Sabalenka’s the current world No. 1, but she needs to at least reach the quarterfinals to hang onto the top spot.

It was a meaningless hit-and-giggle session, a mixed doubles exhibition at Rod Laver Arena just for fun and charity in front of fans a few days ahead of the Australian Open, so Coco Gauff was calling out how fast she would try to hit some serves.

Doping scandals have dominated tennis headlines over the past several months after top-ranked players Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek quietly failed drug tests in 2024. Not only the players, but the leagues and governing bodies were scrutinized for a lack of transparency.