Federer, which came down the wire.

After the match Federer explained what makes Millman such a tough player to face for him and elaborated on his admiration for the Brisbane native.

“I just think he's just so, so tough from the baseline,” Federer said. “He's got sort of good speed on the backhand, on the forehand. The way he hits it makes it, for me, unsure if I should pull the trigger or I shouldn't. Is it there to be hit or not?

“Every time I get a ball, I'm in two ways, because I have the option to do that with my game, but then he covers the court very well. Because he hits it hard enough, maybe it's harder for me to find angle."

Federer says Millman was able to remain a mystery to him on Friday night by keeping him on the back foot in many of the rallies.

“I think the biggest problem for me was just I wasn't able to get—I was not returning poorly, per se,” he said. “I was just not getting into those neutral rallies, finding the ways to unlock him. That's his credit. He's a great player. … he's got great attitude, and that's why I mumbled something to him at the net just saying, I have so much respect for you, and it's such a pity, I'm so sorry, but well played, and all that stuff, because I really feel that way for John.’”

In the end Federer was able to sneak away with the victory in four hours and three minutes, despite 82 unforced errors and trailing 8-4 in the final-set super tiebreak.

Though it was grueling, Federer made it clear after the match that he enjoys being involved in epic battles, whether he’s able to finagle away the win or not.

“I think if I do play tennis it's because of winning titles, trying to win as many matches as possible, enjoy myself out on court but also being in epic matches like this,” he said. “Doesn't always have to be finals, I guess. As long as the crowds are into it, you have a great battle with an opponent who you really admire and respect, it's a good feeling. I'm happy I had that match tonight. I hope I would feel the same way also if I would have lost, to be honest.”