Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina said entering the Australian Open semi-finals ‘means the world to me’ after stunning USA’s two-time Grand Slam winner Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-2 here on Tuesday. The 12th-ranked 31-year-old dispatched her opponent in 59 minutes, and is on a twelve-match winning streak after her triumph at Auckland earlier this month. She will now break into the Top 10 having qualified for the last four. “It’s always been my dream to come back after maternity leave to make the Top 10. [It has] always been my goal. It means the world to me,” said an emotional Svitolina, who reached just her fourth semi-final in 14 attempts. A dejected Coco Gauff after her loss to Elina Svitolina on Tuesday The Ukrainian also hoped that her result can bring a ‘little light’ to her supporters back home as their war with Russia rages on. “It’s of course very close to my heart to see a lot of support from Ukrainians, and lots of people get to know tennis in Ukraine, which is great. Because right now it’s one of the toughest winters for Ukrainian people without electricity and everything. So I feel like bringing a little light to Ukrainian people when they are watching my matches, it’s a great feeling for me,” she added. Svitolina will battle World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka for a place in the final, after the Belarusian dispatched Amercian teenager Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0.Meanwhile, Gauff said that this was a rare off day for her, with nothing working in her favour. “I just felt like all the things I do well, I just wasn’t doing well today. The backhand wasn’t firing. Forehand wasn’t really firing. [Nor the] returns. There was just a lot that didn’t go well today,” said the World No. 3, before adding, “Credit to her [Svitolina] because she forced me to play like that. It’s not like I just woke up and today was a bad day, but bad days are often caused by your opponent.” 12No. of consecutive matches Elina Svitolina has won this year 04No. of times Elina Svitolina has reached a Grand Slam semi-final in 14 attempts This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
28 January,2026 08:40 AM IST | Melbourne | AgenciesWorld No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz swept into the Australian Open semi-finals for the first time on Tuesday after outclassing home hope Alex de Minaur 7-5, 6-2, 6-1. The 22-year-old Alcaraz is yet to drop a set as he arrows in on a maiden Australian Open crown. “I’m just really happy with how I’m playing every match, each round my level is increasing,” he said, in a warning to his rivals. “Today I felt really comfortable, playing great tennis that I am really proud of,” added the Spaniard, who had never previously gone beyond the quarter-finals in Australia in four previous visits. He next faces German World No. 3 Alexander Zverev in the last four, from whom he expects an aggressive game-plan. “He is playing great, aggressive tennis. I have to be ready. We need to play tactically really well,” said Alcaraz. Meanwhile, de Minaur felt he could not sustain the power in his groundstrokes for the whole match. “I didn’t really execute it for the whole match, and that’s what it takes against these guys,” he said. OneNo. of times Carlos Alcaraz has progressed to the Australian Open semis This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
28 January,2026 08:39 AM IST | Melbourne | AgenciesHanin Qureshi netted a brilliant hat-trick as Duruelo Convent High School (Bandra) registered a commanding 3-0 win over Gokuldham High School (Goregaon) to lift the girls U-16 title of the Dream Sports Mumbai School Sports Association (MSSA) Smt KG Kalantari tournament at the Don Bosco High School ground, Matunga, recently. Hanin ’tricks for Duruelo Hanin set the tone early with a fine finish in the ninth minute, catching the Gokuldham defence off guard. She doubled Duruelo’s advantage a minute later with another sharp effort, giving her side a comfortable 2-0 lead inside the first 10 minutes. Dominating proceedings down the right flank with her pace and control, Hanin completed her hat-trick in the 30th minute, effectively putting the contest beyond Gokuldham’s reach. The Duruelo Convent girls with the Smt KG Kalantari U-16 trophy in Matunga. In the boys U-16 Jr Aga Khan final, hosts Don Bosco (Matunga) defeated Dr Antonio Da Silva High School (Dadar) 3-1 to cap off an impressive season.Don Bosco had beaten the same opponents 2-0 in the League Cup earlier this month and this win proved their superiority again. Aamod’s early stunner The Dadar school boys made a bright start, with Aamod Gadge scoring in the fourth minute to give his team the early lead. The Bosco boys though remained calm and responded positively when Arnav Khot drew level in the 13th minute off a penalty corner. Just before the half-time whistle, Jay Topiwala put Don Bosco ahead with a crisp strike. After the break, the Bosco boys continued to press and sealed the fate of the encounter in the 30th minute when Royden Koli made it 3-1. The victorious St Stanislaus U-12 hockey team with the Walter D’Souza League winner’s trophy at the St Stanislaus ground, Bandra Meanwhile, at the St Stanislaus ground in Bandra, the hosts emerged victors in the Dream Sports-MSSA boys U-12 Olympian Walter D’Souza Hockey League. They beat Children’s Academy (Malad) 1-0 in a keenly contested summit clash. Liam Dharmai netted the winner for the hosts. In the third-place match, Don Bosco High School (Matunga) routed St Stanislaus International School (Bandra) 3-0. Ansh Mundye, Marcus Bron Jesudas, and Dhaval Rathod scored a goal each. The New Bombay City School girls from Ghansoli with the Fr Jude Rodrigues Hockey League winner’s trophy at Bandra In the girls U-12 Fr Jude Rodrigues Hockey League final, New Bombay City School (Ghansoli) got the better of St Stanislaus International 2-0. Purva Samant and Aarvi Beloshe scored a goal each for New Bombay City School. In the third-place match, Mount Carmel ICSE (Malad) beat Don Bosco (Borivli) 3-0. Elisha Barretto, Emma Mascarenhas and Shanaya Bhatkar scored for Mount Carmel.
28 January,2026 08:38 AM IST | Mumbai | Rufus VedanayagamBombay Scottish High School (Mahim) clinched the boys U-13 title of the Dream Sports Mumbai School Sports Association (MSSA) basketball tournament with a narrow 24–19 win over Podar International School (Powai) in a closely contested final at Azad Maidan on Friday. The five-point margin showed the competitive nature of the match, with both teams trading blows throughout. Bombay Scottish’s ability to convert key chances and maintain their defensive composure in the closing stages proved vital. High five for Adidev Adidev Shreenivasan led Bombay Scottish’s scoring with five points. Krish Chalill, Nivaan Gala and Kiyan Thitira contributed four points each. Yohan John added three points, while Avighna Chury and Husain Kachwalla chipped in with two points each, ensuring the Mahim side had contributions from seven different players. On the other hand, Podar relied heavily on Giaan Bane, who top-scored with 15 points — nearly 80 per cent of Podar’s score. Vaman Pattar and Soham Tute scored two points each, but Podar struggled to find more scoring options due to Bombay Scottish’s structured defence. MSSA girls U-13 basketball champs Vibgyor High School, Goregaon. Pics/Atul Kamble In the girls U-13 final, Vibgyor High School (Goregaon) registered a comprehensive 26–6 victory over St Anthony’s High School (Chembur). Vibgyor dominated the proceedings from start to finish. The Goregaon girls outscored their opponents in every quarter, combining effective defence with consistent scoring to maintain control throughout the contest. Gritty Dhriti top scores Dhriti Chheda emerged as Vibgyor’s top scorer with eight points. She was supported by Keerat Kaur (six points) and Naisha Mirzan (five points) as the Vibgyor girls ensured steady scoring across the game. Tisya Khandelwal added three points, while Saanchi Saraf and Aarohi Duchawala chipped in with two points each. Defensively, Vibgyor showcased an organised structure and disciplined marking. St Anthony’s struggled to convert opportunities, managing only three successful scoring contributions in the entire match through Bhavyaia Jeth, Riya Maroly and Aamulya Yadav, who scored two points each.
28 January,2026 08:38 AM IST | Mumbai | Rufus VedanayagamWorld No. 2 Iga Swiatek defeated qualifier Maddison Inglis on Monday and reached her 14th career Grand Slam quarterfinal and third at the Australian Open. The second seed dropped just three games in her 6-0, 6-3 win. This was the first time that Swiatek has played an Aussie at the Australian Open. She has faced Inglis on her home turf before, though, winning 6-1, 6-2 in the 2021 Adelaide second round en route to her first hard-court title. Swiatek broke serve to claim the opening set 6-0, delivering a dominant performance on Rod Laver Arena. Despite Inglis showing flashes of resistance with powerful serves and winning some early points, the second-seed Pole's baseline power proved overwhelming. The game featured several extended rallies, including an 11-shot exchange where Swiatek's aggressive groundstrokes forced Inglis into errors. Inglis fought hard, winning spectacular points through effective serving and court positioning, but Swiatek's clinical shot-making shone through at crucial moments. The Polish star sealed the set with a spectacular backhand overhead winner from a defensive position, showcasing her exceptional athleticism. Serving for the match for the second time, the second seed dropped no points in a dominant display. She constructed each point efficiently, finishing with aggressive forehands. After losing the opening set 6-0, Inglis showed tremendous fighting spirit in the second set but ultimately couldn't overcome Swiatek's superior power and consistency. Swiatek holds serve to love, clinching the second set 6-3 and winning the match in straight sets to advance to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. Swiatek set up a quarterfinal clash against No. 5 seed Elena Rybakina. Swiatek leads their head-to-head 6-5, but Rybakina won their only previous Australian Open meeting 6-4, 6-4 in the 2023 fourth round. A six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek, who has won the French Open four times, plus Wimbledon and the US Open once each, is just three wins away from completing a career Grand Slam. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 January,2026 09:45 AM IST | Melbourne | IANSA crop of young Indian shuttlers will aim to seize an early-season opportunity when they begin their campaigns at the Thailand Masters, a USD 250,000 event, beginning here on Tuesday. The tournament offers a valuable opportunity for the likes of Priyanshu Rajawat, Kiran George and Tharun Mannepalli to test themselves and attempt deep runs at the Super 300 level, the second-lowest tier within the main Badminton World Federation World Tour structure. Thomas Cup-winning squad member Rajawat, who claimed the Orleans Masters Super 300 title in 2023, will open his campaign against fourth seed Brian Yang.The 23-year-old from Dhar returned to competitive action after a five-month layoff due to a knee injury at the Syed Modi India International Super 300 in November 2025. Seventh seed Kiran, a former Odisha Masters Super 100 champion and a quarterfinalist at the 2025 India Open Super 750, will face Malaysia's Sholeh Aidil in the opening round. Mannepalli, a gold medallist at the 37th National Games in 2023 and a silver medallist at the 2023 Senior National Championships, along with former world junior No. 1 S. Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian, are also part of India's next generation of singles players on the BWF Tour. While Mannepalli, who reached his maiden BWF Super 300 semifinal at the Macau Open last year, will take on Thailand's Kantaphon Wangcharoen, 2022 World Junior Championships silver medallist Subramanian will face fifth seed Arnaud Merkle. Former national champion Mithun Manjunath has been handed a tough first-round match against eighth seed Magnus Johannesen, while youngster Manraj Singh will open against a qualifier. In women's singles, former national champion Anmol Kharb, who won titles in Belgium and Poland in 2024, will face Hong Kong's Lo Sin Yan Happy. The 19-year-old is a member of India's historic gold medal winning team at the 2024 Badminton Asia Team Championships. She is coming into the tournament after stretching former world champion Nozomi Okuhara at the Indonesia Masters last week. Among others, Rakshitha Ramraj has been drawn against top seed Supanida Katethong, while Aakarshi Kashyap will take on third seed Hina Akechi, Tasnim Mir will play fifth seed Huang Yu-Hsun and Shriyanshi Valishetty meets Canada's Wen Yu Zhang. Tanya Hemanth is set to face seventh seed Julie Dawall Jakobsen, while an all-Indian clash between Isharani Baruah and Malvika Bansod is also on the cards. Devika Sihag and Anupama Upadhyaya are slated to face qualifiers in their respective first-round matches. In women's doubles, Ashwini Bhat K. and Shikha Gautam will open against fifth-seeded Indonesian pair Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma and Meilysa Trias Puspitasari. Another Indian combination, Rutaparna Panda and Swetaparna Panda, has been drawn against seventh-seeded Chinese duo Bao Li Jing and Li Yi Jing. India will also feature in mixed doubles, with Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh set to face Spain's Ruben Garcia and Lucia Rodriguez. In another tie, Dhruv Rawat and Maneesha K. will take on the Chinese Taipei pair of He Zhi-Wei and Liang Ching Sun. Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy and Sai Pratheek K will face a stiff opening-round test in the men's doubles when they take on fourth-seeded Malaysians Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub and Tan Wee Kiong. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 January,2026 09:43 AM IST | Bangkok | PTIJannik Sinner may have felt lucky to survive the Australian Open third round but he rebounded quickly in a 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (2) win Monday over fellow Italian Luciano Darderi to reach the quarterfinals for a ninth consecutive Grand Slam event. The two-time defending champion struggled with the extreme heat and cramping in his Saturday afternoon win over No. 85-ranked Eliot Spizzirri, and only took control after the roof was closed in the third set. Sinner later admitted he got a bit lucky with the timing of the extreme heat policy being invoked, leading to an eight-minute break to close the roof. He was also able to refresh in a 10-minute extra cooling break between the third and fourth sets. In an evening match in cooler conditions Monday, he was cruising until Darderi lifted his tempo in the third set. Second-ranked Sinner missed match points in the 10th game on Darderi's serve but then took it up a notch in the tiebreaker. "I felt quite good out there physically. Everything was okay today," said Sinner, who had limited practice on his off day between his third- and fourth-round matches. "Let's see what's coming in the next round." Toward the end of the match Darderi, in his first official head-to-head with Sinner, increased the speed of his forehand as he went for everything, and also added intensity to his serve. Darderi took the first two points of the tiebreaker but then had to pause for a few moments before serving because of a baby crying in the crowd at Margaret Court Arena. He didn't win another point. Sinner reeled off the next seven to triumph in 2 hours and nine minutes. It extended Sinner's unbeaten streak to 18 against other Italians on tour and earned a quarterfinal against No. 8 Ben Shelton or No. 12 Casper Ruud. "It was very, very difficult. We're good friends off the court," Sinner said. "Third set I had some break chances, I couldn't use them. I got tight, so very happy I closed it in three sets." Sinner had 19 aces - a personal record - and no double-faults and said he was satisfied with the work he put into his serve over the offseason. He also wanted to emphasize some minor changes to his game, including going to the net and trying to mix up his game. In a tough hold in the third set, Sinner saved a breakpoint by changing the direction of the rally with a forehand drop shot, bending his knees low, and winning a crucial point. With a serve-and-volley, he held the game. "Still room to improve, but very happy with how I've come back," he said. "Now for sure, it (the serve) is a bit more stable. I try to go more to the net and being more unpredictable." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 January,2026 09:40 AM IST | Melbourne | AP | PTIWorld Champion D Gukesh bounced back after two back-to-back losses and put it across Vladimir Fedoseev of Slovenia in the eighth round of the Tata Steel Masters here Monday. Gukesh won handsomely with black pieces which should do a world of good to his confidence. The Indian ace had been playing well till the first rest day and then lost two games in a row and finally pulled one back. It was a picturesque finish when Gukesh put his rook emprise and finished the game in 41 moves. On a day when Arjun Erigaisi survived a difficult position against compatriot Aravindh Chithambaram and settled for a draw, R Praggnanandhaa escaped in a pawn down endgame to hold youngster Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus of Turkey. Meanwhile, local favourite Anish Giri threw the tournament open with a fine victory against overnight leader Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan. Abdusattarov remained in sole lead on 5.5 points despite the loss as his nearest rival and compatriot Javokhir Sindarov was held to a draw by Vincent Keymer of Germany. With just five rounds to come now, Abdusattorov on 5.5 is still at the top pursued closely by Sindarov a half point behind. The day produced just two decisive games out of a possible seven in the 14-player field and which meant that 14-year old Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus of Turkey remained in the joint third spot with Hans Moke Niemann of United States and Jorden van Foreest of Netherlands. Close behind now and hoping for a few victories is Gukesh on four points with Giri, Fedoseev, Keymer and Matthias Bluebaum of Germany all having still chances to topple the players ahead of them. Erigaisi is next in contention on 3.5 points after drawing Chithambaram while Praggnanandhaa still needs to win his first game, a rare sight in any tournament that he played in the last few years. Results round 8: Hans Moke Niemann (4) drew with Jorden van Foreest (Ned, 4); Aravindh Chithambaram (Ind, 2.5) drew with Arjun Erigaisi (Ind, 3.5); Vladimir Fedoseev (Slo, 4) lost to D Gukesh (Ind, 4); Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (Tur, 4.5) drew with R Praggnnanandhaa (Ind, 3); Matthias Bluebaum (Ger, 3.5); Vincent Keymer (Ger, 4) drew with Javokhir Sindarov (Uzb, 5); Thai Dai Van Nguyen (Cze, 3) drew with Matthias BLuebaum (Ger, 4). This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 January,2026 09:31 AM IST | Wijk Aan Zee (The Netherlands) | PTIIndia's Yuki Bhambri and his Swedish partner Andre Goransson suffered defeat in the third round of the men's doubles match in the Australian Open 2026. With this loss, India's campaign at the season's first Grand Slam comes to an end. The Indo-Swedish pair, seeded 10th, went down in straight sets to the Brazilian duo Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos, losing 7(9)-6(7), 6-3 in an hour and 44 minutes, according to Olympics.com. In the men's singles event, two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner advanced into the quarterfinals of the ongoing Australian Open, defeating compatriot Luciano Darderi 6-1, 6-3, 7-6(2) in a largely dominant display on Monday. The current world number two outclassed Darderi 6-1, 6-3, 7-6(2) to qualify for his fourth Australian Open quarterfinal, levelling with stars like Grigor Dimitrov, Kei Nishikori and Stefanos Tsitsipas for the fourth-most appearances in the final eight Down Under among active players. The match lasted two hours and nine minutes. This was Sinner's maiden clash with Darderi, and he dictated the terms with clean hitting and sharp serves, but was threatened by a late surge by Darderi from the baseline, levelling the scores at 4-4. The match shifted to a tie-break, where Sinner came out on top. Sinner was at the top of his game, striking with astonishing authority and precision. Having struggled with cramps in his previous match against Eliot Spizzirri, he had some troubles in the final set against Darderi as well, both physically and in terms of the game, as the final set headed to a tie-breaker. But nonetheless, Sinner's class was too much, and he prevailed in a battle that got a little testing for him towards the end. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 January,2026 09:26 AM IST | Melbourne | ANILearner Tien said he was playing some of his best tennis ever after battling through a nosebleed to crush three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev and make a Grand Slam quarter-final for the first time on Sunday. The 20-year-old American, who capped a breakout 2025 by winning the ATP Next Gen title, thrashed the Russian — a Grand Slam winner at the 2021 US Open — 6-4, 6-0, 6-3 at the Australian Open. It put the 29th-ranked Tien into a last-eight clash with Germany’s World No. 3 Alexander Zverev. “I feel like each match I’m making a little jump in how well I’m playing, how comfortable I feel. Right now I’m feeling better than I have all year. The crowd support has been amazing. Honestly, a crowd like this with this much energy and support, it means the world to me,” said Tien, who has now become the youngest men’s singles quarter-finalist at Melbourne Park since Nick Kyrgios in 2015, and the youngest American man to reach the last eight at a Slam since Andy Roddick in 2002 at the US Open. Daniil Medvedev ‘Tien was too good for me’ Defeat was a sorry end for the former World No. 1 Medvedev. The 11th-seeded Russian, who reached three of the last five finals in Melbourne, was a shadow of his former self. “He played too good for me today. Could I do better? I mean, you can always do better if you lose with the scoreline I did. I didn’t manage to rival his level, and that’s why basically I lost,” admitted a candid Medvedev. Djokovic, Alcaraz advance Meanwhile, Serbian 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic advanced to the quarter-finals without hitting a ball as his opponent Czechia’s Jakub Mensik withdrew before the match with an injury. In another men’s singles Round-of-16 clash, Spanish World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz was in ominous touch as he dispatched American Tommy Paul 7-6 (8-6), 6-4, 7-5. 01No. of times USA’s World No. 29 Learner Tien has reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam 11No. of years since a player younger than Learner Tien reached the men’s singles last eight in Melbourne This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 January,2026 08:38 AM IST | Melbourne | AFPTop-ranked Aryna Sabalenka swept into the Australian Open quarter-finals with a 6-1, 7-6 (7-1) win over Canadian teen Victoria Mboko on Sunday. “What an incredible player for such a young age, it’s incredible to see these kids coming up on tour,” she said. “She pushed me really hard today and super happy with the win, and once again, in straight sets,” said Sabalenka. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 January,2026 08:38 AM IST | Melbourne | AFPADVERTISEMENT
