Coco Gauff wasn’t particularly impressed with the USTA’s artwork created for the Australian Open, describing it as “foul” and adding that it made her and fellow Americans on the poster “look ugly.”

On Sunday, the USTA posted a creation inspired by the American cartoon show “The Wild Thornberrys.” After seeing the post, reigning US Open champion Gauff used the word “hideous” to describe the depictions.

“Worst thing I’ve ever seen,” Gauff wrote in a since-deleted Instagram Story.

“Like a caricature artist decided to make (us) all look like hideous looking people. The art style is cool for a cartoon show but not for a hype post. Foul.”

 

USTAs artwork
USTAs artwork© Coco Gauff – Instagram

Gauff: It made us look so ugly
Gauff also commented on the depictions on X, stating that the depiction made her “look so ugly.”

“Y’all I know it is a cartoon show but I think I would prefer to be drawn as a Bratz art style and not this. This is makes us all look so ugly,” Gauff wrote on X in a since-deleted post.

On X, some fans posted about the comments Gauff left on Instagram. Reflecting on that, Gauff claimed: “I was joking. a few us were joking about it omg.”

i was joking 😭 a few us were joking about it omg

— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) January 14, 2024
Gauff sent out another post, in which she defended herself: “I was bored in my hotel room. I’m sorry y’all it was just a kiki plz let me breathe. Tennis twitter is funny but ruthless haha omg.”

I was bored in my hotel room😭 i’m sorry y’all it was just a kiki plz let me breathe🙏🏾 tennis twitter is funny but ruthless haha omg

 

— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) January 14, 2024
Meanwhile, No. 4 seed Gauff is opening her campaign at Melbourne Park on Sunday.

Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff© Getty Images Sport – Graham Denholm

In her Australian Open first-round match, Gauff will be taking on 67th-ranked Anna Karolina Schmiedlova. Going into the match, Gauff owns a 2-0 head-to-head against Schmiedlova and she is the big favorite to also clinch her third win over the German in Melbourne.

After winning the US Open fourth months ago, Gauff is bidding to also win the Australian Open and clinch back-to-back Grand Slam titles.

Tom Brady is enjoying an unexpected retirement benefit — sun!

The former quarterback’s time with the New England Patriots — and college stint at the University of Michigan — brought him some seriously cold winters. Now, he’s ditching them in favor of some fun in the sun.

On Sunday, Brady, 46, shared some sweet shots from a sunny outing with his kids, poking fun at his past winters in the caption.

“I did Michigan and Massachusetts winters for a long time,” he wrote. “Let me have this 😂🦞☀️.”

In the photos, Brady and his two youngest kids, Benjamin Rein, 13, and Vivian Lake, 10, whom he shares with ex-wife Gisele Bündchen, hang out on a boat and don snorkeling gear — masks, snorkels and fins — to explore the surrounding water.

 

The retired NFL star also shared a photo of himself helping Vivian with her snorkel and one of the group face-down, swimming and exploring the sparkling blue water.

Brady did not reveal the location of his sunny boat ride, but he did also share a photo of a cooler full of lobsters on ice.

Earlier this month, Brady brought Jack to meet San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama, a 19-year-old French rising NBA star.

Brady, Jack and Wembanyama posed for a photo that the NFL alum shared on Instagram. In the pic, the basketball player towered over the quarterback and his son.

 

“3 on 3 who’s got next?!” Brady joked alongside the snap.

Last month, Brady enjoyed a fun — though slightly less sunny — outing with Vivian and Benjamin on Halloween.

The former quarterback shared a glimpse into his spooky holiday with the two kids on his Instagram Story, posting a photo of the pair dressed in all black, save for Benjamin’s red Deadpool mask.

In an unexpected twist, Polish tennis sensation Iga Swiatek recently swapped her tennis racket for a surfboard as she embraced a surf lesson in preparation for the highly anticipated 2024 United Cup at RAC Arena.

Known for her incredible prowess on the tennis court, Swiatek’s venture into the world of surfing showcases her versatile and adventurous spirit. The 2024 United Cup, a pinnacle event in the tennis world, is set to witness not only Swiatek’s unparalleled skills on the court but also her fearless approach to embracing new challenges.

The surf lesson, held at an undisclosed location, provided a refreshing break from Swiatek’s intense training routine. Surrounded by the beauty of the waves, she displayed a natural affinity for the ocean, capturing the attention of onlookers and fans alike.

 

Swiatek, the 2020 French Open champion, has consistently demonstrated her ability to excel in the world of professional tennis. However, her foray into surfing is a testament to her commitment to holistic athleticism and a desire to explore new horizons beyond the tennis court.

The 2024 United Cup promises to be a thrilling competition, with Swiatek undoubtedly set to be a standout contender. As fans eagerly await her performance on the tennis court, this unexpected surf adventure adds an extra layer of excitement and anticipation to her journey.

The tennis world is no stranger to athletes embracing diverse interests and hobbies outside their primary sport, and Swiatek’s surfing escapade only adds to the rich tapestry of stories within the sports community. It highlights the importance of balance, rejuvenation, and the pursuit of new challenges for athletes striving for excellence.

 

As the 2024 United Cup approaches, the buzz around Iga Swiatek continues to grow, fueled not only by her tennis prowess but also by her willingness to step out of her comfort zone and ride the waves of new experiences.

In a sports landscape often defined by intense competition, Swiatek’s surf lesson serves as a reminder that even the most dedicated athletes can find joy and inspiration beyond the boundaries of their primary discipline. Fans can now eagerly anticipate seeing Swiatek’s unique blend of skill and determination unfold both on the tennis court and, unexpectedly, on the waves.

The 2024 United Cup is poised to be a showcase of not only exceptional tennis talent but also the diverse and multifaceted personalities that make up the world of professional sports. As Iga Swiatek continues to make waves—both on and off the court—her journey promises to be one of the highlights of this prestigious tournament.

It has been a trying season so far for the Los Angeles Lakers, but they are trying to push through. The 2023-24 season hasn’t gotten off to the kind of start that anyone would have hoped for, but there is still time to turn things around.

The team has dealt with many injuries this year, and it has hurt them on the court. They have dropped winnable games, which has caused frustration.

But the biggest issue for this team has been that stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis have been largely healthy and available. Despite this, Los Angeles has continued to struggle.

 

With the trade deadline approaching next month, the Lakers will need to make some moves. This roster isn’t good enough as currently constructed, but L.A. doesn’t have a lot to work with.

Dave McMenamin of ESPN breaks down how James is approaching the trade deadline this season.

“James’ patience has been tested, sources told ESPN, but he figures his best response to the slump is to lead by example on and off the court and hope everyone in the organization applies the same standard. James consults with the coaching staff when called upon and joins dialogue with the front office when scenarios are brought to him, but his focus remains maximizing his role… There’s a risk to canvassing the trade market, almost assuredly parting with a future draft pick to combine with one of the players the Lakers would send out.”

 

James doesn’t have a lot of time to waste, so the clock is ticking on the Lakers. They will need to find a way to make this team more competitive going forward, even if it means sacrificing the limited draft capital they have.

Los Angeles general manager Rob Pelinka will have to find ways to be creative once again at the deadline. The fate of the season will depend on it, and they don’t have much time to lose.

Tennis legend Maria Sharapova is revelling in the new phase of her life. In July, Sharapova revealed on Instagram that she and her fiance Alexander Gilkes had welcomed their first child. While sharing a beautiful picture of her newborn on Instagram, Sharapova had written, “The most beautiful, challenging, and rewarding gift our little family could ask for.” Now the five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova has opened up on embracing motherhood. While speaking on The CMO Podcast hosted by Jim Stengel, Sharapova shared that becoming a mother has been her most fulfilling role.

 

“I was like, yeah, you’ve mentioned all these roles that I think in the last nine months during pregnancy and in the last eight weeks of having this little child, that’s been my biggest and fulfilling role”, Sharapova was quoted as saying.

Sharapova went on to state that her priorities had changed along with her perspective on life. The Russian player admitted that she had begun to appreciate parenthood. The two-time French Open champion added, “Well an entirely new appreciation for parenthood and the feeling of knowing how vulnerable and dependent, this little boy is on us, I think just changes your perspective on life and I know so many parents say that but it’s really true.”

Maria Sharapova is one of the greatest women singles player. The 35-year-old is one of the few players who have completed the career Grand Slam. Many pundits regard her as one of the most complete players of the Open Era.

Maria Sharapova travels the world as the highest-paid female athlete, cocooning in fancy hotels, dining at swanky restaurants and indulging her love of shoes. Yet there’s one place the 20-year-old tennis superstar’s journeys have never taken her — the region devastated 21 years ago by the Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster. Sharapova’s mother, Yelena, was pregnant with her only child when the plant in Ukraine exploded and spewed radioactive clouds over the western Soviet Union and northern Europe. “A lot of families were moving, but not a lot of them could because they didn’t really know where to go,” Sharapova told The Associated Press. “My mom’s dad happened to be working in Siberia, so that’s why we had a sense of direction.” Sharapova’s father, Yuri, and her mother fled the city of Gomel in Belarus — about 80 miles north of Chernobyl — shortly before she was born in Nyagan, Siberia. Gomel was one of the areas most affected by radiation. Sharapova said she still has family there, including grandparents. Sharapova plans to visit Chernobyl as a United Nations goodwill ambassador, perhaps after Wimbledon next July. “It’s in the beginning stages of what exactly I’m going to be doing,” she said. “But I want to visit the facilities that they’re building right now for the children — computer labs and hospitals.” Sharapova started hitting tennis balls at age 4. Two years later, she was discovered by Martina Navratilova at a Moscow exhibition. At 9, Sharapova and her father moved to Florida, beginning a two-year separation from her mother because of visa restrictions and limited finances. She’s never forgotten her roots. In 2004, Sharapova won the season-ending WTA Championships and received a car worth more than $56,000. She donated the money to those affected by the Russian school hostage crisis in Beslan in which 334 people died, more than half of them children. In February, when Sharapova was appointed an ambassador for the U.N. Development Program, she donated $100,000 to help recovery in the Chernobyl region. Goodwill ambassadors try to draw attention to the plight of some of the world’s poorest spots. Sharapova, who has earned more than $9 million in career prize money, has a two-year contract with the UNDP that pays her a symbolic salary of $1 a year. Goodwill ambassadors pay their own way on trips. “They wanted me to work with them because they felt like people in those areas didn’t really feel like they had a chance to survive,” Sharapova said. “They wanted me to help raise the awareness that by building schools, hospitals, cleaning the air that there is pride and a side they can head towards instead of thinking all those negative things.” Her trip to Chernobyl will last just a few days.

 

“Unfortunately, I have about 28 days a year for the work that I do and for the sponsors, for the photo shoots and the visits,” she said. “Time is very, very limited.” Sharapova won her first title of the season a week ago near San Diego. During the tournament, she met with a group of Russian children visiting the United States. Their trip was sponsored by The Children of Chernobyl, a nonprofit group that brings healthy children from Belarus between ages 8 and 12 to America for a six-to-eight week visit. They are placed with host families and the children receive free medical, dental and eye care treatment. Upon meeting Sharapova, some of the families asked what advice she could give the children. “It’s tough because most of them don’t have any parents, and what’s really helped me in my life was having my mom and dad be so supportive and around me,” she said. Despite her Wimbledon and U.S. Open titles and No. 2 world ranking, Sharapova didn’t expect the children to know who she was. “They had all these questions lined up for me. The kids are pretty young and the questions they were asking me were so mature and so beyond their years,” she said. “This young kid asked me how I wanted to raise my children. I was like, ‘Geez, you’re a kid yourself.’ It was very strange.”‘ The children knew only rudimentary English phrases, like ‘How are you?,’ so they questioned her in Russian and Sharapova responded in her native language. Hearing the kids squeal about their trip to Sea World brought back memories. As sophisticated as Sharapova comes off in photo spreads and on red carpets, she says she acts like a kid away from the court and cameras. “I still love things that you don’t even need to pay for,” she said. “Going to the beach and being around five of your friends and having a good time means so much more than going out and spending hundreds of dollars. It did make me realize that, ‘Wow, all these small things are making them happy.”‘ Sharapova is to begin her U.S. Open title defense Aug. 27. She withdrew from the semifinals of last week’s tournament in Carson because of a leg injury. She said she plans to compete for another seven years. “I have so many other things in my life that I want to try and do,” she said, ticking off marriage and children among her goals. “I’d love to open a tennis school for children in my hometown of Sochi.” Sharapova said she recently read a book about Africa, and it, along with her charity work, has helped expand her world of forehands and backhands. “If you’re able to help some people and make them smile and make them realize that life is good,” she said, “then that’s worth so much more than buying a pair of shoes.”

Bianca Belair is a rising star in WWE who has achieved some notable feats in the past few years. Besides winning the women’s Royal Rumble match in 2021, the EST of WWE also main-evented Day 1 of WrestleMania 37 to win the SmackDown Women’s Championship.

 

Bianca Belair is described as a strong and tough character, which she certainly is. She does some unimaginable things in the squared circle. But in real life, she is known as a down-to-earth and kind individual who shares a great bond with her fellow wrestlers. Some of these candid pictures show a different side of the EST.

While Triple H isn’t in charge of NXT 2.0, he ran the previous black-and-gold brand of NXT successfully. The legendary Superstar was the executive producer of NXT. As a result, he was like a father figure to most of the talents of NXT, including Bianca Belair. His tips and guidance certainly helped to build future stars.

This picture is from backstage at the 2017 Mae Young Classic. As a rookie, Bianca Belair participated in that tournament and was eliminated early. Triple H is consoling Bianca while the latter is looking disappointed.

 

Bianca Belair is undoubtedly one of the fittest Superstars in the women’s division. Therefore, it is not hard to guess that the EST of WWE spends a lot of time in the gym to keep her in great shape. To live up to the tag name of the fastest and strongest, she works hard.
This gym shot shows the hard work she puts in to be in incredible shape. She is holding a barbell in her hands and looking like she is doing a deadlift.

Bianca Belair is married to one-half of The Street Profits, Montez Ford. The duo started dating while being in NXT and got engaged in 2017. A year later, they tied the knot. When she married Montez Ford, Bianca was still wrestling in NXT. They don’t have any kids, but Ford has two kids from his previous relationship.

 

Wedding day pictures are certainly very special, and this is a beautiful shot from their wedding day.

Evolution was a ground-breaking pay-per-view in WWE. Taking place in 2018, it was the first and only all-women PPV event. A number of women on the roster competed in that event, including legends from the past.

This picture is taken backstage at the Evolution pay-per-view. Binance Belair can be seen with Alicia Fox, Sasha Banks, Naomi, and Sasha Banks. Belair, however, wasn’t part of the event.

 

Given the athleticism of Bianca Belair, it is not hard to guess that she played different sports before her wrestling career. She is extremely agile in the ring with great stamina, and it comes from her background as a track and field athlete. She competed in hurdling. In fact, a glimpse of her athletic background was shown on WWE TV as well.

It is an amazing picture of her track and field days. Representing the state of Tennessee, she is hurdling with another athlete from Arkansas.

 

Bianca Belair created history at WrestleMania 37. Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks became the first African-American women to main event a WrestleMania. They closed the show on Day 1 of the mega event, and The EST of WWE prevailed over The Boss, winning the SmackDown Women’s Championship for the first time in her career.

It was certainly the greatest night of Belair’s career. This backstage picture is showing she is celebrating the big win with none other than Triple H. An elated Bianca is hugging Triple H, while he is looking proud of her achievement.

Most of the women share a great bond. They certainly support each other backstage, which has played a pivotal role in the rise of women’s wrestling in WWE. Bianca Belair’s first biggest achievement in WWE was the Royal Rumble victory in 2021. She won the match and earned a title shot at the Show of Shows.

 

This picture was taken backstage right after the women’s Royal Rumble match. Bianca is sharing a group hug with fellow female colleagues Carmella, Billie Kay, Rhea Ripley, Natalya, Ruby Riott, and Peyton Royce.

There is certainly a different level of satisfaction to be in the same profession with your partner and sharing the same locker room. Montez Ford and Bianca Belair are one of the popular wrestling couples in WWE right now. They travel together while spending a lot of time with each other on the road.

 

Montez Ford and Bianca Belair are having a fun time backstage in this picture. Montez is holding her long braid, and she is smiling.

As WWE wrestlers have a busy schedule, they hardly get the time for vacation or free time. The full-time wrestlers perform at live events, weekly shows, PPV, so they stay on the road most of the time. But when they get time for vacation or to spend quality time with their close ones, they make most of it.

This picture of Bianca Belair is at the beach, where she is spending her free time. The EST of WWE is looking stunning wearing sunglasses, as she is flaunting her abs.

After her meteoric rise to fame, Bianca Belair has certainly received mainstream attention. While she was the SmackDown Women’s Champion, Bianca Belair defended the belt against Carmella at the Rolling Loud music festival. A week later, she was at the Lollapalooza music festival, where she was snapped with the Grammy-winning rapper, Megan Thee Stallion.

The two ladies are looking great in this picture. Bianca Belair has the SmackDown Women’s Title on her shoulder.

In November 2019, Aryna Sabalenka got the most unfortunate news of her life. Aged just 43, her father, Sergey passed away unexpectedly. A massive tragedy struck her family and fellow tennis stars offered their condolences. The Belarusian tennis star’s life completely changed after her father’s demise. Along with her tennis commitments, she had a lot of other responsibilities on her shoulders now.

Additionally, she, along with her father, shared a common dream. Three years after his demise, Sabalenka has achieved the feat that’ll make her father proud in the heavens. Let’s find out what milestone did Sabalenka achieve.

The 25-year-old is in New York where she’s participating at the US Open. Sabalenka has overcome all challenges and is in the quarterfinal state of the event. With this, the Belarusian star will become the new World Number 1 when the WTA rankings get updated after the US Open, as defending champion Iga Swiatek bowed out of the tournament. Reflecting on this achievement, she remembers her late dad.

 

Sabalenka was featured in an interview recently where she was asked to comment about her being the new World Number 1. Answering the question, she said, “I just saw how proud he was of me—how he was celebrating every win, every title—and he told me then that I have everything I needed to achieve this goal: I just had to learn myself better, to learn how to control my emotions, and one day I’d be world number one. It was like our dream.”

As memories of this dream flashed back after she achieved the feat of getting the Number 1 ranking, Sabalenka recalled one of the most emotional moments in her tennis career.

 

Following her father’s demise, Sabalenka was set to participate in the Adelaide International 1 tournament. Despite receiving the sad news, she boarded the plane to travel to Australia, showing off tremendous grip and determination. Reflecting on her decision, she said, “I’m just trying to fight because my dad wanted me to be No.1. I’m doing it for him so that’s what is helping me to be strong right now.”

Sabalenka’s quarterfinal match against Qinwen Zheng is currently underway at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. The former has raced to a 2-0 lead in the opening set of the match. Can Sabalenka win her maiden US Open title this year? Let us know your views in the comments below.

The year 2023 was one of the worst years in the career of Simona Halep. Shortly before the US Open, the Romanian tennis star faced a massive punishment on account of her doping violation and was banned from tennis for four years. It was a potential career-ending blow because Halep’s best years would essentially be behind her. Recently, her former coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, opened up about the unfortunate case of Halep.

The former World Number 1 blamed her coaching staff for the mess created in her career. Following the announcement of her doping case, she had strong words against them, as did her coach.

Recently, Mouratoglou was involved in an interview with L’Equipe, where he opened up about Halep’s doping violation and its side effects on her career. He said, “I would never have imagined that by recommending this collagen to Simona, she would be a victim of contamination. The consequences for them are disastrous and we will continue to fight so that the truth is established and that her innocence is proven .”

 

 

Halep received the punishment in September last year for failing a drug test during the 2022 U.S. Open and for irregularities in her Athlete Biological Passport. As a result, she was provisionally suspended in October 2022 and the ruling of her case was announced a few months ago. However, Halep has appealed against her ban and the hearing will take place in a few days.

Following the doping ban, Halep accused her team of giving her contaminated nutritional supplements. She has maintained her innocence and maintained that she took it unknowingly. As a result, she is hopeful of the overturn of her ban. On the contrary, she had strong words against her team and expressed her emotions in tears.

 

What did Halep say about her team?
In the aftermath of her doping case, Halep stopped working with Patrick Mouratoglou and his academy. She once revealed how she was let down by her coaching team and took a jibe at them. “It’s true that he went out. I wish he could have done that a little bit earlier. I have stopped working with the academy for a while already.”

Halep will hope that the ruling of her appeal goes in her favor. At 32, time is running out for her and if the decision goes against her, it will potentially be the end of her illustrious career.

The schedule has been set for the opening day of the 2024 Australian Open (14-28 January, 2024) with as previously mooted, Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka both starting their campaigns during the Night Session on Rod Laver Arena.

Our preview looks ahead to the opening day of the first Grand Slam of the season with Sunday 14 January heralding an extra day that is usually not on the calendar for this tournament. Also in action include Jannik Sinner and Caroline Wozniacki who will play on Rod Laver Arena and Margaret Court Arena respectively.

🎾Australian Open Order OF PLAY – RLA & MCA – Sunday 14 January 🎾 Full schedule to follow at https://t.co/GDd0dOVG6D#AusOpen #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/QuyKAlyGB8

 

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 12, 2024
Sinner, Sakkari, Djokovic and Sabalenka set for Rod Laver Arena
The four players picked to open the tournament on Rod Laver Arena are Jannik Sinner, Maria Sakkari and the two defending champions in Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka.

Sinner hasn’t been seen since he defeated Novak Djokovic en route to winning the Davis Cup Finals with Italy. Deciding instead to take more of an extended break from the tour during the off season, it will be interesting to see which Sinner comes out of the hat after his best season to date. He faces Botic van de Zandschulp first up in a match that could be a tough examination, but in reality if he has ambitions of moving on further will be one he deals with comfortably.

Then it is Sakkari who has come unstuck in these kinds of situations in 2023 in her best and worst year on the tour as she finally won a title again but found herself prior to that in floods of tears after not being able to win her opening match at the US Open as it looked like her career had stalled. Always a top player in the WTA she will hope for a better start to the year.

 

 

Novak Djokovic then plays in the Night Session on Sunday morning with 18-year-old rising star, Dino Prizmic from Croatia playing in the match of his life after coming through qualifying. A lot of doubt has swirled Djokovic due to his wrist and he will aim to banish that with a clinical display. As will Aryna Sabalenka who reached the final of Brisbane but was royally thrashed by Elena Rybakina in a clinic from the Kazakh. She faces a qualifier herself in Ella Seidel.

Often though the stories come from elsewhere in Melbourne though whether that is emphatic wins or shocks. Leylah Fernandez is among those in action after impressing at the United Cup at times and after picking up her first titles in some years at the end of last season.

Caroline Wozniacki also returns to the site of some of her greatest moments including her Grand Slam title and also her retirement albeit it won’t be Sweet Caroline on Rod Laver as she plays on Margaret Court alongside Frances Tiafoe, Andrey Rublev and Barbora Krejcikova.

 

Elsewhere, Taylor Fritz will open his campaign after a torrid time as of late, while one to look out for perhaps is last year’s girls champion, Alina Korneeva who many see as the next Mirra Andreeva off the cab rank. She beat the 16-year-old in the final last season and has been dominating on the ITF Tour. She makes her Grand Slam debut this time around and will be one to look out for.