Sports
Centurion Djokovic romps to Melbourne win as Swiatek, Gauff move on in Australian Open
Novak Djokovic began his latest bid for a record 25th Grand Slam crown with an emphatic straight-sets victory on Monday as fellow Australian Open title contenders Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff also won but with less sparkle.
Three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev stayed alive, as did 40-year-old Stan Wawrinka, who rolled back the clock to reach the second round in his tournament farewell.
Serbian great Djokovic, 38, tamed Spain’s 71st-ranked Pedro Martinez 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena, a court where he has won a record 10 Australian Open crowns.
The world number four owns 24 major titles, equal for the most ever with Australia’s Margaret Court, but a 25th has remained agonisingly out of reach.
His last came at the 2023 US Open with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz sharing all eight since then.
“What can I say? I like the sound of it. Centurion is pretty nice,” he said after his 100th victory at the Australian Open.
“I always give my best whenever I’m on the court. Obviously, history-making is a great motivation, and particularly in the last 5-10 years of my career.”
The 2014 champion Wawrinka lived to fight another day with a gutsy four-set victory.
The three-time major winner is playing his last season before retiring and gave his all to down Serbia’s Laslo Djere 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) in front of a crowd willing him to victory.
“The passion is still intact. But I’m not young any more, so I need to be careful also,” said the Swiss warhorse, who made his Australian Open debut in 2006.
Medvedev, runner-up in 2021, 2022 and 2024, warmed up for Melbourne with victory in Brisbane and ground to a 7-5, 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) opening round win over Dutchman Jesper de Jong.
The famously feisty Russian said he was trying to be more “positive” on court.
“So far I’m doing it well,” he said.
Sixth seed Alex de Minaur, the big home hope, was also a straight-sets winner on another hot day where temperatures reached about 30C and record crowds of more than 100,000 faced long queues to get into Melbourne Park.
The tournament is over, however, for seventh seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who retired from his match with cramp.
Auger-Aliassime won the opening set 6-3 against Nuno Borges but then lost the next two before calling time.
“I want to be on the court competing with my opponent. I don’t want to be just standing there like a punching bag,” he said.
The same fate befell tearful compatriot Marina Stakusic, who was taken off in a wheelchair when she cramped up against home player Priscilla Hon.
‘Overwhelming’
In the women’s draw, six-time major winner Swiatek was made to work unexpectedly hard against Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue.
The Polish second seed, who will complete a career Grand Slam of all four majors if she breaks her Australian Open duck, eventually saw off her spirited opponent 7-6 (7/5), 6-3.
“I was a bit rusty at the beginning,” said Swiatek.
“For sure many ups and downs, but overall I have some stuff to work on.”
Gauff beat Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova 6-2, 6-3, but was also less than convincing at the start and struggled with her serve.
“I am only satisfied if I win, but I am proud of myself regardless of how I get on,” she said.
Her reward is a clash next with Venus Williams’ conqueror Olga Danilovic.
Like Swiatek, Gauff has yet to go past the last four in Melbourne.
Gauff’s fellow American, fourth seed Amanda Anisimova, began her quest for a third consecutive major final with a ruthless win over Switzerland’s Simona Waltert, 6-3, 6-2.
Sixth seed Jessica Pegula and eighth seed Mirra Andreeva also progressed.
However, former champion Sofia Kenin crashed out and so did Alexandra Eala despite manic support from Philippines fans.
The 20-year-old Eala was in the main draw for the first time and even practice sessions were mobbed by large numbers of her compatriots.
“I think this week definitely there were elements that were a bit overwhelming,” she said of the support following a three-set loss to Alycia Parks.
The Pakistan cricket team on Monday arrived in Sri Lanka for the T20 World Cup, which is set to begin on February 7.
In a post on X, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that a 15-player squad had arrived in the country.
“The 15-player national squad includes Captain Salman Ali Agha, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Naeef, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan, and Usman Tariq,” the PCB said in an earlier post, the informed of the squad’s department for the global event’s venue.
In the latest update about the aquad’s arrival in Colombo, the board said the team would rest on Monday and Tuesday.
“The team will play a warm-up match against Ireland on Feb 4,” PCB added.
The T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is set to begin on Feb 7.
On Sunday, the government gave the go-ahead for Pakistan’s participation in the tournament, but barred it from playing against arch-rival India on February 15.
The announcement came amid uncertainty regarding a possible boycott of the tournament over Bangladesh’s withdrawal following tensions with India.
A government source told Dawn that Pakistan had refused to play against India to express solidarity with Bangladesh. According to the government source, the primary reason for boycotting the match with India was the ICC’s “biased decision” towards Bangladesh.
BULAWAYO: India completed the semi-final line-up for the ICC Under-19 World Cup with a comprehensive 58-run win over Pakistan in Bulawayo on Sunday.
The victory in the final Super Six match at the Queens Sports Club means the Indian colts head into the knockouts unbeaten and as Group 2 toppers.
After a late surge helped them to 252 in 49.5 overs, India put in a clinical performance in the field to dismiss Pakistan for 194 in 46.2 overs.
India joined Australia, England and Afghanistan into the final four. The Ayush Mhatre-led side face Afghanistan in the semi-finals in Harare on Wednesday. The first semi-final, between Australia and England, takes place in Bulawayo on Tuesday.
Put into bat, India powered past 250 thanks to the acceleration provided by the lower order in the last 10 overs.
With a spot in the semi-final on line, India were expecting another blockbuster innings from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Though the left-hander gave the team a brisk start, striking five fours and a six as he motored to 30, he was living dangerously. After two close calls, Sooryavanshi fell to a shorter delivery from Mohammad Sayyam, with a bottom-edge carrying to wicket-keeper Hamza Zahoor.
Starting with Sooryavanshi, India lost three and in the space of four balls. While Sayyam also dismissed India captain Ayush Mhatre, Abdul Subhan bowled over opener Aaron George to reduce India to 47-3.
In their previous match in Bulawayo, India had scored a mammoth 352-8 against Zimbabwe. But on Sunday, the ball wasn’t coming on to the bat as well and stayed low. Vedant Trivedi led India’s fightback with 68. His 62-run fourth-wicket partnership with Vihaan Malhotra (21) helped steer India clear of immediate trouble. Trivedi also put on handy stands with Abhigyan Kundu and RS Ambrish.
After the middle order had kept the scoreboard ticking, the lower order provided the late flourish. Kanishk Chouhan (35 off 29) and Khilan Patel (21 off 15) helped India notch 71 runs in the last 10 overs, lifting the score to 252.
For Pakistan, Subhan dismissed Chouhan and Patel to finish with 3-33 in 9.5 overs.
To qualify for the semi-final at India’s expense, Pakistan needed to chase down the target within 33.4 overs; otherwise, if the innings ended with a six to reach 258, they had until 34.3 overs to get there.
Pakistan showed some early intent, scoring 13 runs off the second over. It seemed their chances hinged on Sameer Minhas, but India were able to send the star opener back fairly quickly. He was trapped leg before wicket by Henil Patel.
Following the early setback, Pakistan never showed any urgency to make a run for the semi-final spot. Hamza Zahoor (42), Usman Khan (66) and captain Farhan Yousuf (38) hung in there gamely even as runs slowed down to a trickle.
Chouhan conceded 30 runs off his 10 overs and claimed the wicket of Zahoor and was named the player-of-the-match. Skipper Mhatre claimed three wickets for 21 in his overs while Khilan Patel got 3-35.
Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2026
The Pakistan cricket team on Monday departed for Sri Lanka for the T20 World Cup, which is set to begin on February 7.
In a post on X, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that a 15-player squad was departing for Sri Lanka.
“The 15-player national squad includes Captain Salman Ali Agha, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Naeef, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan, and Usman Tariq,” the PCB said.
It said that the team would rest on Monday and Tuesday.
“The team will play a warm-up match against Ireland on Feb 4,” PCB added.
The T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is set to begin on Feb 7.
On Sunday, the government gave the go-ahead for Pakistan’s participation in the tournament, but barred it from playing against arch-rival India on February 15.
The announcement came amid uncertainty regarding a possible boycott of the tournament over Bangladesh’s withdrawal following tensions with India.
A government source told Dawn that Pakistan had refused to play against India to express solidarity with Bangladesh. According to the government source, the primary reason for boycotting the match with India was the ICC’s “biased decision” towards Bangladesh.
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