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Injured Djokovic advances to quarters at Australian Open
Serbia's Novak Djokovic hits a backhand return to Canada's Milos Raonic during their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021. For anyone curious about the severity of his injury, he put it into context after qualifying for the Australian Open quarterfinals for the 12th time. The eight-time Australian Open champion planned to spend most of the next two days recovering ahead of his quarterfinal against sixth-seeded Alexander Zverev. “If you’re here, it’s for a reason - there’s no doubt about it,” Dimitrov said after his 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 win. AdAnd not since Patrick McEnroe — John’s brother — in 1991 has a man ranked as low as 114th made it to the Australian Open quarterfinals.
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Australian Open goes quiet as lockdown keeps crowds away
Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic serves to compatriot Karolina Pliskova during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021. Crowds were gone from the Australian Open on Saturday because of a five-day hard lockdown imposed by the state government to contain an outbreak of COVID-19 cases. And with the lack of fans, players were faced with an all-too-familiar feeling: a distinct lack of buzz. The Australian Open was allowed to continue during the lockdown — but without fans. He struggled without a crowd in a warm-up tournament before the Australian Open.
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No crowds, but Australian Open will continue during lockdown
(AP Photo/Hamish Blair)MELBOURNE – The Australian Open will be allowed to continue but without crowds after the Victoria state government imposed a snap, five-day lockdown starting Saturday in response to a COVID-19 outbreak at a quarantine hotel. Andrews said the Feb. 8-21 Australian Open could continue “because these people are at their workplace.”“It will be happening, but there’ll be no one there watching it," he said. The seven-time Australian Open winner didn't hear the news until after the match. “It was a good last match before the lockdown, it's really sad to say.”The Australian Open was the first Grand Slam tournament in a year to allow sizeable crowds. Under the initial plan for the Australian Open, the government allowed up to 30,000 people daily the first week at Melbourne Park, or about 50% of capacity.
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Djokovic: "makes my heart full" to see Aussie Open crowd
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after defeating France's Jeremy Chardy during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Feb. 8, 2021. I really, really appreciate your support in coming out tonight." 7 Aryna Sabalenka, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, French Open winner Iga Swiatek and 2019 U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu, returning from 15 months on the sidelines. Playing in her 21st Australian Open, the elder Williams beat Kirsten Flipkens 7-5, 6-2. Two weeks in hard lockdown didn't help 2016 Australian Open winner Angelique Kerber, who lost to Bernarda Pera.
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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. Nadal played more of a hand in that, with Djokovic limiting his time on court because of a blister. Back at Melbourne Park, where he has won a record eight Australian Open titles, he had plenty of energy to consume. Osaka, who won the U.S. Open last year and the Australian Open in 2019, will next face No.
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No set guidelines for calling off US Open if COVID outbreak
FILE - In this Sept. 3, 2017, file photo, tennis fans move in and out of Arthur Ashe Stadium during the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York. 5 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, a 2019 U.S. Open semifinalist, and No. Bertens cited concerns about needing to quarantine when returning to Europe for clay-court tournaments in Rome and Paris that are scheduled for after the U.S. Open. If coaches or guests exit the bubble, theyll lose their 2020 credential and not be allowed to get one next year. Aside from two official hotels for players and their guests, there will be private housing available for rent.
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Washington tennis tournament canceled; US Open still planned
WASHINGTON The hard-court tournament in the nations capital that was supposed to mark the official return of mens professional tennis amid the pandemic was scrapped Tuesday but the group in charge of the U.S. Open immediately said the tuneups cancellation in no way impacts its Grand Slam event. That is to be followed by the U.S. Open, where main-draw play is due to begin Aug. 31 without any spectators. The next Grand Slam tournament will be the clay-court French Open, which postponed its start from late May to late September because of the pandemic. After the ATP and Citi Open announced the decision to abandon plans to play this year, the U.S. Tennis Association put out a statement saying it understands the rationale behind that cancellation. The USTA's statement continued: This decision in no way impacts the U.S. Open or the Western & Southern Open.