Tennis and Popular - January 12, 2023

2023 Australian Open: The first Grand Slam of the new tennis season is here

MELBOURNE, Australia – The 2023 Australian Open begins on Monday, Jan. 16 in Melbourne. Casper Ruud (Men’s Singles) is aiming for his maiden major title after a run to the US Open final in September, while Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis (Men’s Doubles) and Diede de Groot (Women’s Wheelchair Singles) are looking to defending their 2022 crowns.

Ruud leads Team Yonex
One year after being forced to pull out of the AO due to an ankle injury, Casper Ruud (NOR) returns to Melbourne as the world No. 3. After his disappointment in Melbourne a year ago, Ruud made runs to the finals of both the French Open and US Open, creating history for his native Norway. This time in Melbourne, he will be aiming for his long-cherished Grand Slam title – and also has a shot at leaving Australia as the new world No.1.

Jessica is ready for the triumph
The American is one of the most improved players in the past 12 months in women’s tennis. Jessica Pegula (USA) helped her country win the United Cup in the season opener with a 4-1 record, including a convincing 6-2 6-2 victory over world No. 1 Iga Swiatek. Pegula is aiming for a deep run at the Australian Open after breaking into the top 10 in June.

NEW VCORE set to be revealed
Denis Shapovalov (CAN), Caroline Garcia (FRA) and Elena Rybakina (KAZ) will hit the match courts in Melbourne with a new weapon; The "VCORE" Yonex racquet.

American star Tiafoe shines in Melbourne
Frances Tiafoe (USA) also played a key role in Team USA’s United Cup triumph to open the 2023 season. With an undisputed talent, the 24-year-old has been on the rise since a run to the US Open semi-finals last season, before helping Team World to its first-ever win in the Laver Cup.

Will Nick Kyrgios/ Thanasi Kokkinakis make another Bromance?（AUS）
The victory of this duo last year was one of the most sensational stories in tennis in all of 2022. It was a monumental moment for both, but especially for Kyrgios, who has been under the spotlight for nearly a decade. The run was a precursor to his Wimbledon success, where he finished as runner-up in singles. Will the bromance capture Australia’s attention once again?

Beating the heat at the AO with Yonex
Temperatures can sometimes soar to 100 degrees F/37C in Melbourne during the Australian Open. Yonex wear uses cutting-edge technology to support the players in their battle against the heat. The players’ tournament style apparel is equipped with the original VERY COOL feature, which keeps the inner temperature approximately 3℃ lower than the outside with xylitol’s cooling effect, allowing athletes to play comfortably in the midst of the summer heat.

Official Partner of the Australian Open
The Yonex Stringing Team is the Official Stringing Team of the Australian Open for the 8th consecutive year. The 2023 team consists of 20 stringers from 11 countries and is dedicated to providing the world standard of racquet stringing and is supported by the Made-in-Japan PRECISION 9.0 machines that excel in precision stringing.