Aryna Sabalenka said her much-maligned exhibition match against Nick Kyrgios had paid dividends as she demolished Cristina Bucsa on Tuesday to launch her Australian Open preparations.

The winners of the men's and women's singles at the first Grand Slam of the year will each take home Aus$4.15 million (US$2.79 million), up 19 percent from last year's Aus$3.5 million.

Daniil Medvedev on Monday renewed his call for the Australian Open to begin its night sessions earlier, after the Russian endured a string of recent post-midnight finishes at Melbourne Park, but admitted there was little chance of it happening.

Novak Djokovic announced on Sunday he was leaving the professional players' union he co-founded in 2020, citing "concerns regarding transparency and governance" within the body.

World number three Alexander Zverev admitted on Saturday that he has "a lot of catching up to do" to challenge Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

The American will compete in the main draw at Melbourne Park for the first time since 2021.

Stefanos Tsitsipas said on Thursday he seriously considered retiring from tennis in the depths of a struggle with serious back pain during much of the 2025 season.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka Thursday said she wants a rematch of her "Battle of the Sexes" showdown with Nick Kyrgios so she can get revenge.

The 40-year-old announced this month that he plans to call it quits, with the United Cup in Perth starting Friday the beginning of the end for the popular Swiss star.

Critics had warned that the match risked trivialising the women's game.

The world number seven is yet to beat either player and admits he has to find new weapons to challenge the Spaniard and Italian who have shared the last eight Grand Slam titles.

Nick Kyrgios beat women's world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the "Battle of the Sexes" on Sunday, in a highly-publicised showdown with modified rules that divided tennis fans.

Sunday's showdown between four-times Grand Slam champion Sabalenka and former world number 13 Kyrgios is seen by many as entertainment, but critics believe it risks undermining women's tennis by trivialising decades of progress toward equality.

With six Grand Slam titles under his belt to Sinner's four, Alcaraz will look to eclipse Nadal and become the youngest man to complete the set of all majors when he heads Down Under in the New Year.

Stan Wawrinka says the 2026 season will be his last as the three-time Grand Slam singles champion aims to finish his career "on the best note possible".

Men's tennis world number one Carlos Alcaraz announced on Wednesday he is splitting from his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero after seven hugely successful years together with assistant coach Samuel Lopez taking over.

The Swiss great will be back on Rod Laver Arena for the first time since he retired in 2022 as the Grand Slam at Melbourne Park introduces an inaugural "opening ceremony".

World number one Aryna Sabalenka weighed into the participation of transgender athletes in women's sport, saying it would be unfair for women to face "biological men" in professional tennis.

Retired tennis star Ana Ivanovic has reportedly filed for divorce to split from football legend Bastian Schweinsteiger after he allegedly had an affair.

Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time winner of the French Open, has died at the age of 92, Italy's tennis federation announced on Monday.