Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Victoria Azarenka withdraw from lead-in events

A third star has joined Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams in pulling out of their Australian Open lead-in tournament in increasingly farcical scenes.

Nick Kyrgios plays a forehand against fellow Australian Harry Bourchier.

Victoria Azarenka has become the third big name tennis star to pull out of her lead-in tournament in what is fast becoming farcical scenes.

Earlier Naomi Osaka joined Serena Williams on the sidelines, pulling out of her semi-final against Elise Mertens in the Yarra Valley Classic citing a ‘niggling injury’.

“Sorry to Tennis Australia and the fans to have to withdraw today. I have a niggling injury and in light of the AO on the horizon, I need to be cautious. I look forward to competing next week,” Osaka said in a statement.

Serena withdrew from the rest of her tournament last night.

Naomi Osaka just withdrew. Victoria Azarenka just withdrew.

Hope they’re all ok, but basically, it seems that if you view yourself as an AO title contender, you play it safe and pull out.

Fair enough?

— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) February 5, 2021

Williams was a shock withdrawal from her blockbuster semi-final with world No.1 Ash Barty.

Williams cited a right shoulder injury as the reason for pulling out of the much-anticipated clash, which would have been the third meeting between them and first since the 2018 French Open.

The news broke on Friday night, long after the 23-times grand slam champion faced the media and told the world she was “excited” to see how she stacked up against world No. 1 Barty.

Williams had already revealed this week that the Open’s later start gave her the time required to sufficiently recover from the Achilles problem that cut short her French Open last year.

If not for that delay, the American superstar feared she might not have been ready to play.

“It’s definitely something that I’m going to have to deal with for the fortnight (but) kind of knowing that going into a tournament definitely helps,” Williams said of her right shoulder.

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Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams have both pulled out of the Yarra Valley with injuries. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

“Also, knowing, ‘OK, I’m going to have to probably pick up some different therapy exercises after each match’, etc. It’s going to be really important.”

Williams said her decision to pull out of the Barty clash was less about the Australian Open being on the horizon and more about her ongoing awareness of her body.

“I was just thinking about more or less how I was feeling,” she said.

“I think at my age, my career, I really just try to go on how I’m feeling physically and not put myself in a bad position in general for my health.”

Williams is having around-the-clock treatment to ensure she’s ready for her first-round match against crafty German veteran Laura Siegemund.

At the same time, she’s “very confident” she will be able to negotiate the entire fortnight if she makes it that far.

Barty, who edged out Shelby Rogers 7-5, 2-6 (10-4) in a seesawing contest on Friday morning, instead advances to Sunday’s final without hitting a ball.

Serena Williams withdrew from the Yarra Valley Classic with a shoulder problem. Picture: AFP

The 24-year-old now awaits the winner between Marketa Vondrousova and Garbine Muguruza, who avenged her defeat in last year’s Australian Open final with a 6-2 6-2 demolition of Sofia Kenin.

Vondrousova fought back to defeat in-form Nadia Podoroska 4-6 6-3 (10-4).

Williams earlier struggled to get past fellow American Danielle Collins, eventually winning 6-2 4-6 (10-6), but there was no suggestion at that stage she had a shoulder issue.

“It will be an opportunity for both of us to kind of get back in the swing of things,” Williams originally said of the Barty match-up.

“It’s definitely a good opportunity to see where I’m going against the current No.1. That’s really important for me.

“Obviously, I think, for her as well, to see where she’s going against my game.”

Barty, too, was keen to test herself against Williams, particularly knowing she’d lost both her previous clashes with her.

The Queenslander’s tournament was on the brink when Rogers breezed through the second set with some powerful strikes to force a match tie-break – but Barty’s court craft came to the fore just in time.

She hit her 10th ace for the match to go 4-1 up in the match tie-break, then outwitted her American opponent to cruise to the finish line.

Ash Barty defeated Shelby Rogers in her semi-final. Picture: Michael Klein

Meanwhile, unseeded Estonian Kaia Kanepi’s barnstorming run through the Gippsland Trophy draw continued on Saturday, as she booked the tournament’s second final berth.

The former world No.15 has turned back the clock this week, upsetting in-form Aryna Sabalenka in round two and now ousting ninth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3 7-6(6) in their semi-final.

Kanepi will try to win her first WTA title in almost eight years against No.7 seed Elise Mertens, who advanced when Australian Open favourite Naomi Osaka (shoulder) withdrew on Saturday morning.

The Grampians Trophy semi-final field is also set, with Greece’s Maria Sakkari to face Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit, and Jennifer Brady locking in an all-American clash with Ann Li.

Sakkari blitzed Germany’s Angelique Kerber 6-4 6-2, Brady battled past Czech Barbora Krejcikova 7-6(5) 6-4, and Li conceded only four games in eliminating Romania’s Sorana Cirstea.

Kontaveit received a walkover from Victoria Azarenka (back).

The suspension of Thursday’s play, because of a security guard testing positive for COVID-19, means there won’t be a Gippsland Trophy final.

Kaia Kanepi surged into the final of the Gippsland Trophy. Picture: Getty Images

ATP CUP: MEDVEDEV ANNOUNCES HIMSELF AS HUGE THREAT

Red-hot Daniil Medvedev has Russia in pole position to claim the ATP Cup and announced himself as a major Australian Open threat after downing Alexander Zverev.

The world No. 4 4 – and 2019 US Open finalist – has been in blistering form in Melbourne this week, dropping just one set as he wiped out Japan’s Kei Nishikori, Argentine Diego Schwartzman and, on Saturday, German hotshot Zverev to set up a Sunday ATP Cup final with Team Italy.

Zverev put the feisty Russian under pressure with a hot first set but Medvedev showed all the craft and guile that has him as a genuine threat to Novak Djokovic’s pursuit of a ninth Australian Open title, and Rafael Nadal’s bid for a record 21st grand slam.

“I have a first round to play (against Canadian veteran Vasek Pospisil), a really tough one – I’m definitely looking just for this one first of all,” said Medvedev, who has revelled in the role of pantomime villain in the past and would had no dramas.

“I always say I try to do my best. If it helps me to win the tournaments, like I (have done) a few times, perfect, I will be super happy.

“Winning my first grand slam will be an amazing feeling. If my best will be first round, we never know. I lose sometimes. It’s normal.”

There were concerns for Zverev – who was feeling the effects of a condensed schedule, and received some attention to a lower back complaint after losing the second set, but soldiered on knowing a withdrawal would consign Germany to a semi-final exit.

Russia's Daniil Medvedev is looming as an Australian Open threat.

But it was a broken racquet, rather than a busted back, which signalled the end for Zverev. The German was furious after, for the second day in a row, handing a break late in the third set with a misfiring service game which Medvedev nailed

Earlier, world No. 8 Andrey Rublev was the first winner on Saturday, overcoming a slow start to make short work of Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff either side of a brief rain delay.

Rublev was blasted off the court early, losing the first set in just 28 minutes, but dropped just three further games to cruise to a three-set win before nervously watching Medvedev play.

Why the nerves? Because he flat out didn’t want to play doubles. But he was always confident.

“I’m sure all the players would like to have Daniil in his team, not against. I’m the lucky one,” Rublev said.

Russia will face Italy on Sunday after Fabio Fognini and Mario Berrettini continued their hot streaks to book a spot in Sunday’s final.

“Italian tennis is amazing. It’s an amazing tennis nation,” said Medvedev.

Berrettini, who enjoyed a straight-sets win over a physically hampered Roberto Bautista Agut, praised his team.

“Obviously I felt that we are a great team (before the tournament),” Berrettini said.

“We were a great team before starting it, and we’re a great team now. Obviously now the confidence is better, it’s higher.

“But, yeah, I felt we could do a great, great week. Now we have, like, maybe the toughest match, but we are ready. We’re feeling good. We’re feeling good energy.”

In the Murray River Open, England’s Dan Evans trounced French veteran Jeremy Chardy to set up a final with impressive Canadian star Felix Auger-Aliassime, who downed France’s Corentine Moutet.

And elsewhere, Italy’s rising star Jannik Sinner defeated Russia’s Karen Khachanov to set up a final against countryman Stefano Travaglia in the Great Ocean Road Open.

Sore Kyrgios’ Aus Open scare

A troubling knee injury is haunting Nick Kyrgios’ Australian Open preparations.

Despite being clearly hampered during his loss to Croatia’s Borna Coric on Friday, the controversial star was spinning an optimistic line afterwards about his Open fortunes.

Kyrgios, who played his first match in 11 months on Tuesday, did let slip during an on-court discussion with medical staff that he’d had surgery on his left knee four-and-a-half months ago.

The world No. 47 said he wasn’t “scared” about the injury looking ahead to his home grand slam.

“It’s pretty sore. I was kind of expecting that,” Kyrgios said after the 6-3 6-4 defeat. “I haven’t played in a year’s time.

“I’m happy with the load this week. That’s all I wanted to get out of it.

Nick Kyrgios was troubled by soreness during his loss to Croatia’s Borna Coric.

“I was expecting my body to not feel great, to be honest. I’m not at all scared or anything that I won’t play, anything like that. I’m just going to maintain my body now.”

Kyrgios contemplated pulling out a number of times during the third-round match of the Murray River Open and let his frustrations boil over late in the second set when he smashed his racquet and pitched it into the empty stand.

It was evident early on that Kyrgios was struggling when he dramatically reduced the speed of his serve. Normally in the 215kmph territory, he was sending down 127kmph second serves in his opening service game as he battled with the knee problem.

Midway through the opening set he turned to his support crew and said: “I can’t land on my leg properly”.

After losing the first set, Kyrgios took a medical time-out where he revealed to the ATP physio and doctor that he’d gone under the knife back in September.

“I can’t serve without pain,” he said. “I had arthroscopic surgery four-and-a-half months ago and I’ve only played two matches in a year.

“When I land it feels unstable.’

Nick Kyrgios had to dramatically reduce his service speed as he battled a leg issue.

He was reluctant afterwards to expand further on the injury.

“I was going through some pain during last year,” Kyrgios said. “I’ve always had kind of knee issues, especially my left knee.

“It was something that was pretty serious. I’d rather not talk about it.

“I mean, I did everything I could to get it better, to get it able to play. I’m lucky that I’m healthy enough to play.”

While many experts were predicting a rested Kyrgios could do some damage at the Open, the 2015 quarter finalist was keen to play down expectations.

“There’s a massive question mark for me even if I was completely healthy, not playing in a year,” he said.

“It’s not easy to turn around and prepare for such an event just like that. It’s not like a tap.

“I thought I did everything I could this week. I won a couple matches. I had a lot of court time. I practised every day, as well. I think I’m ticking the boxes.

“I think I’m giving myself a chance. I think everyone has a bit of a question mark on their sort of physical level.”

Earlier Kyrgios’ training partner Jordan Thompson continued his good form progressing through to the quarter-finals of the Great Ocean Road Open with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Spain’s Mario Vilella Martinez.