Tennis Today: Winners head this way

Shahida Jacobs
January 8, 2018

The 2018 season is in full swing now and in Tennis Today we have the latest on the weekend’s winners, the future of the men’s game and more.

What’s On The Site
First things first, there has been another high-profile withdrawal from the Australian Open as former champion Victoria Azarenka won’t travel Down Under.

Then if you were busy over the weekend and didn’t have time to catch up on who won what, here you go:

ATP & WTA Tour
Hopman Cup

ATP Tour
Brisbane International
Qatar Open and Maharashtra Open

WTA Tour
Auckland Classic
Shenzhen Open and Brisbane International

What’s In The Media
In The Guardian, Tim Lewis writes that the “Infirmity and age pose threat to quality at Australian Open trainwreck”.

That’s a bit harsh as it will still be a quality field in both the men’s and women’s draw as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka, Simona Halep, Garbine Muguruza and Angelique Kerber will feature.

Just because Andy Murray and Serena Williams won’t make it, it doesn’t mean it’s all doom and gloom.

The Telegraph (subscription) looks at how men’s tennis will survive after Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray call it a day.

It remains to be seen if Australian bad boy Bernard Tomic will take part in the season-opening Grand Slam of 2018. Remember we told you last week that he could be taking part in “I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here” after failing to get a wildcard entry.

The Herald Sun followed it up with a story (subscription) that he allegedly bragged to fellow players that he was offered A$1m to appear in the show.

Tomic, though, has now decided to take part in the final Australian Open warm-up event, the Kooyong Classic. However, it the Sydney Morning Herald reports that it is still a case of ‘will he or won’t he’ take part in the Aussie Open qualifers.

What’s On Social
In case you missed Grigor Dimitrov’s brilliant sportsmanship last week, here it is again.

“That’s going to be one of the lasting images of the summer of tennis” . @grigordimitrov #BrisbaneTENnis #tennis #Dimitrov #Edmund #sportsmanship

A post shared by Brisbane International (@brisbanetennis) on Jan 5, 2018 at 4:23am PST

@rogerfederer so I went to see your quokka today and told him we won. He was excited. But not more excited than me?? #congratsbutwhereisrogertho

A post shared by Belinda Bencic (@belindabencic) on Jan 7, 2018 at 3:48am PST

It continues ????????????????????????????? #Brisbane #Vibes #Focus

A post shared by Nicholas (@k1ngkyrg1os) on Jan 6, 2018 at 4:56am PST

What’s On TV
Sydney International
Top seed Albert Ramos-Viñolas, Gilles Müller, Fabio Fognini and Gilles Simon will all be in action in the men’s side of the draw while Johanna Konta will take on Agnieszka Radwanska in the women’s tournament. Dominika Cibulkova and Auckland Classic winner Julia Goerges also have games.

04:00-06:00 (Tuesday morning)
LIVE – Eurosport 1

04:00-11:00 (Tuesday morning)
LIVE – BT Sport 1

Hobart International
Second seed Elise Mertens, Katerina Siniakova, Alison Riske and Irina-Camelia Begu all feature in the Australian Open warm-up event.

03:00-11:00 (Tuesday morning)
LIVE – BT Sport 3