Dan Imhoff

Jan 11, 2025 | ausopen.com | Dan Imhoff

Imagine a reigning Grand Slam champion beaten at the height of her powers in awe of her vanquisher, a barely tested 18-year-old Aryna Sabalenka, on one of the highest-pressure stages in the sport. So it was in the aftermath of a shock defeat to the daring teenager in the Fed Cup final in 2017 that US Open champion Sloane Stephens showered Sabalenka in praise. MORE: Day 1 schedule of play“I want to play like that. That was insane,” Stephens said at the time.

Jan 6, 2025 | ausopen.com | Dan Imhoff

Good thing Robin Montgomery didn’t notice Frances Tiafoe, a player she considers “like an older brother”, dropping in briefly on her opening Australian Open qualifying win at the far reaches of Melbourne Park on Tuesday. Behind the two rows of seats in the intimate surrounds of Court 12, Tiafoe made a brief stop on his way to prepare for practice early in the second set of the 20-year-old’s 6-2 6-1 victory over Slovenian Polona Hercog.

Nov 25, 2024 | ausopen.com | Dan Imhoff

AO Hacks returns in the countdown in Australian Open 2025, providing fans with player insights to maximise their day at the tennis. Feisty to candid on-court dispositions, niche fashion choices, unorthodox shot-making or any combination of these traits is often all it takes to trigger a player building a hardcore fan base. These six cult favourites, each with a legion of loyal followers, may not be the biggest names at Australian Open 2025, but are well worth scoping out at Melbourne Park.

Sep 9, 2024 | ausopen.com | Dan Imhoff

It makes for an exclusive group if its members do not include a pair of Grand Slam greats who own 45 singles majors collectively, a list which now includes Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka after their respective US Open triumphs. Sinner’s convincing knockout blow of Taylor Fritz at Flushing Meadows on Sunday emulated Sabalenka’s straight-sets ledger against Fritz’s fellow first-time major finalist and compatriot, Jessica Pegula, a day earlier.

Sep 2, 2024 | ausopen.com | Dan Imhoff

Expectations are already high for an American man to break a 21-year Grand Slam drought without Taylor Fritz compounding pressure with bold declarations during this year’s US Open. The leading light in recent years among a cohort of five US men now in the top 20, Fritz learnt the hard way when he voiced his intentions loud and clear at Flushing Meadows two years ago.