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AUSTRALIAN OPEN: ARYNA SABALENKA VS SVITOLINA HANDSHAKE BAN EXPLAINED TO THE ROD LAVER CROWD
Australian Open organisers announce a handshake ban for Sabalenka vs Svitolina to prevent crowd boos at the Rod Laver Arena.
Right before the women’s semi-finals at the Australian Open, the emcee on Rod Laver Arena made a pretty big announcement. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka was about to play No. 12 seed Elina Svitolina, and both of them were waiting in the tunnel when the crowd heard there wouldn’t be a handshake after the match.
Since the war broke out in Ukraine, Ukrainian players have stopped shaking hands with Russian and Belarusian opponents. Russian and Belarusian athletes have also been competing as neutrals since 2022.
Svitolina has spoken out a lot about the war, and she doesn’t do the post-match handshake with Russian or Belarusian players. Things got a little tense when she beat Mirra Andreeva, the ninth seed, in the fourth round. Andreeva knew what was coming, so she skipped the net handshake, packed up her stuff, and left the court. Some fans booed, not understanding what was going on. Later, though, plenty of people jumped on X (the site formerly known as Twitter) to back Andreeva.
To avoid another round of booing during Sabalenka vs Svitolina, tournament organisers jumped in early. They explained the situation to the crowd before the match started.
“At the end of the match, there will be no handshake between the players. We appreciate your respect,” the announcer told everyone.
Sabalenka and Svitolina didn’t take any photos together at the net before their semi-final, either. Instead, each posed separately with the child mascot during the coin toss.
Sabalenka, world No. 1, is chasing her fifth Grand Slam and her third title in Melbourne. She’s made three finals in a row here, lost to Madison Keys last year, but took home the trophy in both 2023 and 2024.
On the other side, Svitolina is in her first Grand Slam final. This is her fourth time in a major semi-final but her very first at the Australian Open. She’s also locked in a return to the top 10, which she hasn’t seen since before she took a break in 2022 to have her first child.
LIFE AFTER TENNIS: HOW RAFAEL NADAL REPLACED GRAND SLAMS WITH A QUEST FOR PARS.
Rafael Nadal is obsessed with golf: Analyse his new "Spin and Swing" circuit, his wife's reaction, and his wins on the green.
Rafael Nadal admits, half-joking, half-serious, that his love for golf drives his wife a little crazy. After racking up 22 Grand Slam singles titles (second-most in the Open Era) and wrapping up his 23-year tennis career in November 2024, Nadal needed something to fill the gap. Golf quickly took over.
He’s always loved the game, even back in his tennis days, but now that he’s off the tour, he’s spending more and more time on the course. These days, if he’s not playing, he’s glued to the TV, following tournaments. His wife, Maria Francisca Perello, apparently isn’t thrilled about this new obsession.
At a charity tournament in Madrid earlier this month, Nadal laughed about it: “I follow golf every week, and my wife suffers because of it. I watched Jon Rahm in Riyadh this week; he finished strong and almost won. I just really enjoy it.”
He’s not just watching, either. Last week in Mallorca, Nadal launched his own charity golf circuit, Spin and Swing. He mentioned he’s turned down wildcard offers to play in pro events before, since tennis always came first. All the money from his new event goes to his own foundation. For Nadal, this project just comes from a genuine love for the sport.
“I’ve had invites a few times,” he said, “but it’s never worked out. Maybe one day, but only if I feel like I won’t embarrass myself out there. I’d want to at least be able to compete, even if it’s just with myself.”
He’s already tested himself in smaller tournaments and not just for fun. He actually won the Balearic Mid-Amateur Championship by seven shots in February 2024, beating out 73 other players. He won’t brag about his game, but he’s clearly got talent.
Last July, he even got in a few rounds with Roger Federer at Pula Golf Resort in Mallorca. And who knows, maybe someday we’ll see a full Big Four showdown on the fairways. Andy Murray plays too, after all.
Talking to The Telegraph last year, Nadal teased, "Yeah, it could happen, but they need to practice! On the tennis cour,t we were pretty even, but this time, I’m way ahead.”
So, don’t be surprised if you see more of Nadal on the golf course from here on out. He’s traded one obsession for another, and honestly, it sounds like his wife will just have to put up with it a while longer.
OFFICIAL RETURN: NOVAK DJOKOVIC CONFIRMED FOR INDIAN WELLS 2026; TOURNAMENT STARTS THIS MARCH
Novak Djokovic is heading back to Indian Wells: Discover the latest on his 2026 schedule, fatigue updates, and his hunt for a 6th title.
Novak Djokovic is heading back to Indian Wells this year. The tournament organisers just made it official on social media, calling it a return to “Tennis Paradise". It’s been a quiet season for Djokovic so far. He’s only played the Australian Open, where he made it to the final but lost to Carlos Alcaraz in four sets. He was supposed to play the Adelaide International before that, but pulled out, saying he wasn’t physically ready. He also skipped this week’s Qatar Open, blaming strong fatigue.
Djokovic isn’t playing any tournaments in the last week of February, but come March, he’ll be back for the Sunshine Double, starting at Indian Wells. The organisers sounded pretty excited, posting on Instagram: “A legend returns. 20 years after his debut here, Novak Djokovic is coming back to Tennis Paradise!”
This tournament is a familiar stop for Djokovic. He’s won it five times, but the last couple of years have been rough. In 2025, he lost in the second round to Botic van de Zandschulp. The year before, Luca Nardi knocked him out in the third round. Before that, he skipped three straight Indian Wells events for various reasons, and let’s not forget, the 2020 edition got cancelled because of the pandemic.
You have to go back to 2016 for the last time Djokovic really made a deep run here; he won his fifth title that year, beating Milos Raonic in the final. He also took the trophy in 2015, 2014, 2011, and 2008.
This year’s Indian Wells field looks stacked. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are expected to be the top seeds, with Djokovic likely taking the third spot. After them, you’ve got names like Alexander Zverev, Lorenzo Musetti, Alex de Minaur, Taylor Fritz, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Ben Shelton, and Alexander Bublik.
Djokovic hasn’t said exactly what his schedule looks like for the rest of the year, but he’s expected to play the Miami Open next, a tournament he’s won six times. He returned to Miami last year after five years away. After that, all eyes shift to the clay-court season, starting with the Monte Carlo Masters.
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