Australian Open enjoys record crowds before tournament has even begun Sport Business Australian Open organisers are toasting record crowds before the Grand Slam has properly begun after a near four-fold year-on-year increase in attendance on the first day of play at Melbourne Park. More than 29,000 tennis fans poured through the gates on Monday to catch players including home favourite Bernard Tomic and Brit Dan Evans in [...]
SA20 future in doubt as Big Bash sale process squeezes cricket investment Sport Business The SA20 franchise tournament is facing an uncertain financial future amid the threat of fresh competition for funding from Cricket Australia’s Big Bash, which is preparing to sell off stakes in its franchises to private investors later this year. All six SA20 franchises are owned by Indian Premier League teams, many of whom have expressed [...]
Tennis: Record prize money for Australian Open winners Sport Business Winners at this year’s Australian Open will get £2m in prize money for the first time after organisers of the tennis grand slam increased their total purse. If Jannik Sinner and Madison Keys are able to defend their titles they’ll receive £2.06m from tournament organisers in Melbourne, up from £1.7m in 2025. The £55.2m purse, [...]
Tennis stars on collision course with Grand Slams over reforms September 24, 2025 Leading tennis players including Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka are understood to be unhappy with the Grand Slams about a lack of progress over welfare, prize money and consultation reforms. The top 10 players from the men’s ATP and women’s WTA tours have been in discussions with Wimbledon, the French Open, the US Open and [...]
Paqueta phone celebration raises eyebrows at FA as judgement looms September 3, 2025 The Football Association is expected to publish the independent commission’s full judgement in the acquittal of Lucas Paqueta on spot-fixing charges imminently, days after spotting a possible double meaning in his goal celebration during West Ham’s win at Nottingham Forest on Sunday. After converting a penalty, the Brazilian mimed receiving a phone call and then [...]
Murray could coach Djokovic at Wimbledon Championships February 18, 2025 Andy Murray could coach Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon this year after the Serbian said his coaching partnership with the Brit was “indefinite”. Having signed a three-month trial contract in January ahead of the Australian Open, three-time grand slam winner Murray is set to continue with 24-time slam winner Djokovic through until the clay court season, [...]
Tennis: Wimbledon to keep to tradition with Monday start January 31, 2025 Wimbledon have ruled out following the three other Grand Slam tournaments by expanding to 15 days. The US Open confirmed yesterday that the final Slam of the year at Flushing Meadows will run for 15 days this year, with the men’s and women’s singles first rounds beginning on Sunday 24 August and the men’s final [...]
Australian Open prize money 2025: How much can tennis players earn? January 24, 2025 There has never been a more lucrative time to be a top tennis player, with prize money at the Australian Open more than doubling in the last 10 years. The Grand Slam is paying out A$96.5m ($61m/£49m) in total over the fortnight in Melbourne, where play culminates with the women’s and men’s singles finals this [...]
Clear and simple calendars like NFL, not tennis, should be applauded in sport January 23, 2025 The NFL, unlike tennis, should be applauded for its clear and simple sport calendar that sees athletes thrive, writes Ed Warner. Naomi Osaka, Gael Monfils, Jack Draper. Each retired from the Australian Open mid-match. No substitutes bench in tennis, so the ultimate anticlimax for spectators. Injuries are an occupational hazard, but across sport the sheer [...]
Iga Swiatek: Wada decision clears Pole to continue Australian Open bid January 20, 2025 No2 seed Iga Swiatek has been cleared to continue her quest for a first Australian Open title after the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) ruled out pushing for a longer ban. Swiatek, 23, served a one-month ban last year after the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted that her positive test for trimetazidine was a result [...]