Nick Kyrgios delights rowdy fans as tennis cultures clash at Kooyong Classic
The sign at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club reads “dress code applies”, but on Tuesday the rules were relaxed.Thousands from all walks of life streamed into the leafy grounds in Melbourne’s inner east to enjoy the first day of the Kooyong Classic, where Nick Kyrgios brought his own brand of tennis to the storied Australian Open warmup event.The 30-year-old announced on Friday he would not be playing singles at Melbourne Park, but he had already committed to Kooyong as he works his way back into shape.So under cloudy skies in Melbourne’s mid-afternoon, he found himself across the net from Chinese former world No 31 Zhang Zhizhen, now ranked 362, and returning from injury himself.Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club was the home of the Australian Open between 1972 and 1987 and is – outside Wimbledon – a bastion of tennis’s grasscourt traditions.
Learner Tien, the 20-year-old American who has quickly climbed the rankings, admitted after his earlier match he had never seen as many grass courts in one place, outside SW19,Grass is not the only tradition Kooyong upholds,As one of the institutions of Melbourne’s establishment, this is a place steeped in standards, sportsmanship and respect,So when, before the match, one of dozens of preteen boys in attendance screamed at Kyrgios, “can I have your racket?” it appeared this was no ordinary Tuesday down at the club,Beneath the summer dresses and linen pastels of a fashion-conscious crowd, Kyrgios entered the arena, with eyes fixed on what he was – and wasn’t – wearing.
In a doubles defeat last week in Brisbane he had strapping on his elbow and knee, an indication his recovery was still a work in progress.But in Melbourne these were gone.And rather than the grimace of Brisbane, the Australian wore a smile.It helped the match appeared to be going his way.Winning 90% of points on first serve secured him a first set.
Shortly after, he produced a tweener to the delight of the squealing youngsters,In losing the point, Kyrgios even kept the traditionalists happy,While the Australian Open pursues a futuristic vision for tennis, mixed with entertainment, music and technology, Kooyong – just 8km to the east – is a throwback,The main arena was refurbished in 2019 to create a boutique, 6,000-person capacity stadium harking back to the site’s traditional aesthetic,Pat Cash is an official ambassador for the tournament and its first winner, but has a long connection to the place.
“I had my first tennis lesson here,” he said.“I’m back here still 50 years later, still at the club.” He said he had seen it change over the years, including a shift from grass to hardcourt in the main arena, “which is a bit sad”.But he otherwise beamed when talking about the outlook from the balcony, saying it was “one of the most spectacular views you can have in tennis”.To underscore the history of the place, 98-year-old Frank Sedgman – a five-time grand slam winner, the last in 1952 – tossed the coin at the start of the day.
By the time Kyrgios began to turn up the showmanship in the second set, Sedgman was nowhere to be seen.Kyrgios broke back at 3-5, running to his seat and leaning back, slowly crossing his legs in mocking ease.The crowd enjoyed the stagecraft so much, the Australian crossed them again.But he was not yet comfortable, and lost the set the following game.It set up a grandstand finish for the rowdy crowd in the deciding match tiebreak.
As the score nudged its way to 6-7, the preteens in attendance roared their delight.Kyrgios ultimately prevailed 6-3 4-6 11-9, dropping to the ground in triumph heavy on the theatrics amid generous applause, even if few will remember the result.Perhaps more enduring was what followed.A basketball hoop was wheeled out on to the historic home of Australian tennis and Kyrgios, Zhang – one of the game’s key attractions in its expanding market in China – and a fan traded shots in a stage-managed game of horse.Over the shrieks of young fans, Kyrgios said afterwards the promise that was evident in his performance gave him mixed feelings: “In one sense it’s amazing, in the other sense it is a bit heartbreaking, because you know that I’m not really able to go out there and do what I used to do.
”He will now take part in Wednesday’s One Point Slam at Melbourne Park, and plans to play men’s doubles and potentially mixed doubles at the Australian Open.Looking ahead, Kyrgios has no plans to play Roland Garros, but Wimbledon – where he reached the men’s singles final in 2022 – was “a bit easier physically” and will be a target for his coming months of training.“If I didn’t have this, like, I don’t know what else I’d do.Like, really, let’s be honest,” he said.“I’ve got a lot of things going off court, but there’s no feeling like this, with the kids and the youth.
I’m just trying to be a good role model and show that someone like me is able to still have fun, no matter what you look like or where you come from,”
Twelve top central bankers defend Fed’s Jerome Powell over DoJ investigation; oil hits two-month high as Trump threatens Iran’s trading partners – as it happened
Newsflash: Eleven of the world’s top central bankers have released a statement of support for Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, after the US Department of Justice opened a criminal investigation into him.In an unprecedented move, top central bank chiefs including the Bank of England’s Andrew Bailey, and Christine Lagarde of the European Central Bank, have backed Powell, and warned against undermining central bank independence.The heads of the Swedish, Denmark, Swiss, Australian, Canadian, South Korean, and Brazilian central banks have also signed, as have two top officials at the Bank of International Settlements (known as the “central bank for central banks”).Others may yet sign the letter too, Reuters suggested this morning.The central bank chiefs say:We stand in full solidarity with the Federal Reserve System and its Chair Jerome H
US inflation held firm in December amid pressure on Trump over cost of living
US inflation held firm last month as Donald Trump faces mounting pressure over the cost of living for millions of Americans.The closely watched consumer price index rose 2.7% in the year to December, in line with the previous month, according to official data published on Tuesday morning, ahead of a speech by the US president on the economy.The latest reading was broadly in line with economists’ expectations last month, and significantly above the Federal Reserve’s target for 2% inflation. Food prices and housing costs lifted the index higher in December
Can X be banned under UK law and what are the other options?
The UK government is threatening Elon Musk’s X with the nuclear option under the country’s online safety laws: a ban. The social media platform is under pressure from ministers after it allowed the Grok AI tool, which is integrated within the app, to generate indecent images of unsuspecting women and children.The government has said it will support the media regulator Ofcom, which has launched an investigation into X, if it decides to push ahead with a ban. But is such a move likely?The Online Safety Act (OSA) contains a provision that allows Ofcom to seek a court order imposing “business disruption measures” on a website or app that is in breach of the legislation. These measures are in effect a block on the recipient operating in the UK
UK media regulator investigating Elon Musk’s X after outcry over sexualised AI images
The UK media watchdog has opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s X over the use of the Grok AI tool to manipulate images of women and children by removing their clothes.Ofcom has acted after a public and political outcry over a deluge of sexual images appearing on the platform, created by Musk’s Grok, which is integrated with X.The regulator is investigating X under 2023’s Online Safety Act (OSA), which carries a range of possible punishments for breaches, including a UK ban of apps and websites for the most serious abuses.Ofcom said it would pursue the investigation as a “matter of the highest priority”, while Liz Kendall, the technology secretary, said the regulator had the government’s full backing.Ofcom said: “Reports of Grok being used to create and share illegal nonconsensual intimate images and child sexual abuse material on X have been deeply concerning
Frustrated Raducanu held up by rain with match suspended overnight in Hobart
Emma Raducanu cut a frustrated figure on Tuesday at the Hobart International as her first round match was suspended for the night due to rain with the Briton struggling to hold on to her precarious 6-3, 2-4 lead against Camila Osorio of Colombia.Raducanu, the top seed in Hobart, will return to the court on Wednesday afternoon hoping to close out her first win of the season. She lost her only match of 2026 to Maria Sakkari at the United Cup mixed-team competition last week. Afterwards, Raducanu explained how her pre-season had been badly disrupted by the foot injury she had been struggling with since she prematurely ended her 2025 season in October. The 22-year-old only began to play points and move properly in her training sessions once she arrived in Australia at the end of December
Team GB targets record-breaking medal haul at 2026 Winter Olympics
Team GB believes it can achieve “the greatest performance we have ever seen at a winter Games” and is targeting a record-breaking eight medals at next month’s Winter Olympics.Britain’s previous best at a winter Games is the five medals secured in Sochi in 2014 and Pyeongchang in 2018. However the Covid-affected Games in Beijing in 2022 proved to be a disappointment, with Team GB leaving China with just two curling medals.But a glut of world cup and world championship medals over the last three years has left UK Sport, which funds Britain’s Olympic sports, confident that Team GB will bring home between four and eight medals from the Winter Olympics in Italy – and a further two-to-five medals from the Paralympic Winter Games.“That range is ambitious,” said Dr Kate Baker, director of performance and people at UK Sport
Post your questions for R&B star Jill Scott
Mindy Meng Wang on the ‘disorienting’ experience of her father’s funeral – and the Chinese cyber-opera it inspired
Hawaii: A Kingdom Crossing Oceans review – a feather-filled thriller full of gods, gourds and ghosts
Three board members and board chair resign from Adelaide festival as Randa Abdel-Fattah sends legal notice
Adelaide festival did not dump Jewish columnist from 2024 program despite request from Randa Abdel-Fattah and others
Eddie Izzard: ‘I once ran 90km in just under 12 hours. That was a tough day’