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Novak Djokovic's bid for a historic 25th Major title is currently underway at the Australian Open. Unfortunately for him though, his wife Jelena won't be around to cheer him on this time.
Both of Djokovic's matches in Melbourne so far have been tense battles, and the World No. 1 also had to put a heckler in place during his second-round triumph.
Tennis greats Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's reunion at the latter's academy, meanwhile, has set social media abuzz.
While Caroline Wozniacki's time at the Australian Open ended in the second round, she was content with the fact that her children got to see her in action.
Jennifer Brady's comeback has been put on hold once again as she's scheduled to undergo surgery.
On that note, here's a quick round-up of the day's biggest headlines:
Novak Djokovic wastes no time in shutting down a disruptive fan
Whenever a player faces an opponent from the host nation during a tournament, one can expect the crowd to be biased and noisy. It was no different when Djokovic faced Aussie Alexei Popyrin in the second round of the Australian Open on Wednesday.
Popyrin put Djokovic to the test and when the match was in the fourth set, one fan in particular rubbed the Serb the wrong way with his antics. The defending champion didn't let it slide, and immediately responded with anger.
"Come and say that in my face!" Djokovic said to the fan.
There were no more disturbances after that. Djokovic went on to win the match 6-3, 4-6, 7-7(4), 6-3 and will face Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the third round on Friday.
Novak Djokovic's wife Jelena to skip the Australian Open
Jelena Djokovic won't be cheering for her husband from the stands in Melbourne this time around. The defending champion continues his quest for a record 25th Major crown, but Jelena won't be present in person to see him succeed.
In a social media interaction with her fans, she revealed that she wouldn't be making the trip Down Under this year.
"Nope" - Jelena Djokovic said, indicating she had other commitments.
Jelena Djokovic manages the foundation under her husband's name, along with her other ventures. While she hasn't been by his side the last couple of years at the Australian Open, she's a regular presence at the other Majors.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal get together at the Spaniard's tennis academy
Federer has been making the most of his time pursuing other endeavors following his retirement in 2022. While Nadal is still active, he's recovering from yet another injury setback. The latest physical issue forced the Spaniard to cut short his comeback and withdraw from the Australian Open.
During his recent visit to Spain, Federer made a trip to the Rafael Nadal Academy. He hung out with several players who trained there, spending some quality time with them. But the highlight of the trip was the reunion between the two former rivals.
Federer hung out with Nadal, who thanked the Swiss for his visit and expressed hope to see him again soon.
"Great to have you here with me today my friend. Thanks for the visit and hope to see you again very soon 🙏🏻," Nadal on Instagram.
Caroline Wozniacki remains upbeat despite early exit from the Australian Open
Woznaicki's run at the Australian Open came to an end against Maria Timofeeva in the second round, as she lost in three sets. While the loss was disappointing for the Dane, she was heartened by the fact that her children cheered her on.
Wozniacki took to Instagram to share a quick video of her kids looking excited to see their mother in action.
"Wasn’t the day I had hoped for, but this is everything. Sound on," Wozniacki captioned her Instagram story.
Wozniacki won't be seen in action for some time now as she has opted to skip the Middle East events. She'll be back in March for the Indian Wells Open and the Miami Open.
Jennifer Brady takes on a new gig as she's set for another hiatus
After a lengthy absence, Brady made her comeback during last year's American hardcourt swing, which ended with a third-round exit from the US Open. She also participated in the China Open after that but was forced to retire in the second round due to an injury.
Brady has now revealed that she'll require another knee surgery and so will be taking some more time off from the sport. To make the most of her time, she has decided to work as an assistant coach for UCLA's women's tennis team.
Brady broke the news about her surgery and her new coaching role on Instagram.
"I wanted to let everyone know unfortunately during off-season I had another setback and I'll be having surgery on my knee. With this surgery, I will be out for quite some time as the recovery and rehab process is extensive," Brady stated in her statement.
"I've decided to enroll back into UCLA for the spring quarter and help the women's tennis team by being an (under) graduate assistant coach. I'm bummed not to be competing during this time, but I am very excited to be a part of the UCLA tennis team again," she added.
Brady's career was on the rise a couple of years ago, and she even made it to the final of the 2021 Australian Open. But recurring injuries have derailed her career since her dream run in Melbourne.
The American remains optimistic about her chances though, so fans can hope to see her in action someday in the future.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
