Traffic chaos during the BJP’s demonstration over the women’s reservation bill in Mumbai's Worli area prompted an irate woman to confront Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan, blaming him for the snarls. The incident occurred on Tuesday (April 21
Outgoing Apple, Inc. CEO Tim Cook oversaw a period where the company sank far deeper roots in the Indian market than had been done in the decades prior. Most notably, he presided over the firm’s supply chain expansion, during which it set up iPhone assembly operations in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka
West Bengal polls: Polling for the 2026 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections will be held in two phases on April 23 and 29, with counting of votes on May 4. West Medinipur: Union Home Minister on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on West Bengal Chief Minister
The Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) is likely to announce the results for the Class 10 (Matric) and Class 12 (Intermediate) board examinations for the 2025–2026 academic session. According to board officials and reports, the JAC Board has completed the process of preparing the Jharkhand 10th
The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice on a public interest litigation challenging the validity of the 2008 National Investigation Agency Act, Live Law reported. The Act set up the National Investigation Agency in 2008 and contains a list of scheduled offences that it has the power to
Woman gives 5 reasons she’ll never return to a corporate job even with 2x salaryA Dubai-based woman has explained why she will never return to a corporate job, even if her pay were to be doubled. Updated on: Apr 22, 2026 11:45 AM IST By Sanya Jain Share via Copy link A Dubai-based woman has
Rajasthan Royals wicket-keeper Dhruv Jurel, who effected a stunning stumping of Kolkata Knight Riders batter Cameron Green in the IPL on Sunday (April 19, 2026), said he was grateful to be working with the legendary Sri Lankan gloveman Kumar Sangakkara.Rajasthan Royals wicket-keeper Dhruv Jurel
The Congress said that Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit to West Bengal on Thursday to campaign for the Assembly elections had to be cancelled after the administration allegedly denied permission, The Telegraph reported. Gandhi was to address a rally in Kolkata and another in Serampore
A New Year, A New Chase: Tennis Returns Down Under Ahead Of Australian Open
A New Year, A New Chase: Tennis Returns Down Under Ahead Of Australian Open
With the new year comes the serious tennis season Down Under.
Just over six weeks after the ATP and WTA concluded their 2025 Finals, players from both tours have arrived in Australia and New Zealand for a packed two-week schedule of tournaments leading up to the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam event of the year starting on January 18 in Melbourne.
The United Cup, a mixed teams event, will kick off in Perth and Sydney on Friday and conclude on January 11. This tournament will feature four of the world's top 10 men and women, including Coco Gauff, Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur, Iga Swiątek, Alexander Zverev, Jasmine Paolini, and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
During the first full week of 2026, the Brisbane International will see defending champion Aryna Sabalenka headlining the event, fresh from her Battle of the Sexes exhibition against Nick Kyrgios in Dubai.
Notably absent from the pre-Australian Open tournaments are the top two men's players: No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and second-ranked Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz and Sinner, who have secured nine of the last 10 Grand Slam singles titles with Sinner winning the 2025 Australian Open, will participate in an exhibition in Incheon, South Korea, on January 10. They are expected to travel to Australia afterward to prepare at Melbourne Park.
Alcaraz will compete in his first major without coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, following their recent split. Alcaraz has yet to announce a replacement.
Other notable players at the United Cup include Emma Raducanu, Naomi Osaka, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Stan Wawrinka, who has declared that 2026 will be his final year on tour. The 40-year-old, three-time major winner Wawrinka hopes to improve his current ranking of 157 and break back into the top 100 before retiring. His highest ranking was No. 3, achieved when he won the Australian Open in 2014.
“I'm happy with the decision to retire and feel at peace with it," Wawrinka said upon arriving in Perth earlier this week.
Joining Sabalenka at the 500-level Brisbane International will be two-time major finalist Amanda Anisimova, WTA Finals champion Elena Rybakina, reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula, and Mirra Andreeva.
Andreeva, 18, is tipped to be the next big star in women's tennis and might renew her rivalry with Sabalenka in Brisbane. Sabalenka leads their head-to-head 4-2, though world No. 9 Andreeva secured a three-set victory against Sabalenka in the Indian Wells final in 2025.
The Russian also reached the quarterfinals at last year's French Open and Wimbledon, and the semifinals at Roland Garros in 2024, becoming the youngest to reach a major's final four since Martina Hingis at the 1997 U.S. Open.
“Maybe the rivalry with Sabalenka is a little bit there, but she is leading… unfortunately… for now," Andreeva told Australian Associated Press this week.
Andreeva was defeated by Sabalenka in the Brisbane semifinals in 2025 and again in the fourth round at the Australian Open before her victory at Indian Wells, where she became the youngest winner since Serena Williams.
“That gave me a lot of confidence. Winning Indian Wells is a milestone of my career so far," she said.
The second week of warm-up events will feature the joint ATP-WTA Adelaide International, including 24-time Grand Slam singles champion Novak Djokovic, from January 12-17, as well as a WTA 250 tournament in Hobart, Australia.
Auckland, New Zealand, will host a WTA tournament from January 5-11, followed by an ATP event at the same venue from January 12-17. Kyrgios and Frances Tiafoe are set to play in an exhibition tournament at Kooyong in Melbourne several days before the Australian Open begins.
Hong Kong will host an ATP event from January 5-11, the only warm-up tournament outside Australia or New Zealand.
Swipe Left For Next Video
The ATP events will adhere to a new rule in 2026 to address extreme heat during men's matches, allowing for 10-minute breaks during best-of-three-sets singles matches, similar to a rule introduced by the WTA over 30 years ago.
With AP Inputs
Source: News18
Related Posts: Tennis-Kenya tennis body admit mistake in granting wildcard to viral Gavi’s Season In Jeopardy After Serious Knee Injury When Kumbh Mela comes to God's Own Country in poll season Khele Sanand Season 3 comes to a rousing end with Andej Sindhu's season comes to an end ECI orders suspension of Basirhat Officer over ‘serious lapses’ in electoral hearings NFL faces serious allegations over Dianna Russini-Mike Vrabel photo leak saga Athletics-Muir's former coach banned for three years over serious misconduct Sunjay Kapur's sister comes down harsh on Priya Sachdev amid estate feud
Shah Rukh Khan stayed calm amid fan frenzy during visit to Ajmer dargah, reveals bodyguardBodyguard Yusuf Ibrahim revealed that he had accompanied Shah Rukh Khan to the Ajmer dargah on a Friday, but the visit quickly turned chaotic. Apr 22, 2026
6 hours ago
Karnataka recently rolled out a draft policy to alter the taxation structure on liquor sold in the state. The policy proposed taxing liquor based on the actual volume of alcohol present in it — or the Alcohol-in-Beverage taxation system, a popular practice in western countries
6 hours ago
Inherited peripheral neuropathies (IPN) are cruel genetic diseases that affect around 1 in 2,500 individuals. A person affected by IPN develops high foot arches, curled toes, thin calves, and walks awkwardly or trips. Their fingers may become clawed and, because they lose sensation
6 hours ago
Kedarnath Dham portals open today, CM Dhami offers prayersChar Dham Yatra began on April 19, with the opening of the portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines in Uttarakhand on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya Published on: Apr 22, 2026 1:33 PM IST By HT Correspondent
6 hours ago
No, ICSE Class 10 Result 2026 will not be declared today, April 22, despite the false claim floating on social media platforms. The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) told Times of India (TOI) dismissed the rumour and said that the board has not made any announcement
6 hours ago
Kevin Warsh has clashed with Democratic senators during a fiery confirmation hearing to decide whether he should be installed as Federal Reserve chairman. From suggestions that he would be President Donald Trump's "sock puppet" to questions over his links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein
6 hours ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.Panasonic ACs are trending this summer! Grab top deals with up to 30% discountPanasonic ACs are becoming a top choice this summer. Check out the latest deals, key features
6 hours ago
A Mumbai woman has gone viral after angrily confronting Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan over a massive traffic jam allegedly caused by a political rally in Worli, with many on social media calling her the voice of ordinary commuters. The clip, shared by X user Prashant Dhumal
6 hours ago
IIT Kharagpur professor invites students to his birthday party, internet enviousAn IIT Kharagpur student left the internet surprised—and a little envious—after sharing a video of a professor’s birthday celebration with his class. Updated on: Apr 22
6 hours ago
The Iran war has caused a significant drop in global oil demand, with consumption plummeting due to supply disruptions and record-high fuel prices. While this short-term destruction accelerates the shift to EVs and biofuels, the conflict's longer-term impact may paradoxically boost oil demand
6 hours ago
Global oil prices edged lower in Asia on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump said he would extend a ceasefire with Iran until peace talks between the two countries have progressed. He added that the US will continue to blockade Iran's ports until Tehran presents a "unified proposal"
6 hours ago
Abhishek Sharma smashed an explosive century on Tuesday. He scored an unbeaten 135 runs from 68 balls. This helped Sunrisers Hyderabad defeat Delhi Capitals by 47 runs in the Indian Premier League. Sharma's performance was the fifth-highest individual score in the tournament's history
6 hours ago
One year after the terror attack in Pahalgam on 22 April 2025, which claimed 26 lives in a targeted assault on civilians, the meadows of Kashmir seem to have begun their slow healing with a return to tourism. Yet for the families left behind, time has not healed in the way society often expects
6 hours ago
At least 13 people have been killed in an explosion at a firecracker factory in India's southern state of Kerala, officials say. The incident took place in Thrissur, where around 40 people were believed to be assembling firecrackers in a cluster of sheds for an upcoming festival
6 hours ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.Stay safe and protected this summer with these SPF-infused skin and hair productsKeep your skin and hair protected with these SPF-infused products. Published on: Apr 22
6 hours ago
David Wilcock death rumors: Rep. Anna Paulina Luna sounds the alarm about dead, missing US scientists, ‘Something is up’Rep. Anna Paulina Luna has sounded the alarm about an increasing number of missing and dead scientists amid rumors that David Wilcock has died by suicide. Updated on: Apr 22
6 hours ago
The protests by workers across Indian cities through early April are an urgent signal that survival is impossible on wages that hover around the bare legal minimum. Domestic, gig and delivery workers to industrial labourers in the Delhi-National Capital Region protested demanding an increase in
6 hours ago
Walk into most classrooms today, and you will find students who can define empathy, write about conflict, and explain decision-making. But ask them to navigate a difficult conversation, respond to peer pressure, or articulate what they feel; the confidence disappears
6 hours ago
V. Muthuraja returns to contest Pudukkottai seat for DMK in 2026 Tamil Nadu electionsV. Muthuraja, a key DMK politician from Tamil Nadu, won the Pudukkottai seat in 2021 with 85,802 votes, aims to defend his position in the 2026 elections. Published on: Apr 22
6 hours ago
Learn how to search your name in the voter list 2026, verify details in the electoral roll, and download your Voter ID card online via NVSP and ECI portals. Step-by-step guide with direct links and troubleshooting tips. With Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal approaching
6 hours ago
Nineteen hundred exhibitors from Italy and around the world. 700 designers, all under the age of 35. Over 169,000 sq.m. of exhibition. The numbers give a sense of the scale of this year’s Salone del Mobile.Milano, the landmark European furniture and interiors design trade fair that attracts a
6 hours ago
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has cancelled a presidential trip to the southern African nation of Eswatini, accusing Beijing of putting pressure on other countries to bar his aircraft from flying over their territories. Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar revoked Lai's overflight permits after
6 hours ago
International benchmark Brent crude futures traded at $99.29 per barrel, up 0.82 per cent, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 1.15 per cent to $90.71. Mumbai: Global crude oil prices edged higher to nearly $100 a barrel on Wednesday as traders and investors analysed the outlook for US-Iran
6 hours ago
A notorious North Korean hacking group is likely behind the theft of nearly $300 million in cryptocurrency over the weekend, an affected party has said, in the biggest known crypto heist this year.It is the latest such incident linked to North Korea
6 hours ago
Diet Coke has become an unexpected casualty of supply chain disruptions linked to the ongoing tensions involving Iran, with several Indian cities witnessing stock-outs of the popular sugar-free beverage due to a severe shortage of aluminium cans. The crunch has also affected other canned drinks
6 hours ago
April 22 Birthday Horoscope: Here's what the tarot cards have in store for youIf your birthday falls on April 22, here’s what your year ahead looks like, as per Tarot. Published on: Apr 22, 2026 11:00 AM IST By Kishori Sud Share via Copy link If you were born on April 22
6 hours ago
The Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) is expected to announce the Assam HS Result 2026 for Class 12 students in the coming days. Officials are likely to confirm the exact date and time of the result declaration soon. Once the results are released
6 hours ago
