Author: Michael Dickens

Serena Williams Still Driven After So Many Years

WASHINGTON, February 1, 2021 (by Michael Dickens) Serena Williams has been coming to Melbourne since 1998, a long time back. She’s won the Australian Open title seven times, including most recently in 2017 when she was two months pregnant with […]

Ashleigh Barty Is Back, Can Barty Party Be Far Behind?

WASHINGTON, February 1, 2021 (by Michael Dickens) World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty is back. After nearly a year of sabbatical leave due to the coronavirus pandemic, in which the affable Aussie opted to stay home instead of returning when the […]

Venus Williams Happy To Play Well In Season Opener

WASHINGTON, January 31, 2021 (by Michael Dickens) Sunday’s opening day of the Yarra Valley Classic and the Gippsland Trophy, a pair of side-by-side WTA 500-series tournaments kicking off the Australian Summer Series, provided fans lucky enough to attend as well […]

Nick Kyrgios: ‘Tennis To Me Is Not My Top Priority’

WASHINGTON, January 31, 2021 (by Michael Dickens) For much of his professional career, Australia’s Nick Kyrgios has carried a lot of baggage on and off the court. At times charming but also frank, and other times mercurial, one thing’s for […]

Day At The Drive Featured Star Quality, Some Surprises

WASHINGTON, January 30, 2021 (by Michael Dickens) The Day at the Drive exhibition matches in Adelaide on Friday featured plenty of star quality. It included the much-anticipated return of women’s World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty plus the season debuts of […]

Welcome Naomi: Osaka Continues Breaking Down Barriers

WASHINGTON, January 29, 2021 (by Michael Dickens) As Naomi Osaka readies to start her 2021 tennis season Down Under, the reigning US Open champion continues to smash glass ceilings and break down barriers. After using her social media platforms as […]

Williams, Nadal Are Welcome Company On Our TV Screens

WASHINGTON, January 28, 2021 (by Michael Dickens) With less than two weeks to go before the Australian Open begins on Feb. 8 in Melbourne, some of the biggest tennis stars are popping up on American and worldwide TV screens to drum […]

Ashleigh Barty on 2021 Season: ‘We’re Ready To Go’

WASHINGTON, January 27, 2021 (by Michael Dickens) As the 2021 Australian Open in Melbourne comes into focus – it starts in less than two weeks – much attention will be on World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty, who will play her first tournament […]

Everything’s A Process For 20-Year-Old Sebastian Korda

WASHINGTON, January 25, 2021 (by Michael Dickens) One of the first things that Sebastian Korda reveals about himself is how grounded he is during virtual interviews. Whether he walks off the tennis court having won or lost, the soft-spoken NextGen […]

Vika: From Interviewee To Interviewer On ‘Think About It’

WASHINGTON, January 26, 2021 (by Michael Dickens) Former World No. 1 and two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka has launched a new podcast series, Think About It, through the WTA and Tennis Channel. The six-episode series features “intimate and honest conversations with inspiring guests” dealing with […]