UK Joins US, Argentina, Greece, and Brazil in a Star-Studded Adelaide International 2026 – Novak Djokovic Leads the Charge for Glory

Adelaide, South Australia will once again host world-class tennis when the Adelaide International 2026 returns this January, with Novak Djokovic headlining the men’s competition. The tournament will feature top tennis stars from around the world, including the US, UK, Greece, Argentina, and Brazil, promising an action-packed week for tennis fans.

The event, running from January 12-17, 2026, is poised to be one of the major highlights of the Australian Summer of Tennis and will attract tens of thousands of fans to the Drive tennis venue in Adelaide. Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, is set to make his third visit to South Australia. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players in history, with a record 10 Australian Open titles and 428 weeks at World No.1—more than any player in history.

Who Will Compete at the Adelaide International 2026?

Alongside Djokovic, the tournament will feature a host of global tennis stars, ensuring a thrilling competition for both men’s and women’s singles titles. The men’s draw will see players like Jack Draper, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Tommy Paul, Jiri Lehecka, and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina battling it out for supremacy. Djokovic’s presence, coupled with these rising and established stars, adds an extra level of prestige to the event.

On the women’s side, Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula, Belinda Bencic, and Emma Navarro will lead the charge, with Mirra Andreeva, Clara Tauson, and Paula Badosa also joining the action. These players are expected to bring high-octane competition to Adelaide, with four of the world’s top 10 women set to compete.

The tournament will also highlight the inclusion of the ITF 500 Australian Wheelchair International – Adelaide (Quad) event, which will run alongside the main tournament from January 15–17, 2026. This marks the first time the event will feature wheelchair tennis, and it will see top athletes like Heath Davidson, a four-time Australian Open quad doubles champion and two-time Paralympic medallist, competing.

Why Is Adelaide International 2026 So Important?

Adelaide has quickly become a key destination on the global tennis calendar, especially for players looking to fine-tune their games ahead of the Australian Open. The tournament’s growing prestige and excellent player experience make it a must-play event, as confirmed by both Grand Slam champions and emerging talent.

What’s New This Year?

Adelaide International 2026 will see several exciting new additions. The tournament has gained recognition as a premier destination for tennis players worldwide, with many heading to South Australia to compete in this ATP 250 and WTA 500 event. The tournament’s status continues to rise, drawing top players like Stefanos Tsitsipas, Belinda Bencic, and Madison Keys—all of whom have committed to playing in Adelaide in the lead-up to the Australian Open.

For the first time, wheelchair tennis will be showcased as part of the tournament, with a field of eight singles and four doubles players set to compete in the Quad event. This marks a significant step in making wheelchair tennis more prominent on the international stage.

How Popular is the Adelaide International?

With more than 20,000 tickets already sold, the event is shaping up to be one of the biggest sporting occasions of the year in South Australia. The South Australian Government, through the South Australian Tourism Commission, is a major supporter of the event, which has already generated significant local interest and boosted the region’s tourism sector. As more fans flock to Adelaide, the tournament will provide an exciting atmosphere, helping to increase participation in tennis and inspire young players across the state.

What’s the Impact on Local Tourism?

The impact of major sporting events like the Adelaide International has been significant in recent years, as demonstrated by hotel bookings and accommodation revenue reaching all-time highs. In November 2025, a record 9,682 rooms were occupied per night in metropolitan Adelaide, driven by major events such as the bp Adelaide Grand Final and Metallica concerts. With the upcoming tournament, the city is expected to see a continued surge in tourism, especially around the busy Christmas and New Year period.

Minister for Tourism, Zoe Bettison, emphasized that the event reaffirms Adelaide’s position as a premier sporting destination. The Adelaide International serves not only to highlight the world-class tennis talent but also to shine a global spotlight on the vibrant city of Adelaide.

Ticket Information and How to Get Involved

Tickets for the Adelaide International 2026 are on sale now, starting at just $10, with free entry for kids during select sessions. Fans eager to experience the action can visit the tournament’s official website for further details and ticket purchasing. Whether it’s the intense tennis action on court or the festive atmosphere off it, the Adelaide International is set to be an unforgettable experience for all.

Image: 2025 Tennis Australia

The post UK Joins US, Argentina, Greece, and Brazil in a Star-Studded Adelaide International 2026 – Novak Djokovic Leads the Charge for Glory appeared first on Travel And Tour World.

Garbiñe Muguruza’s life was always going to get pretty busy in 2026. Her first child is due at the end of January. But Muguruza, who formally retired from tennis in 2024, and later that year became both a television commentator and the tournament director for the WTA Tour Finals, does not appear inclined toward the easy life.

Last week, the two-time Grand Slam champion who spent four weeks as world No. 1 was named the co-tournament director of the Madrid Open. The clay-court tournament in the Spanish capital is one of six flagship mixed events at the 1,000 level, just below the Grand Slams.

The assignment to oversee the tournament alongside her compatriot Feliciano López carries a good bit of responsibility for a former women’s world No. 1. For years, the Madrid Open had a well-earned reputation for treating women as second-class tennis players.

Its former owner, the Romanian billionaire and former player Ion Țiriac, long argued to revoke paying equal prize money. WTA Tour players complained that they received worse court assignments and scheduling compared with their male counterparts.

Sports conglomerate IMG purchased the tournament from Țiriac in 2022, but ugly moments continued. That year, organizers scheduled the women’s singles final between the men’s semifinals; in 2023, they prohibited the women’s doubles finalists from speaking during the trophy ceremony.

The players, Victoria Azarenka, Beatriz Haddad-Maia, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff, all called the decision unacceptable. The disparity in the size of birthday cakes given to Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka also came under fire.

In the same week as the announcement of her new role, Muguruza told El Partizado de Cope in an interview that a male junior player would have beaten her when she was top of the women’s rankings. “It’s more of a show — it has nothing to do with the Battle of the Sexes,” she said of current WTA world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka’s upcoming match with Nick Kyrgios.

Gerard Tsobanian, the chief executive of the Madrid Open, said Muguruza’s appointment was not a symbolic gesture.

“We strongly believe that leadership in tennis should be built from diverse, complimentary perspectives with equal voice and influence,” he said in a statement announcing Muguruza’s appointment. “We don’t just talk about equality, we design it, we implement it and we make it visible.”

In a message Monday, Muguruza did not offer qualms about the tournament’s past.

“The Madrid Open has always been eager to be ahead, to make a step forward, to be a bit of a pioneer,” she said. “I think it’s a great idea to share the workload and provide the best service to both ATP and WTA players.

She said she recognizes it will be a significant step up from the WTA Tour Finals, with far more players to care for, but the role is especially close to her heart because it is the most significant women’s tournament in Spain. She has warm memories of that rare feeling in tennis: the entire stadium being behind her.

“It was stressful but beautiful,” she said.

The role marks the 32-year-old’s latest move in her pivot from on-court to off-court figurehead. That pivot came far earlier than it has for a lot of players of her renown, as more and more play into and through their 30s, or return to the top level of the sport after having children.

Muguruza didn’t figure it would happen this soon. Just a couple of years ago, she was at the top of the sport, seemingly with many years of competition ahead of her. Having beaten Serena Williams to win the 2016 French Open, she beat Venus Williams to win Wimbledon a year later. Her quality dipped for two seasons, but she started 2020 strong, reaching the final of the Australian Open against Sofia Kenin.

Then the Covid-19 pandemic arrived, and Muguruza, like everyone else, spent six months off the grind of the tennis tour. She took a bit to hit her stride again when tennis resumed, but 2021 brought another solid season. She made four finals, won two of them and then walked off with the WTA Tour Finals title in Guadalajara, Mexico.

For Muguruza, who grew up mainly in Spain but was born in Venezuela, playing in Mexico in front of screaming crowds was pure joy. But almost instantly, everything changed. She had experienced drop-offs following her biggest triumphs before, but this one was a little different. “An empty feeling a little bit,” she said during an interview in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, ahead of this year’s Tour Finals.

“It was massive for me to have that opportunity,” she said. “I felt before the tournament, ‘This is mine, it has to be for me.’ But after that event, I definitely felt a drop in energy and a tiny bit of motivation.”

She started to wonder if it was a blip or a red flag. She started to wonder if her mind was telling her to think about what would come after tennis. As losses and early-round exits piled up in 2022, the answer made itself clear. She started to long for what tennis felt like it was keeping from her, especially the budding relationship that would blossom from a chance meeting with a fan during a walk through midtown Manhattan into a marriage.

“That year I was mentally a little bit more exhausted, and not only that, but I started to look forward to being more at home and being more with my family and with my husband,” she said.

“I started to prioritize more my personal than professional life.”

She played four matches at the start of 2023. She lost all of them, and never played again, before formally announcing her retirement in 2024.

In retrospect, she can see how the sport had changed and how that change had gone against her. There was more power, more speed and more movement than when she broke through, with the time to construct points growing shorter.

“You need to be ready for those quick rallies, for those big serves and two, three shots,” she said. “Before, maybe points were a little longer. But again, it depends. Coco Gauff has a different style than Elena Rybakina.”

Who is the next star from Spain, one of the proudest tennis nations and among the most successful of the new century? She said she is keeping a close eye on Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro, the 23-year-old who Muguruza said might be on the verge of a breakout.

“I think something amazing is going to happen soon because she has the level. She’s gotten deep into tournaments but not yet got a trophy. I feel like we can see something exciting next year.”

She has also become friendly with Alcaraz, the men’s world No. 1 and the biggest Spanish tennis hero now. She sought him out when he first arrived on the tour. She said he hasn’t changed at all.

She will take a break from all that for a little while around the birth of her child. Before long though, it will be time to go back to work. The Madrid Open begins April 20 for the players, and for her a good deal sooner. Then comes the WTA Tour Finals in Riyadh next November, its last edition there under the extant deal with the country. WTA Tour chief executive Portia Archer has said she wants to extend it, despite heavy criticism for the country’s human rights record, and for taking the flagship event in women’s tennis to a relatively immature tennis nation.

“As a player you don’t really know what happens behind or outside the tennis court,” Muguruza said. “I’m much more aware now. So many things, but it’s great. I’m really loving this new chapter and this whole new career now.”

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia didn’t win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday, but he enters the final two weeks of 2025 as the leading contender for sports apology of the year.

Congrats, Diego. Your journey from inspiring college football legend to nationally known jerk will be talked about for years.

This was another banner year for sports figures apologizing for stupid things they said or did, or tweeted or Instagrammed.

Oblivious sports figures come in all genders, and all shapes, forms and sizes. Pro golfers, WNBA stars, tennis players, football players and many others were forced to atone for their misdeeds, whether they felt remorse or were advised by someone with public relations expertise. Even ESPN’s Pat McAfee apologized for spreading a false rumor about a college student that she said “ruined” her life. Do you believe in miracles?

Yet Pavia managed to swoop in over the weekend to leave his apologist peers in the dust. After losing out to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza for the prestigious award, he posted an Instagram story photo of himself and his offensive linemates with the caption “F− all the voters,” adding a thumbs-down emoji.

He was also featured in a video at a post-Heisman celebration, giving the finger to a sign that read “F−−− Indiana” while partying. The obvious target was Mendoza, a humble and talented young man who gave credit to Pavia and the other Heisman contenders during his acceptance speech.

But if that wasn’t enough to seal the deal, Pavia retweeted former sports talk troll Skip Bayless, a Vanderbilt alum, who wrote that Pavia deserved the Heisman but didn’t get it, suggesting “his swagger and edge rubbed some voters the wrong way.”

Naturally, by the time Pavia woke up Sunday and checked his phone, he quickly became aware his reputation as a gritty, likeable underdog who made Vanderbilt into a football power had evaporated into thin air. He was suddenly viewed as the arrogant, condescending and inconsiderate punk who tried to tarnish Mendoza’s Heisman by declaring himself the rightful winner.

It was reminiscent of Kanye West dissing Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Music Video Awards by getting up on stage to tell Swift that Beyoncé deserved it, except without interrupting Mendoza’s acceptance speech and saying “Imma let you finish.”

Pavia was already suspect when it came to his NFL draft prospects due to genetics — he’s a 5-foot-10 quarterback who was listed at 6-0 by his school. But the debate over whether he’d be picked on the second or third day of the draft was suddenly muted by the realization that no NFL general manager in his right mind would select such a classless and clueless player for such an important position.

Pavia, or someone he knows with an actual working brain, immediately tried to rectify the situation with a belated apology posted on his X account about his “disrespectful” behavior. He called Mendoza a “deserving” winner and blamed his reaction on his fiery competitiveness.

“As a competitor, just like in everything I do I wanted to win,” the post read. “To be so close to my dream and come up short was painful. I didn’t handle those emotions well at all and did not represent myself the way I wanted to. I have much love and respect for the Heisman voters and the selection process, and I apologize for being disrespectful. It was a mistake, and I am sorry.”

Nice try, but too late. Pavia, who has previously apologized for actions such as urinating on an opponent’s practice field in 2023, was toasted on social media and all over the internet. He has one more game — on Dec. 31 against Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl — to rescue his reputation from the dumpster fire he lit Saturday night. Good luck with that.

Pavia has some strong competition for the 2025 Sports Apology of the Year, and we’re still waiting on apologies from former Michigan coach Sherrone Moore, the ball-stealing fan known as “Phillies Karen” and a few other knuckleheads.

This seems to be the Golden Age of Stupidity, fueled by the ability to advertise your own misdeeds with a few clicks on your phone.

A close second to Pavia might be serial apologist and PGA star Wyndham Clark, who first apologized this year for launching his driver with both hands into a sponsor wall following a bad tee shot during the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in North Carolina. “My actions were uncalled for and completely inappropriate, making it clear that I have things I need to work on,” Clark posted on social media.

He then “worked” on it by destroying some lockers at historic Oakmont after missing the cut at the U.S. Open. Clark later said he was “very sorry” for making “a mistake that I deeply regret.” He now wanted to just “move on, not only for myself but for Oakmont, for the USGA.”

Moving on is always the best course of action for those who lack self-awareness.

Chicago Sky star Angel Reese wanted to move on after telling Chicago Tribune reporter Julia Poe that she was not “settling for the same s−−−” next year, adding “we have to get great players,” including someone younger than teammate Courtney Vandersloot. “We can’t rely on Courtney to come back at the age that she’s at,” Reese said.

After throwing Vandersloot and her teammates under the bus, Reese apologized to them and said her comments were “misconstrued.” Reese sounded thrilled last week when announcing she’d be back in ’26. “I’m under contract so, yes, I plan on returning to the Sky,” she said.

Finding blame elsewhere is a thematic motif for those in the apology business.

Latvian tennis star Jelena Ostapenko told American Taylor Townsend she had “no class” and “no education” after a dispute over a net cord at the U.S. Open. She later apologized by writing on Instagram that English was not her native language, and that she actually was referring to “what I believe as tennis etiquette” when telling Townsend, a Black player, she had “no education.”

“But I understand how the words I used could have offended many people beyond the tennis court,” Ostapenko added.

PGA of America president Don Rea Jr. apologized in a letter for American fans chanting “F−−− you, Rory” to Irish golfer Rory McIlroy at the Ryder Cup, but only after creating an outcry by telling the BBC, “Heck you could go to a youth soccer game and get some people who say the wrong things.”

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson apologized for telling analyst Richard Sherman the Falcons were playing a game that resembled one from his youth, referred to with a name containing a homophobic slur. When he became aware the language was inappropriate, Robinson posted that the “insensitive” term was from “a football game we used to play as a kid but that’s not an excuse.”

If there were a separate category for 2025 Spitting Apology of the Year, we’d have numerous candidates from the sport of football, including the Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Carter, Florida’s Brendan Bett, Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase and two Colorado State players who spat on opponents in the same game.

Chase even denied he had spit on Pittsburgh’s Jalen Ramsey despite video evidence proving the loogie was in fact his. After being handed a one-game suspension, Chase apologized on Instagram for both the spitting and the lying, writing “as someone who strives to lead with character and authenticity, I should’ve taken immediate accountability for what happened.”

Inter Miami soccer player Luis Suárez apologized for spitting on someone from the Seattle Sounders’ staff after a loss in the Leagues Cup final. He posted on social media that there was “still a lot of season left ahead and we will work together to try and get the triumphs that this club and its fans deserve.”

Then he finished by writing: “A hug to all.”

Every sports figure’s apology should end with a big hug to all, from the bottom of their publicist’s heart.

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