Sport

Tennis

Tomic warned after scolding umpire

Blow up: John Tomic scolded a chair umpire during daughter Sara's losing play-off match.

Firebrand tennis father John Tomic has been involved in another ugly incident, scolding a chair umpire during his daughter Sara's match at the Australian Open wildcard playoffs in Melbourne.

Groth out to earn Australian Open spot

Sam Groth

The tennis journeys of Sam Groth, Omar Jasika and Andrew Whittington would barely have intersected before Monday but each found a path to the Australian Open play-off quarter-finals in the same way: five gruelling sets.

Cibulkova: never too small to dream big

Big moment: Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia celebrates victory in her final against Angelique Kerber of Germany in Singapore.

Could Dominika Cibulkova be the New Year version of mature-aged 2016 star Angelique Kerber? Can the high-energy world No.5 carry forth her brilliant end to last season into the next? Might the diminutive "Domi", as she is known, become the next Kerber by forging a path from very good to great at Melbourne Park?

Djokovic hasn't worked hard enough: Becker

Novak Djokovic hasn't worked hard enough, according to his former coach Boris Becker.

Novak Djokovic lost his momentum in the second half of last season and was toppled as the world No.1 by Andy Murray because his work-rate dropped, the Serbian's former coach Boris Becker said on Wednesday.

Nick Kyrgios can be No.1: Nadal

Nick Kyrgios can be world No.1, according to Rafael Nadal.

Nick Kyrgios's 2016 ended with a tour ban but Rafael Nadal believes the 21-year-old Australian can turn it all around and that 2017 will see him continue to rise.

Kokkinakis faces a hard road, says Hewitt

Tough road: Thanasi Kokkinakis has been plagued by shoulder and pectoral injuries.

What will be the big tennis story of the summer? Roger Federer's reappearance? A Nick Kyrgios charm offensive? For John Newcombe, one component will be a successful comeback from injury for Thanasi Kokkinakis, even as Lleyton Hewitt warns that the young South Australian faces a "tough" return after what has effectively been a year away.

Australian Open prizemoney could hit $50 million

Prizemoney at the 2017 Australian Open is set to increase and ticket presales are on track to match the 2016 record.

Another substantial Australian Open prizemoney increase is imminent as it pushes towards the $50 million barrier, with only the finer details of the record sum's distribution still being negotiated by Tennis Australia and player governing bodies the ATP and the WTA.

Kyrgios can win back the public: Hewitt

Captain's counsel: Lleyton Hewitt is happy with where Nick Kyrgios is at.

Lleyton Hewitt and Craig Tiley are tipping Nick Kyrgios to win back the fans after seeing a vastly different side to Australian sport's most polarising personality.