Tennis News Today: Andre Agassi and wife Steffi Graf's love story features in Jeopardy! question; Carlos Alcaraz's coach reunites with Spaniard after knee injury recovery
Tennis legends Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf's fairytale love story is well-known at this point. So when it formed the basis of a trivia question in Jeopardy!, one lucky participant laughed all the way to the bank.
Carlos Alcaraz and coach Juan Carlos Ferrero have reunited after the latter was unable to accompany his pupil in Melbourne due to a knee injury. Arthur Cazaux rose to prominence with his run Down Under, but the young Frenchman stated that his path is different from his contemporaries.
Novak Djokovic's 33-match winning streak at the Australian Open was snapped by Jannik Sinner. The Serb's compatriot, Victor Troicki, has come to his defense following the loss.
Here's a quick rundown of the day's biggest newsmakers:
Knowledge of Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf's relationship helps out a contestant on Jeopardy!
Jeopardy! remains one of the most popular game shows to date, while Agassi and Graf's achievements have made them known far beyond the tennis community. So when the latter's relationship made it to the show as a trivia question, one participant didn't hesistate to answer quickly.
"In 2001, it was love all when Andre Agassi married this German tennis star."
The above clue was a part of Monday's episode and the contestant correctly figured out Graf as the answer, for which he was rewarded $1000.
The tennis couple first crossed paths at the 1992 Wimbledon and tied the knot in 2001. They have two kids together, Jaz Elle and Jaden.
Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero reconnect after the latter's injury break
Alcaraz is usually accompanied by Ferrero all the time, but had to fly solo at the recently concluded Australian Open. The latter was unable to be by his pupil's side due to a knee injury.
But he has recovered fully now and the two are training in full force for the 20-year old's upcoming tournaments.
"We’re so excited to see Juan Carlos training @carlosalcaraz again after his recovery. It’s time to prepare for the Latin American clay-court circuit! VAMOS TEAM"
Alcaraz lost to Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. His next tournament is the Argentina Open, where he's the defending champion. He'll then head to Brazil for the Rio Open, where he finished as the runner-up last year.
Arthur Cazaux content with his career trajectory after his Australian Open run
Cazaux is in the same age group as Alcaraz and Holger Rune, but the latter two are far more accomplished than him. The Frenchman, whose career has been plagued by injuries, ousted Rune en route to the fourth round of the Australian Open.
Cazaux participated in the Open Sud de France this week. Speaking at a pre-match conference, he praised the two but stated that he's got own path to carve. He added that he's going to keep working hard and that'll reflect in his results.
"I am not as precocious as him (Rune) or Alcaraz, but I have my own path and I advance at my own pace. I have had many injuries that have slowed me down a lot, but that has not stopped me from believing. I'm going at my own pace and we'll see where it takes me, - Cazaux said.
Cazaux defeated Maximilan Marterer 6-1, 6-3 in the first round, but went down fighting 5-7, 6-2, 6-7 (4) to Felix Auger-Aliassime after that.
Victor Troicki backs Novak Djokovic to emerge stronger following his Australian Open loss
Djokovic's achievements makes every loss of his a surprise considering the high bar he has set for himself. He bowed out in the semifinals of the Australian Open following a four-set loss to Jannik Sinner.
Troicki has defended Djokovic's performance and stated that, in the end, he's just human and can't win every single match. While he acknowledged that players are getting better, he expects the World No. 1 to bounce back as well.
"I think he [Novak Djokovic] can do much better than that [Australian Open 2024 performances] and he himself is aware of it. Of course, he is a man and not a machine, we cannot always expect him to win every Grand Slam. Young players are getting better and better, they are freer, they are progressing," - Troicki said.
"It is not easy to maintain that continuity, and always in top form. That's obvious. Unfortunately, he lost this time, but we all know he doesn't give up and I'm sure he'll be back soon," - he added.
Djokovic isn't scheduled to compete in any of the tournaments in February for now. His next appearance is likely to be at the Indian Wells Masters in March.