The NOVOAIR 38th National Judo Championships got underway at the Shaheed Suhrawardi Indoor Stadium in Mirpur today amid huge enthusiasm among the participants.

Novak Djokovic shrugged off controversy involving his father to reach a record-extending 10th Australian Open final with a 7-5 6-1 6-2 win over outgunned American Tommy Paul on Friday.

Tennis ace Novak Djokovic's father said he will stay away from his son's Australian Open semi-final Friday, insisting he "wishes only for peace" after being filmed with fans holding Russian flags.

Indian trailblazer Sania Mirza bowed out of Grand Slam tennis Friday with defeat in the Australian Open mixed-doubles final playing alongside Rohan Bopanna -- her first playing partner 22 years ago.

Stefanos Tsitsipas blazed his way into a first Australian Open final with a 7-6(2) 6-4 6-7(6) 6-3 win over Russian 18th seed Karen Khachanov on Friday, as the third-seeded Greekinched closer to becoming world number one.

Facts and figures ahead of Friday's Australian Open men's semi-finals (x denotes seeding):

Novak Djokovic has won all nine of his Australian Open semi-finals and is not ready to let Tommy Paul ruin his unblemished record on Friday as he closes in on a 22nd Grand Slam crown.

Facts and figures ahead of Friday's Australian Open men's semi-finals (x denotes seeding):

Russian and Belarusian athletes will be able to compete in this year’s Asian Games despite the invasion of Ukraine, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) said on Thursday.

Elena Rybakina stormed to her first Australian Open final with a 7-6(4), 6-3 victory over twice champion Victoria Azarenka on Thursday and the Russian-born Kazakh will face Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka after the fifth seed beat Magda Linette 7-6(1), 6-2.

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 said there was something extra behind his title charge at this year's Australian Open after being deported from the country last year and having to play his matches with an injured hamstring after suffering the problem in Adelaide.

Sania Mirza, India's greatest women's tennis player, stayed on track for a fairytale farewell after she reached the mixed doubles final at the Australian Open on Wednesday.

Bangladesh will take part in the inaugural FIDE Olympiad for People with Disabilities, to be held in Belgrade from January 29.

American men’s tennis is witnessing a resurgence with an unlikely trio reaching the Australian Open quarter-finals, and they are thriving off each others’ success.

Novak Djokovic delivered another masterclass at the Australian Open on Wednesday to thump fifth seed Andrey Rublev 6-1 6-2 6-4 and reach the semi-finals at Melbourne Park where he is bidding for a record-extending 10th crown and 22nd Grand Slam title.

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.

Magda Linette reacted with disbelief after continuing her dream run into the semi-finals of the Australian Open on Wednesday with a stunning 6-3 7-5 victory over former world number one Karolina Pliskova.