Tennis
DJOKOVIC AND SERENA WILLIAMS AMONG FAVOURITES FOR AUSTRALIAN OPEN TITLES
BY MICHAEL PAVITT.
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and the United
States’ Serena Williams will head into the Australian Open as favourites to win
the opening Grand Slam event of the tennis season.
Neither will head into the tournament as the defending champion, despite having won the first Grand Slam of the year on six and seven occasions respectively.
World number one Djokovic suffered a shock defeat at last year’s tournament as he continued his recovery from a long standing elbow injury.
The Serbian triumphed at Wimbledon last year, while his upturn in form continued with victory at the US Open.
The top seed will begin his campaign with a match against American qualifier Mitchell Krueger.
Roger Federer will also hope to add to his six Australian Open titles, with the Swiss star having triumphed for the past two years in Melbourne.
The 37-year-old begins as the third seed, with Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin set to provide his first round challenge.
Spain’s Rafael Nadal is seeded second, while ATP World Tour Finals winner Alexander Zverev is the fourth favourite as the German seeks his first Grand Slam title.
While the quartet will hope to take the headlines at the end of the tournament, the build-up has been dominated by Andy Murray’s retirement announcement due to an ongoing hip problem.
The Briton, a three-time Grand Slam winner, has targeted Wimbledon as the “end point” of his career.
He has admitted that hip pain could mean the Australian Open, where he has been a five-time runner-up, could prove his final event, however.
Murray has been handed a tough first round assignment, with Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut heading into their match as favourite to advance.
The women’s draw is headlined by Williams, who will be seeking a first Grand Slam title since the 2017 Australian Open.
The American missed the next four Grand Slam events due to pregnancy and the birth of her first child.
She made her Grand Slam return at last year’s French Open and began to show her best form at the US Open, where Williams reached the final before losing to Japan’s Naomi Osaka in controversial fashion.
The American will be among the favourites to reach the final in Melbourne and she will begin her campaign against Germany’s Tatjana Maria.
Williams could be on collision course to face tournament top seed Simona Halep, with the Romanian currently seeking to build on her maiden Grand Slam triumph last year at the French Open.
The world number one and last year’s runner-up will face Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi in the first round.
Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki is the defending champion and is seeded third heading into the tournament.
Germany’s Angelique Kerber, the 2016 winner, starts as the second seed.
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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