Former world number one Novak Djokovic's Australian Open preparations suffered a blow Friday as he was bundled out of the Brisbane International by towering American Reilly Opelka.
Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner powered to his first Rotterdam Open title on Sunday, breaking down a determined defensive effort from Australia's Alex De Minaur to win 7-5, 6-4 in a high-quality battle.
Patience is a virtue that Sinner does possess, and eventually that paid off.
"I'm the same boy I was before I won the title," he insisted on his return to Rome.
Ever since bursting on the scene as a 17-year-old in 2019, the Italian has been touted as one of tennis' future greats.
Jannik Sinner stormed back from two sets down to beat Daniil Medvedev in a gruelling five-set Australian Open final on Sunday and win his first Grand Slam.
Since Stan Wawrinka won his only title in Melbourne in 2014, Novak Djokovic has picked up six trophies, Roger Federer has won two and Rafael Nadal has won one.
The Belarusian world number two has yet to drop a set in Melbourne this year
Former US Open champion Medvedev will hope to get third time lucky when he meets Italian youngster Jannik Sinner on Sunday
Facts and figures ahead of Sunday's Australian Open men's final (x denotes seeding):
Novak Djokovic has won all nine of his previous Australian Open finals so confidence is sky-high as he bids to equal Rafael Nadal's Grand Slam record and return to world number one.
An emotional Aryna Sabalenka battled back from a set down to beat Elena Rybakina and win the Australian Open on Saturday for her first Grand Slam title.
Australian Open chief Craig Tiley on Saturday advised Novak Djokovic's family to be "really careful" of people using the tournament's global exposure as a platform for "disruptive" purposes.
Stefanos Tsitsipas will become Greece's first Grand Slam champion and a world number one if he wins the Australian Open final on Sunday -- he will have his father to thank if he does.
Facts and figures ahead of Friday's Australian Open men's semi-finals (x denotes seeding):
Aryna Sabalenka surged into the Australian Open final with a 7-6(1) 6-2 win over unseeded Pole Magda Linette on Thursday to extend the red-hot Belarusian's unbeaten start to the year and book a clash with Elena Rybakina.
Self-described "obnoxious soccer mom" Victoria Azarenka was ordered to take off her Paris St Germain shirt at the Australian Open on Thursday before bowing out of the Grand Slam with a straight sets defeat by Elena Rybakina in the semi-finals.
Novak Djokovic's father has been filmed posing with fans brandishing banned Russian flags at the Australian Open, including one featuring Vladimir Putin, in scenes Ukraine's ambassador Thursday slammed as "a disgrace".
Novak Djokovic can take a step closer to equalling Rafael Nadal's men's record of 22 Grand Slam titles when he faces Andrey Rublev on Wednesday for a place in the Australian Open semi-finals.
