VICTORIA AZARENKA

The usual trophies and prize money will be on the line for Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek and other top players at Wimbledon, but there is a significant change there this year.

All England Club officials are defending the decision to bar players from Russia and Belarus from Wimbledon this year because of the invasion of Ukraine.

Reigning U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev and two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka are among those impacted by the decision.

"We wish to express our ongoing support for all those impacted by the conflict in Ukraine during these shocking and distressing times," organizers said.

Russian and Belarusian tennis players have been banned from competing at this year’s Wimbledon tournament because of the war in Ukraine.

Iga Swiatek ended her journey to the women’s No. 1 ranking in fitting fashion.

Paula Badosa was midway through an on-court interview after another victory at the Miami Open when a thought crossed her mind.

Rafael Nadal is still perfect.

Rafael Nadal is into the quarterfinals of the Australian Open for the 14th time after beating Adrian Mannarino in straight sets following a long opening tiebreaker.

Top-ranked Ash Barty has reached the Australian Open quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-3 win over 20-year-old Amanda Anisimova.

Defending champion Naomi Osaka didn’t make it to a much-anticipated fourth-round contest against top-ranked Ash Barty at the Australian Open.

Rafael Nadal has advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open with a 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 victory over Karen Khachanov.

Defending champion Naomi Osaka has advanced to the third round at the Australian Open by beating Madison Brengle 6-0, 6-4.

Olympic gold medalist Alexander Zverev advanced to the third round at the Australian Open and continued a streak at Grand Slam tournaments by beating Australian veteran John Millman 6-4, 6-4, 6-0.

Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka opened her 2022 season with a win over Alize Cornet in one of the Summer Set tournaments in Melbourne.

Political leaders in Australia says tennis players who haven’t received a COVID-19 vaccination are unlikely to get a visa to enter the country for the first major of 2022 at Melbourne Park.

Taylor Fritz beat No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3) to reach the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open in front of a hometown crowd, scoring the biggest win of his young career.

Grigor Dimitrov beat top-seeded Daniil Medvedev 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open, extending the parade of upsets that has knocked out several top players.

Emma Raducanu came down to earth in her first tournament since her surprising U.S. Open victory, losing in straight sets to Aliaksandra Sasnovich at the BNP Paribas Open.

Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz has beaten No. 3 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in five sets at the U.S. Open to reach the fourth round of a major for the first time.

Defending champion Naomi Osaka repeatedly smashed her racket to the court, smacked a ball into the crowd, hid under a towel and imploded over the final two sets in a third-round loss at the U.

After reaching the U.S. Open final last year with no fans, Victoria Azarenka appreciates playing in front of people again.

Roberto Bautista Agut made it a short stay in the U.S. Open for Nick Kyrgios, who had enough time to fit in plenty of complaining in three sets.

How well do you know the U.S. Open tennis tournament.

The two singles champions at this year’s U.S. Open will earn 35% less than in 2019.

Top-ranked Ash Barty has reached the semifinals of the Western & Southern Open with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Barbora Krejcikova.

Fresh off a hard court win in Toronto, second-ranked Daniil Medvedev is rolling through the Western & Southern Open.

Serena Williams has lost in straight sets in the fourth round of the French Open.

Even a 23-time Grand Slam champion needs to remind herself now and then how to play winning tennis.

The stadium announcer had already asked fans to leave before the 9 p.m. coronavirus curfew by the time the last women’s singles match of the day finished at the French Open.

French Open organizers say that both members of a men’s doubles team have tested positive for COVID-19 and have been dropped from the tournament.

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer all are in the same half of the French Open men’s field.

Ashleigh Barty of Australia, returns to Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, during the Miami Open tennis tournament, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)MIAMI – Ash Barty is tough to beat under any circumstances, especially when she’s on the ropes. The world’s top-ranked player has reached the Miami Open quarterfinals, getting there by holding off 14th-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 6-1, 1-6, 6-2. This, too, was cool: The match lived up to its showdown potential, with the reigning Miami Open champion and current world No. 1 in Barty facing someone who has won the Miami title three times and a previous world No. Svitolina will play unseeded Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia in the quarters; Sevastova was a 6-1, 7-5 winner over wild-card Ana Konjuh of Croatia.

Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece returns to Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia during the Miami Open tennis tournament, Saturday, March 27, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)MIAMI – For tennis up-and-comers like Stefanos Tsitsipas, the draw at the Miami Open began to look a lot less daunting even before the tournament began. “It’s a first test to see how it is playing without them,” Tsitsipas said after his third-round victory Saturday. 2-seeded Tsitsipas is among those with the best chance to take advantage, and he looked the part against Damir Dzumhur, winning 6-1, 6-4. “I created a lot of opportunities with my serve — I wasn’t rushing at all, finding the right angles and executing it perfectly,” Tsitsipas said. In women's play, top-ranked Ash Barty and three-time champion Victoria Azarenka advanced to a round of 16 showdown.

United States' Jessica Pegula celebrates after defeating Ukraine's Elina Svitolina in their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Feb. 15, 2021. “I’m just happy I’m here; she's been playing some good tennis, solidifying herself as a top player.”AdThe 61st-ranked Pegula beat No. “A lot of people were complaining, and I told myself I wasn’t going to complain,” Brady said. Also on that half of the draw, Rafael Nadal moved closer to a men's-record 21st Grand Slam trophy by overwhelming No. “I’m super excited for her making her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.

When Tennys Sandgren resumed practicing after his can’t-go-anywhere hard quarantine ended, the American said Tuesday, his hands developed blisters from holding a racket. And, like Azarenka, both Sandgren and Pospisil lost their opening matches. “I wouldn’t say the whole tournament is a joke, but for some players, it’s not feasible. “I needed fresh air or maybe a bigger room or better conditions to play against the best players,” she said. Players in the “regular” quarantine were allowed to leave their rooms for five hours per day during the first two weeks after getting to Australia.

Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts during his first round match against Serbia's Laslo Djere at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021. The lingering back soreness that bothered the 20-time major champion ahead of the Australian Open wasn't going to stop him from finishing his first-round match as quickly as he could. Fourth-seeded Daniil Medvedev extended his winning streak to 15 matches with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 win over Vasek Pospisil and seventh-seeded Andrey Rublev beat Yannick Hanfmann 6-3, 6-3, 6-4. “Coming out here and really enjoying the thrill of the fight.”Garbiñe Muguruza, the Australian Open runner-up last year, defeated Margarita Gasparyan 6-4, 6-0. Two-time Australian Open quarterfinalist Tennys Sandgren also went through the hard lockdown.

United States' Serena Williams makes a forehand return to compatriot Danielle Collins during a tuneup event ahead of the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Feb. 5, 2021. 3 Naomi Osaka, the U.S. Open champion. Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, Johanna Konta and Elina Svitolina are also in Kenin's quarter. Williams already has won seven Australian Open titles and her 23 major titles is a record in the Open era. In the top half, Djokovic’s bid for a third consecutive Australian title — and ninth overall — could get tricky.

It was a controversial start to the government-mandated quarantine ahead of the Australian Open beginning Feb. 8, 2021. The government-mandated quarantine ahead of the Feb. 8-21 Australian Open had a controversial start. There was some considerable doubt during that second wave whether the Australian Open would even be remotely possible in Melbourne. Players, coaches and officials were flown in on 17 jets chartered by Tennis Australia and met by biosecurity officials and placed immediately into hotel quarantine. They include 2019 U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu, whose coach was among those who tested positive, and two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka.

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley defended Djokovic for appealing to Australian Open organizers to ease restrictions so players could move to private residences with tennis courts. (Morgan Sette/AAP Image via AP)Two players are among the three latest COVID-19 cases that have emerged from testing conducted on passengers who arrived on charter flights bringing people to Melbourne for the Australian Open. More than 1,200 players, coaches, staff, officials and media arrived on flights in a 36-hour period until Saturday morning to prepare for the Australian Open, which starts Feb. 8. Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews said some of the cases linked to the tournament will be reclassified as “non-infectious shedding." The most heartening thing at the end in the chat there was a scroll of thank yous from all the stars and players," Tiley said, according to AAP.

Italian tennis player Simone Bolelli, left, and Argentina's Maximo Gonzalez are escorted to their training session in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021. The number of players in hard quarantine swelled to 72 ahead of the Australian Open after a fifth positive coronavirus test was returned from the charter flights bringing players, coaches, officials and media to Melbourne for the season-opening tennis major. Some players have expressed anger at being classified as close contacts merely for being on board those flights with people who later tested positive. But local government, tennis and health authorities have said all players were warned of the risks in advance. The Australian Open starts Feb. 8 following a week of warmup tournaments at Melbourne Park and the ATP Cup.

Health authorities confirmed there'd been three positive tests for COVID-19 returned on Saturday, and another on Sunday. The Australian Open starts on Feb. 8. Kei Nishikori, the 2014 U.S. Open runner-up, and two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka were among a group of players who arrived on the flight from Los Angeles. Also, Americans Madison Keys and Tennys Sandgren returned positive tests, but Sandgren was given permission to fly after Australian health authorities determined he was no longer contagious though still shedding viral particles. South Australia health officials “confirmed that there is no one who has an active COVID-19 infection in the entire tennis cohort based in Adelaide,” the Australian Open said on Twitter.

Spain's Rafael Nadal, center, arrives at Adelaide Airport ahead of the Australian Open tennis championship, Adelaide, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. The Australian Open is set to start Feb. 8. To do so, they are having players undergo COVID-19 tests before they board their charter flights, again after they arrive and frequently during the quarantine period. Totally recovered!”The Australian Open has already been delayed three weeks because restrictions in place for the COVID-19 pandemic. All other tournaments will be in Melbourne, including the 12-team ATP Cup starting Feb. 1 and two WTA events in the week leading into the Australian Open.

Sofia Kenin collected the WTA Player of the Year award on Tuesday after winning the Australian Open in January for her first Grand Slam title and finishing as the runner-up at the French Open in October. Kenin entered this year with an 11-11 career mark in Grand Slam tournaments and zero trips beyond the fourth round at any of the sport’s top four events. That triumph made Kenin the youngest Australian Open champion since 2008, when Maria Sharapova was 20. Kenin went on to get to the fourth round at the U.S. Open, then the final at the pandemic-postponed French Open before losing to Swiatek for the title. Mladenovic and Babos won two Grand Slam doubles titles this season, at the Australian Open and French Open.

OSTRAVA – Third-seeded Aryna Sabalenka cruised to the title at the inaugural Ostrava Open on Sunday, defeating fourth-seeded Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 6-2 in the first WTA all-Belarusian final. It was the second title of the season for the 12th-ranked Sabalenka after the Qatar Total Open in Doha in February, and seventh overall of her career. “I hope you’ll get better soon,” she wished Azarenka in a brief on-court speech after her victory. The 14th-ranked Azarenka tried to come back after she received treatment when she was 4-1 down in the second set, breaking Sabalenka who then replied immediately with her fifth break and served out the match. Last month, Azarenka eliminated Sabalenka 6-1, 6-3 in the second round of the U.S. Open before reaching the final.

The sun sets over court 14 as Italy's Jannik Sinner, right, and Argentina's Federico Coria, left, play their third round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Friday, Oct. 2, 2020. Students would have one eye or — don't tell teacher — both on the tennis as they crammed for baccalauréat high-school final exams. Instead, they are wondering who is beating who at the tennis while they're stuck in class with face masks in a new academic year. In short, the country's whole body clock has had to adjust to the postponement not only of the tennis but also of the Tour de France. Sitting here like ducks” when a match supervisor asked that she wait on court for a downpour to pass.

“If it was my knee, that would be more really devastating for me. I feel like my body is actually doing really, really well,” said Williams, who turned 39 on Saturday. Williams took a long pause, clutched at that leg and then took a medical timeout so a trainer could wrap it. I was able to get it somewhat better, but just looking long-term in this tournament, will I be able to get through enough matches? And so, for me, I don’t think I could,” Williams said Wednesday.

(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)PARIS – The Latest from the French Open (all times local):___9:35 p.m.American teenager Coco Gauff’s French Open debut has ended in the second round after she double-faulted 19 times in a 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 loss to 159th-ranked qualifier Martina Trevisan. Stefano Travaglia beat the Japanese player 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7), 4-6, 6-2 in the second round of the French Open after nearly four hours. 2-seeded Spaniard is looking to win his record-extending 13th French Open title and equal Roger Federer’s men’s record of 20 major titles overall. ___2:55 p.m.U.S. Open runner-up Victoria Azarenka is out of the French Open in the second round. They said it was "a fighter plane which has broken the sound barrier.”___12 p.m.Serena Williams is out of the French Open.

The French Open is the only Grand Slam tournament that does not use tiebreakers in the final set. 9 seed Johanna Konta 6-3, 6-3 at Court Suzanne Lenglen on Sunday. ___7:30 p.m.Stan Wawrinka made quick work of Andy Murray in their reunion of sorts at the French Open. One of his coaches is Wolfgang Thiem, the father of fellow Austrian Dominic Thiem — the U.S. Open champion, and French Open runner-up the past two years. The 20-year-old Korda beat Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)PARIS – Prepping in the relative warmth of a gym before heading out with leggings and long sleeves to make her French Open debut against the tournament’s No. I realized it’s just a tennis match. Such a far cry from last year’s French Open: Gauff failed to make it out of qualifying, while Konta was making her way to her third Grand Slam semifinal. She also made it to the fourth round at this year’s Australian Open, beating 2019 champion Naomi Osaka en route. The lack of match play coming in.

Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, right, and Montenegro's Danka Kovinic walk onto the court to resume the first round match of the French Open tennis tournament against at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)PARIS – The Latest on the opening day at the French Open:___Less than an hour into the French Open, cold and damp conditions at the major that has been postponed from its usually more pleasant spot in May and June are causing grumbling and a temper outbreak from Victoria Azarenka. 10 seeded Azarenka fumed when match officials didn’t immediately send her and first-round opponent Danka Kovinic back to the locker-room during a rain interruption Sunday on the Suzanne Lenglen court. It’s eight degrees, eight degrees, I live in Florida, I am used to hot weather.”Wrapped up in a puffy pink coat, Azarenka asked Kovinic if she wanted to wait on court. It’s too cold,” Azarenka grumbled, before walking off court.

U.S. Open champion Osaka has pulled out of the French Open because of an injured hamstring. 1-ranked Ash Barty in skipping the French Open, which opens on Monday, Sept. 21. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the French Open because of an injured left hamstring. Osaka joins defending champion Ash Barty in skipping the French Open, which opens on Sept. 27 in Paris. “Unfortunately I won’t be able to play the French Open this year,” Osaka said on Twitter.