Tennis
AUSTRALIAN OPEN DELAY VALID IF SMOKE HAZE WORSEN, SAYS DJOKOVIC
Novak Djokovic said Australian Open organisers should consider delaying the first Grand Slam of the year if haze from bushfires raging around the country threatens players’ health.
The opening major of 2020 is due to start at Melbourne Park on January 20 and the city was blanketed by smoke from blazes burning to the east on Saturday, compromising air quality.
Djokovic, president of the ATP players council, said in the early hours of Sunday that any delay would be a last resort, but it needed to be discussed.
“I mean, it’s fair from you to say that (ask the question),” he said when pressed on the matter in Brisbane, where he is playing for Serbia in the inaugural ATP Cup team event.
“Obviously, you have to always… because of some extreme weather and conditions, you just have to consider it.
“But I think that’s probably the very, very last option for anything. I think they’re going to try to do anything to not delay in terms of days and when it starts.
“I mean, and I understand why, but if it comes down to those conditions affecting the health of players, I think we should definitely consider it.”
Catastrophic bushfires have been raging in Australia for weeks, leaving 24 dead and hundreds of properties destroyed.
Tennis officials last week took the unprecedented decision to relocate the Canberra International — an ATP Challenger 125 event and on the women’s ITF World Tennis Tour, which serves as a stepping stone to the full tour.
They said play would not have been possible in the Australian capital which has been choked by smoke, with the tournament now due to start Monday at Bendigo in Victoria state.
Djokovic said he had experienced air quality issues at tournaments in China, but the bushfires had created an unprecedented situation.
The Serbian superstar said he not spoken to Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley “but people from my team have”.
“They’re obviously tracking the situation every single day as it’s evolving and hopefully calming down with the smoke and fires,” he said.
“I think they will, if it continues the same way and if the quality of air is affected… I think Tennis Australia probably will be forced to, I think, create some rules about it.
“I mean, it’s tough for them because scheduling has to be respected in terms of play and the Australian Open starts at a certain time, so there’s a lot of different things involved.
“But health is a concern for me and for anybody.”
He said the ATP players’ council was due to meet before the Australian Open and the issue would be on the agenda.
In a related development, Australian world number one Ashleigh Barty will donate all of her prize money from the Brisbane International to the bushfire relief fund.
The event offers a pot of 1,434,900 Australian dollars (£763,300).
“There are a lot of bigger things going on in Australia right now that we need to take care of,” Barty said.
Five-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova says she plans to donate an initial A$25,000 and asked men’s world number two Novak Djokovic to match it.
Since September, fires in Australia have killed at least 24 people, with dozens more missing, and there is a widely reported estimate that 480 million animals have died.
More than 1,200 homes have been destroyed and millions of hectares of land scorched.
Barty, 23, is the top seed in the singles at the Brisbane International and will play alongside Dutch partner Kiki Bertens in the doubles.
“It’s been really terrible, it really has. For me, this started two or three months ago,” said Barty, who won her first Grand Slam at last year’s French Open.
“We have to remember, this has been going on for a long time across our whole country.
“The first I saw of it was actually flying home from the Fed Cup final [in November], from Perth back to the east coast of Australia, and we could see some of the smoke and some of the fires from the plane. So that really hit home with me.”
Barty also says she donated A$30,000 (£15,960) to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at the end of last year.
“Obviously the worst of it is still out there at the moment,” she added.
“Now it’s not just wildlife [that] have lost lives and lost homes, but it’s also affected Australians with their lives and their homes.”
Reigning Wimbledon champion Simona Halep, not known for hitting many aces, has also pledged her support in a novel way – by donating every time she shouts at her Australian coach, Darren Cahill, during a match.
Czech two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova is the latest player to pledge to donate money for every ace hit during the Australian summer.
Australian number two Nick Kyrgios started the initiative when he said he would donate A$200 (£106) for each ace.
Tennis Australia committed a A$100 (£53) donation for every ace served at the ATP Cup in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney.
A total of 426 were hit on the opening two days, meaning A$42,600 (£22,660) has been raised for the Australian Red Cross.
Serena Williams has been listed as eligible to return to tennis by the sport’s drug-testing body (ITIA) as of February 22, though it remains unclear whether the 23-time Grand Slam champion will make a stunning comeback to the women’s tour.
The 44-year-old raised eyebrows late last year after rejoining the tennis anti-doping testing pool, though she denied at the time the move signalled she was preparing to return to the sport she dominated for nearly two decades.
She reignited speculation last month when she deflected questions about a possible return during an appearance on NBC’s “Today” show.
The Women’s Tennis Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside normal business hours.
Williams, who won her last Grand Slam singles title in 2017, has not competed since the 2022 U.S. Open.
-Reuters
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Serena Williams has re-entered the tennis anti-doping testing pool but the 23-times Grand Slam champion denied on Tuesday that the move had anything to do with her making a return to the sport she dominated for nearly two decades.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency confirmed to Reuters that Williams, who has not competed since the 2022 U.S. Open, was among the list of players in its testing pool, which requires individuals to provide their whereabouts at any given time, every day, and participate in random testing
But as the story of 44-year-old Williams’ inclusion on the list, first reported earlier on Tuesday by The Athletic, gained traction and sparked talk about her potential return, the tennis great took to social media to deny a comeback was in her plans.
“Omg yall I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy,” Williams wrote on X.
Her agent did not immediately respond to an email from Reuters asking why the player had re-entered the testing pool.
Williams’ name appears on the ITIA website’s list of retired players and would be able to return to a sanctioned event after making herself available for out-of-competition testing for at least six months.
Last week former world number one Williams posted a series of photos on Instagram showing herself on a tennis court with her youngest daughter, Adira River, whom she gave birth to in August 2023.
In August 2022, ahead of her final U.S. Open, Williams announced in a Vogue article that she was “evolving away from tennis.”
Williams, who won her last Grand Slam singles title in 2017, had been chasing an elusive 24th crown that would have drawn her level with Australian Margaret Court, who holds the record.
The American came tantalisingly close to achieving that feat, featuring in four major finals since giving birth to her first daughter, Olympia, in 2017.
-Reuters
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Tennis
Victor Ochei Elected Nigeria Tennis Federation President, Promises New Era of Growth and Unity
A new chapter has opened for Nigerian tennis following the election of Victor Ochei as President of the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF), ushering in optimism for revival and reform in a sport long in need of renewed structure and vision.
The former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly emerged victorious in an election held at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, securing 11 votes to defeat Ifekuo Omogui Okauru, who garnered one. Mr. Datti was elected Vice President unopposed, in what stakeholders have hailed as a “unity election” for Nigerian tennis.
In his acceptance speech, Ochei struck a conciliatory and forward-looking tone, describing his victory as one for all stakeholders in Nigerian tennis.
“To the glory of God, it was an election where we all campaigned and we all won together,” he said. “It’s a clear demonstration that the Federation is one body. Regardless of the fact that there’s a winner, for me there’s no victor, no vanquished.”
He emphasized that the real work begins after the election — rebuilding the sport’s ecosystem, strengthening grassroots structures, and ensuring inclusion across all levels.
“What’s important is what we do going forward,” he continued. “By God’s grace, we’ll activate the entire tennis ecosystem. Everyone has something to contribute, and our focus is to bring all efforts to the optimal level so that no constituency within the Federation is left behind.”
Plans for Reform and Revival
Ochei outlined an ambitious plan to restructure the Federation for better performance, transparency, and sustainability.
“We intend to dismantle the existing structure, repackage it, and ensure seamless operation across every organ of the Federation,” he declared.
“When we bring in the right influence, sponsorships, and funding, and create career paths for players and coaches, you’ll begin to see the difference. The changes will be visible in the short term — that’s a promise.”
Observers say his commitment to institutional reform and partnership with corporate sponsors could be the catalyst Nigerian tennis needs to regain relevance regionally and globally.
A Proven Leader with Passion for Sports
Beyond politics, Victor Ochei is known for his deep involvement in sports development. A barrister, engineer, and philanthropist, he has sponsored several national and international competitions, including the Davnotch Tennis Tournament and Wheelchair Basketball Championship.
He also built a mini football stadium in his hometown of Onicha Olona, Delta State, to promote grassroots sports.
Ochei has long championed the idea that sports can be a vehicle for youth empowerment, social inclusion, and national pride. His entry into tennis administration is seen by many as a natural extension of his passion for development and service.
As Ochei begins his tenure, optimism runs high within the tennis community. Stakeholders believe his inclusive leadership style, political experience, and managerial competence could help reposition Nigerian tennis, attract private sector investment, and nurture a new generation of players.
With Victor Ochei at the helm, Nigerian tennis appears poised for a new serve — one defined by structure, unity, and sustainable progress.
“This is not just about winning elections,” said one Federation official. “It’s about winning the future of Nigerian tennis.”
If his words and track record are anything to go by, the game may just be entering its most promising era yet.
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