This hand out photo released by the Tennis Australia on February 6, 2021 shows Serena Williams of the US speaking during a pre-tournament player media conference at Melbourne Park in Melbourne. (Photo by SCOTT BARBOUR / TENNIS AUSTRALIA / AFP)The Australian Open flags off today with many men and women competitors expressing justifiable concern about physical fitness for the long haul.
Ashleigh Barty, Annet Kontaveit, Jannick Sinner and Dan Evans commence their title hopes in Melbourne Park after victories in the warm-up tournaments staged in Melbourne, which ended on the eve of the main show. Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and Australia’s Ashleigh Barty top the seedlings for men and women respectively.