Anthony Davis felt great on his return from a foot injury but concedes it was a "long five-and-a-half weeks" on the sidelines.
The All-Star returned for the Los Angeles Lakers for the first time since December 17 as they won 113-104 over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.
Davis, who had been sidelined with a fractured bone spur and stress reaction in his right foot, played 26 minutes off the bench in his return, scoring 21 points with 12 rebounds and four blocks.
The center had been in near career-best form prior to the injury, averaging 27.4 points per game as well as a career-high 12.1 rebounds, with his successful return a major boost for the Lakers who improved to 23-26 with Wednesday's win.
"I felt great. I felt good out on the floor," Davis told Spectrum Sportsnet after the game. "The foot feels fine. It was good to be out there with the guys battling. It was good because it was a close game. We really had to battle until the last four, five minutes, it was a good test for me going into this road trip.
"Overall, I'm happy to be back on the court with these guys. It's been a long five-and-a-half weeks, so it feels good to come back and get the win and ultimately be back out on the floor."
Davis checked into the game with 4:22 left in the first quarter, playing on a managed workload.
"Anytime you come back, that first game, that first practice whatever, you're always tender," Davis said. "You want to test it out, see how it feels in live action, in a real game where it matters.
"That's the ultimate test and for that first 30 seconds to a minute I wanted to see if I felt anything or if anything would flare up. When I didn’t feel anything, my mind was like, 'it's time to go'."
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham reassured that they were confident Davis has fully recovered from the issue, having endured numerous injuries in recent seasons.
"He's gone through some rigorous therapy, weight training, weight-bearing exercises, activity on the court - both individually and some group workouts," Ham told reporters prior to the game.
"We would save him from himself if we thought there was any type of threat or harm that he could do to himself.
"He had these boxes that he had to check, and he's checked all of them, so we feel comfortable with him appearing tonight."
Stephen Curry knows he cannot make the same mistake after his ejection in the Golden State Warriors' win over the Memphis Grizzlies, head coach Steve Kerr says.
Curry was ejected with 1:14 remaining in the fourth quarter for unsportsmanlike conduct, having thrown his mouthpiece in frustration after Jordan Poole opted not to pass to him before missing a three-point attempt.
The ejection did not hinder the Warriors, with Poole scoring a last-second layup to clinch a narrow 122-120 victory that moved the franchise up to ninth in the Western Conference with a 24-24 record.
While the loss of Curry was not detrimental to the result, Kerr knows the outcome could have been different and the NBA Finals MVP must avoid similar actions in the future.
"I didn't see what happened at the time, so when the ref called it I was confused," he said.
"Then the coach told me he threw the mouthpiece down out of anger. I think that's an automatic ejection. He knows he can't make that mistake again."
Poole was quizzed on the incident following the win, as well as his interaction with Curry in the tunnel after the game, but claimed he could not remember what occurred prior to his teammates' ejection.
"I don't even know what you're talking about, I have a short memory," he replied.
"We just kind of embraced a little bit [in the tunnel], he's our leader, we would have loved to have him in the game for the last three [minutes]
"But we just found a way to grind it out, get a big win against a really good team, and now we just want to keep that momentum going."
Kerr was similarly keen to avoid any unnecessary drama, highlighting that the victory was more important.
"Was Steph Curry open next to him? We won, let's focus on the positives," he added.
Stephen Curry was ejected for throwing his mouthpiece before Jordan Poole scored a last-second layup as the Golden State Warriors narrowly beat the Memphis Grizzlies 122-120 on Wednesday.
Curry was ejected with 1:14 remaining in the fourth quarter with the Warriors up by two for unsportsmanlike conduct, having thrown his mouthpiece in frustration after Poole opted not to pass to him, before missing a three-point attempt.
But Golden State kept their composure without their NBA Finals MVP, with Klay Thompson draining a clutch three-pointer with 14.1 seconds left, before Ja Morant dished off for a Brandon Clarke dunk to square it up with 6.3 seconds remaining.
Poole got redemption for his role in Curry's ejection, when he got free to land a left-handed layup from Donte DiVincenzo's inbound to decide the game at Chase Center.
Curry finished with 34 points with four-of-eight three-point shooting, while Klay Thompson hit five-of-10 triples in his 24 points.
Draymond Green had 13 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks, while Poole added 21 points with seven assists.
Morant posted 29 points for the Grizzlies, making two-of-seven from beyond the arc with 12 assists and two steals. Desmond Bane managed 20 points but went four-of-six from the stripe.
The result lifts the Warriors up to ninth in the Western Conference with a 24-24 record, while the Grizzlies are 31-17 and second in the west.
Simmons booed as 76ers down Nets
Ben Simmons was booed throughout on his return to Wells Fargo Center as the Philadelphia 76ers edged the Brooklyn Nets 137-133 to clinch their sixth straight win.
James Harden starred against his former side with 23 points, three rebounds and seven assists, making two three-pointers and a driving layup in the final four minutes. Tyrese Maxey added 27 points off the bench and Joel Embiid had 26 points and 10 rebounds.
Seth Curry had a season-high 32 points including seven triples, Kyrie Irving added 30 points with 10 assists, while Ben Simmons was scoreless in the first half from only one shot but finished with 12 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Lillard shoots 60 in Blazers win
Damian Lillard scored 60 points, the second-most by a single player in a game this season, as the Portland Trail Blazers won 134-124 over the Utah Jazz.
Lillard shot nine-of-15 from three-point range including six of those in the first half, recording his fourth career 60-point game, matching Michael Jordan and James Harden for the third most overall.
The Blazers guard scored five triples in the second quarter, which he has done 16 times in any quarter in his career, which is the second most by any player in the last 25 seasons. Jazz power forward Lauri Markkanen scored 24 points with four rebounds.
Damian Lillard recorded the equal second-highest individual score this season with 60 points in the Portland Trail Blazers' 134-124 win over the Utah Jazz, but says it means so much more in a win.
Lillard matched Luka Doncic's 60-point game against the New York Knicks on December 27 with his haul on Wednesday, that included 21-of-29 shooting, making nine-of-15 three-pointers and nine-of-10 free-throws.
Only Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers has exceeded Lillard's 60 points this season, scoring 71 against the Chicago Bulls on January 2.
Lillard's 60-point game was the fourth of his career, tying Michael Jordan and James Harden for the third most in NBA history.
"It feels great," Lillard told ESPN after the game. "I've had these types of performances and we've come out on the losing end. To know this type of effort came in a winning effort, it means that much more especially with what our team has been going through.
"The most important thing was to come out on the winning side."
The win improves the Blazers' record to 23-25 with back-to-back wins, having lost eight of their previous 10 games.
Portland had trailed 31-19 at quarter-time before finding their feet with a 47-point second quarter.
Lillard scored 50 of his points in three quarters, while he managed six three-pointers in the first half.
"It just feels like you can always control the outcome of the game," Lillard said.
"Even when they closed in on the lead and we had some bad turnovers, when you're in that type of groove, you feel like you can always get it going back in the right direction for the team. That's how I felt."
Lillard passed Zach Randolph on the NBA all-time scoring list during the game, sitting 69th overall with 18,787 points.
Brandon Ingram will return for the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves after missing the past 29 games with a left big toe contusion.
Ingram's return comes amid the Pelicans' five-game losing run which has seen them drop to a 26-22 record and fourth in the Western Conference.
The 25-year-old Pels forward has not played since November 25 against the Memphis Grizzlies when he sustained the injury by kicking the back of another player's foot.
Ingram is averaging 20.8 points on 47.2 per cent shooting, 5.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 15 games this season.
"You watch Brandon in his five-on-five games and you realise how his basketball IQ is at a high level," Pelicans coach Willie Green told reporters.
"His skill set is at a high level. He's going to be knocking some rust off when he does come back. That's a part of it, too.
"But he's efficient, elite basketball player. Guys like him and others like him in the NBA is what makes this league special."
Ingram was named the NBA's Most Improved Player for the 2019-20 season, earning his only All-Star selection in the process.
Reigning back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic will miss his third game from the past four due to a tight left hamstring when the Denver Nuggets face the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.
Jokic returned with a triple-double including the game-winner in Tuesday's 98-99 win over the New Orleans Pelicans after missing two games with the same hamstring issue.
The Serbian center is averaging 25.1 points, 11.0 rebounds and 9.9 assists this season, putting him in contention to be first player to win three MVPs in a row since Larry Bird (1984-86).
Jokic's absence comes as the Western Conference-leading Nuggets (34-14) take on the Bucks (30-17), who are third in the Eastern Conference.
The Nuggets will also be without Jamal Murray (left knee), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (sprained right wrist) and Michael Porter Jr. (personal reasons) for the game.
Bobby Portis will be absent for Milwaukee due to right MCL and right ankle sprains, with the injuries to be reevaluated in two weeks.
Portis sustained the injuries in Monday's 150-130 win over the Detroit Pistons where both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton returned after injuries.
Star San Francisco 49ers' running backs Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell sat out Wednesday's practice session while Deebo Samuel was limited ahead of Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
McCaffrey was absent with a calf contusion while Mitchell missed out with a groin issue. Samuel was set to sit out the session with an ankle injury but participated in individual drills and was later listed as limited.
Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan said there were no guarantees that the trio would be available for Sunday's game, although he expressed confidence.
"I expect them to but there's no guarantees, especially with it being the NFC Championship Game," Shanahan told reporters.
"I think there's a better chance they'll be ready since there's nothing guaranteed after this. So, hopefully. We'll keep our fingers crossed."
On Samuel's ankle injury, Shanahan added: "It's been there for a little bit. I think it'll be alright but it concerned us enough to not let him go today."
All-Pro receiver Samuel, who had two receiving touchdowns from 56 receptions for 632 yards along with three rushing touchdowns in the regular season, was bullish that he would be available to play.
"It's just kind of sore," Samuel said. "We're just being cautious and just trying to get ready for Sunday."
Shanahan also said defensive lineman Charles Omenihu was in line to play despite his arrest on suspicion of misdemeanour domestic violence on Monday.
"We're letting the legal process take care of itself so if he's healthy, he'll play this week," Shanahan said.
The Niners take on the Eagles in Sunday's NFC Championship Game at Lincoln Financial Field.
Two days after Andy Reid said Patrick Mahomes would play in Sunday's AFC championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Kansas City Chiefs superstar quarterback reiterated his coach's sentiment.
'"AFC championship week," Mahomes said Wednesday. '"I'm ready to go."
Mahomes confirmed he would play four days after sustaining a high ankle sprain while being tackled by two Jacksonville Jaguars defenders towards the end of the first quarter of Kansas City's 27-20 divisional-round win.
He sat out Saturday's second quarter but after X-rays during the game came back negative, he returned in the second half to lead the Chiefs to a fifth straight AFC title game.
An MRI on Sunday showed no structural damage, and Mahomes said the right ankle is doing much better.
"It's doing good," he said. "I've done a few days of treatment, a few days of rehab. I'm excited to get on the practice field and kind of test it out and see where I'm at. But it's feeling good so far."
Wednesday marked the first of three practices for the Chiefs in preparation for the Bengals. Reid said Mahomes would go through a full practice without any limitations, so it appears the team is not too concerned with the injury.
Before practice, Mahomes was named a finalist for the NFL's Most Valuable Player Award.
The 2018 NFL MVP led the league with 5,250 passing yards and 41 touchdown passes while helping the Chiefs to an AFC-best 14-3 record.
Nick Kyrgios is aiming to return to action at Indian Wells after undergoing successful surgery on his knee, his manager Daniel Horsfall confirmed.
The 2022 Wimbledon runner-up was left "devastated" after being forced to withdraw from the Australian Open on home soil last week.
Kyrgios was ruled out of his home grand slam after an MRI scan on his knee revealed a cyst as a result of a small lateral meniscus tear.
He went under the knife on Monday and is now battling to be ready in time for the first Masters 1000 event of the season at Indian Wells, which starts on March 6.
"The surgery was a great success," Horsfall told Australian newspaper The Herald.
"We couldn't have been more pleased with the outcome of it. Now we will be pushing ahead for a speedy recovery and are aiming to see everyone at Indian Wells."
Kyrgios won the seventh ATP Tour singles title of his career in Washington last August and claimed the Australian Open men's doubles title with Thanasi Kokkinakis 12 months ago.
The 27-year-old, who has yet to play competitively this season, is a two-time quarter-finalist on the hard courts at Indian Wells.
The three awards won at the recent 2022 RJRGLEANER Sports Foundation National Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Awards have come as a boon of motivation for both athletes and members of the coaching staff of the Tornadoes Swim Club.
On Friday, January 20, three swimmers of the Kingston-based club were recipients of a national award for their successes in both swimming and triathlon over the past year.
Leading the pack in swimming is the now overseas-based,18 -year-old Sabrina Lyn, former Tornadoes Swim Club member, who copped the 2022 Female Swimmer of the Year Award following gold medal performances at the 2022 Carifta Swimming Championships where she also set a personal best time the 100m Butterfly and set a meet record in the relay.
Lyn also won gold and other medals at the inaugural Caribbean Games held in Guadeloupe and set the 200m record in the butterfly at the CCAN Swimming Championship in Barbados.
The talented young swimmer, who was recently accepted to Louisiana State University (LSU) said that receiving the award has been a “very honouring experience”. She said that she felt inspired to walk in the footsteps of Jamaica’s swimming doyenne Alia Atkinson who also received the national honour.
“This makes me feel like I am on track to represent Jamaica and my club and to walk in her footsteps on the Olympic stage,” she said.
Female Triathlete of the Year is Rihanna Gayle copped first place at the the Jamaica National Championship Triathlon and was a silver medalist in the CARIFTA Aquathlon in Bermuda last November.
Gayle also secured silver in the World Triathlon Development Regional Cup hosted in Santa Domingo in October 2022.
“It was a big motivation for me to be there at the ceremony and to be recognized among all the great athletes in Jamaica,” said the 17-year-old, who is a student at the St. Andrew High School for Girls.
“Triathlon is a unique sport, and it takes a lot of work, but I am also willing to work hard to accomplish more and to go further in the Triathlon.”
Sixteen-year-old Israel Allen, a student at Jamaica College and National Triathlon Champion, was elated to receive the Male award and is proud of his achievements in the sport.
Allen has represented Jamaica on various occasions in both competitive swimming and triathlon and has won several awards including a bronze medal for Jamaica at the 2022 CARIFTA Aquathlon.
Head Coach of the Tornadoes, Wendy Lee was in a jubilant mood following last Friday’s announcements and hailed the success of the three awardees who she says, “Have been striving towards excellence since they were eight years old.”
“These awards are indeed a physical manifestation of the hard work that we continue put in to producing Jamaica’s best aquatics athletes and as head coach, I am extremely proud of the strides that all our athletes are taking led of course by Sabrina, Rihanna, and Israel,” Lee said.
She credits the round of successes the club secured in 2022 to the holistic approach that the club takes to athlete development.
“All of our swimmers are actively pursuing big goals both in and outside of the pool,” Lee said.
“We are committed to age-appropriate training of the highest standards for all our swimmers, and we are truly honoured to continue to facilitate and nurture this tradition of excellence.”
In 2022, the Tornadoes secured victory in seven of nine local meets and are already preparing for what is expected to be continued success in 2023.
Normally, Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks visiting the Phoenix Suns would feel like a battle for supremacy near the top of the league.
However, going into their clash at Footprint Center on Thursday, it threatens to be the latest in a poor run of form for Dallas, who not only have a bad recent record in Phoenix, but whose form has fallen off a cliff in 2023.
Their win at the Houston Rockets in their first game of the year was their seventh in a row, but since then they have a record of 3-8, including back-to-back home defeats to the Los Angeles Clippers and Washington Wizards in their last two outings.
Head coach Jason Kidd recently called for an improvement from his defense, whose standards have slipped this season.
Following defeat to the Atlanta Hawks last week in which they conceded 130 points, Kidd said: "In this league, if you do that, no matter if you have Luka or Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] or LeBron [James], you're going to lose. It doesn't matter how many points you score, you're always going to be short.
"So until we put a better effort into playing defense and understanding what we have to do, we're going to score 120, but we're going to give up 130, 140. One night we might give up 150, but we'll be fine because we scored, so it doesn't look too bad."
The Suns are recovering from their own bad run, though.
Last year's runaway Western Conference winners started the season with 15 victories in their first 21 games, before only succeeding in six of their next 24.
Four wins on the bounce since then have sparked hope of a resurgence in Phoenix, though, and they will be hoping to take advantage of a vulnerable Mavericks side.
After his impressive performance in the 128-97 win against the Charlotte Hornets, Cameron Johnson said: "It's life – you weather storms. Things don't always go your way. We've found that out the past couple years. That doesn't mean you tuck tail, run, sell the farm, hide away forever.
"We have a lot of confidence in our group. Top to bottom."
Monty Williams' men will look to call on that confidence when they welcome the Mavs to Arizona.
PIVOTAL PERFORMERS
Phoenix Suns – Chris Paul
The experienced Paul was absolutely central to the recent 112-110 win against the Memphis Grizzlies, scoring 22 points with 11 assists, before putting up another 11 assists against the Hornets.
With Devin Booker out, Phoenix have had to share the wealth when it comes to scoring points, and Paul has been key when available in enabling others to find those points.
If Deandre Ayton (illness) is missing again, it will likely come down to the 37-year-old to step up once more.
Dallas Mavericks – Luka Doncic
The Suns are 20th in the league for points scored this season, but the Mavs are a place lower. That seems pretty crazy when you think they have one of the best players in the league in their ranks, and he is again having a productive season.
From 44 games, Doncic has led the way with an average of 33.8 points per game, the most in the league, with 9.1 rebounds and 8.6 assists.
The Slovenian will need help from his team-mates in Phoenix, and a lot more than he had when his 41 points against the Wizards wasn't enough for the win.
KEY BATTLE – Can the Mavs defense finally thrive with no obvious Suns threat?
As mentioned, Dallas have struggled to stop the opposition from racking up the points this season, going from the second-best defense in the regular season last year to 12th so far this.
One factor they could rely on here, though, is the Suns being without Booker and therefore without anyone averaging more than 17.5 points per game (Ayton).
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Prior to Dallas beating Phoenix 130-111 in early December, the Suns had won 10 in a row against them, while they have gone 9-1 in their last 10 home games against the Mavs.
Three of the four quarterbacks who have led their teams to their conference's championship game have been named finalists for the NFL's Most Valuable Player Award.
Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes, Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts and Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow are among the five finalists announced on Wednesday.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson were also tabbed as finalists.
Mahomes, the current betting favourite to win the honour for the second time in his career, Hurts and Jefferson are also finalists for Offensive Player of the Year along with Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
The 2018 NFL MVP led the league with 5,250 passing yards and 41 touchdown passes while helping the Chiefs to an AFC-best 14-3 record. Top-seeded Kansas City will host Burrow's Bengals in the conference title game on Sunday.
Hurts compiled 3,701 passing yards, 760 rushing yards and 35 total touchdowns to lead the Eagles to a 14-3 record and the NFC's No. 1 seed. Philadelphia will host a San Francisco 49ers team guided by quarterback Brock Purdy, one of three finalists for Offensive Rookie of the Year, in Sunday's conference championship.
Purdy, the final pick of the 2022 draft who has gone 7-0 since replacing an injured Jimmy Garoppolo, is joined by Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker and New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson as finalists.
San Francisco's stout defence was also represented with end Nick Bosa one of three finalists for Defensive Player of the Year. Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons, the runner-up for the award last season, and Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones are also up for the honour.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was also named a finalist for NFL Coach of the Year along with the New York Giants' Brian Daboll and Jacksonville Jaguars' Doug Pederson, both of whom directed their teams to playoff appearances in their first seasons.
San Francisco garnered two other award finalists in running back Christian McCaffrey and defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans. McCaffrey joins Giants running Saquon Barkley and Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith as candidates for Comeback Player of the Year, while Ryans is a finalist for Assistant Coach of the Year.
Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson are the other Assistant Coach of the Year finalists.
The Defensive Rookie of the Year award will go to either Jets cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson or Seahawks corner Tariq Woolen.
All of this season's winners will be announced at the NFL Honors event in Phoenix on February 9, three days before Super Bowl LVII will be held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizozna.
Voting was conducted before the start of the playoffs by a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league.
Four people have been questioned by police after displaying pro-Russia symbols and allegedly threatening security guards at the Australian Open.
Tennis Australia banned Russian and Belarusian flags from the event at Melbourne Park earlier this month, after a spectator was reported to security for displaying one during a match between Ukraine's Kateryna Baindl and Russian Kamilla Rakhimova.
Russian and Belarusian players have not been able to play under their countries' flags since Vladimir Putin's regime launched an invasion of Ukraine last February.
On Wednesday, spectators were seen displaying a Russian flag during Andrey Rublev's quarter-final defeat against Novak Djokovic, while one man appeared to be wearing a t-shirt adorned with the letter 'Z' – used as a pro-war symbol in the country.
The man was seen in conversation with an Australian Open official at Rod Laver Arena, while social media footage later showed a flag featuring Putin's face being waved outside the venue.
A widely reported statement from Tennis Australia read: "Four people in the crowd leaving the stadium revealed inappropriate flags and symbols and threatened security guards.
"Victoria Police intervened and are continuing to question them.
"The comfort and safety of everyone is our priority and we work closely with security and authorities."
Rory McIlroy has been called an "immature little child" by Patrick Reed.
McIlroy confirmed he purposely ignored Reed at a practice session ahead of the Dubai Desert Classic.
Reed, one of the high-profile players who left the PGA Tour to sign up for the LIV Golf Invitational last year, was alleged to have thrown a tee at McIlroy, who claimed not to have noticed.
The American, who McIlroy said had served him with court papers on Christmas Eve, has denied there was any malicious intent behind that move, as he hit out at the world number one's behaviour.
Reed told reporters: "One of my attorneys filed a lawsuit against the PGA Tour based off the fans' perspective.
"Supposedly, he subpoenaed Tiger [Woods] and Rory. You know, the media sits there and acts as if I'm the one that is subpoenaing these guys and, honestly, that's far from the truth – it has nothing to do with me and nothing to do with any of the lawsuits that I'm a part of.
"It was good to see [Rory] again this week, that he's over here supporting [the DP World Tour] again, but it is one of those things.
"If you're going to act like an immature little child, then you might as well be treated like one."
Reed, who won the Masters in 2018, explained what happened when he went to greet McIlroy.
"[McIlroy's caddie] Harry [Diamond] shook my hand and Rory was messing with his TrackMan [golf app], and he just looked up and kind of decided to ignore us.
"Since my tees are Team Aces LIV tees, I flicked him one. It was kind of a funny shot back. Funny how a small, little flick has basically turned into me stabbing him."
McIlroy said the incident was a "storm in a teacup", but also said: "I'm living in reality. I don't know where he’s living. If I were in his shoes, I wouldn't expect a hello or a handshake."
Reed is now hoping to go head-to-head with McIlroy out on the course.
"That would be great, but I will tell you this much – there won't be much talking," Reed said.
"Even if I said hello on the first, he won't say anything. I can be as much a gentleman as I can be, [it's] his choice if he doesn't respond."
Novak Djokovic needs no extra motivation as he aims to win the Australian Open for a 10th time, as his confidence levels continue to rise.
Djokovic stormed into the semi-finals with a 6-1 6-2 6-4 thrashing of Andrey Rublev on Wednesday.
The Serbian has never lost a semi-final in Melbourne, while he has matched Andre Agassi for the longest Australian Open win streak in the Open Era (26).
Asked if this is as confident he has ever felt at the season's opening major, the 21-time grand slam champion told reporters: "I can't really say that this is as confident that I ever felt because I've had some incredible seasons, years here in Australian Open, some matches that are really unforgettable for me.
"I've been fortunate to really live through a lot of success in Australian Open. But [in the] last two matches, playing against two guys that are really good players, in-form players, to beat them dominantly in three sets is something that sends a message to all my opponents remaining in the draw.
"With this kind of game, of course the confidence level rises. I feel good on the court, better and better as the tournament progresses.
"I've been in this situation so many times in my life, in my career, never lost a semi-final at the Australian Open. Hopefully, that will stay the same."
When it was put to Djokovic that he is even more motivated at the age of 35, Djokovic said: "I don't think that I lack determination.
"I always try to give my best, particularly in grand slams, because at this stage of my career those are the tournaments that count the most, of course.
"You could say that there is something extra this year. You could say because [of] the injury, [and] what happened last year. I just wanted to really do well.
"I have a perfect score in Australian hard courts, in Adelaide and here. I've been playing better and better. I couldn't ask for a better situation to be in at the moment."
Djokovic will face Tommy Paul in the last four, after the American defeated compatriot Ben Shelton.
Paul has never faced Djokovic, who nevertheless knows what to expect.
"I know how he plays. I never faced him on the court, but he's been around for a few years," said Djokovic.
"I watched him play quite a bit, especially during this tournament. He's been playing probably tennis of his life. Very explosive, very dynamic player.
"I think he can hit all the spots with the serve. A very complete player. First semi-final for him, so of course he doesn't have much to lose."
Three American men progressed to the quarter-finals in Melbourne for the first time since 2000, and the first time in any grand slam since 2005, and Djokovic believes a strong United States contingent is crucial.
"America for our sport is an extremely important country," Djokovic said. "We have some of the biggest tournaments in the world played there.
"I think it is important that we see successful American men and women. Now you have a list of maybe four or five young players that are knocking on the door of the top level. I think that's great for our sport."
Rory McIlroy saw no need to defend his actions after he blanked Patrick Reed at a practice session ahead of the Dubai Desert Classic.
Reed is alleged to have thrown a golf tee at McIlroy after the world number one refused to acknowledge him.
McIlroy has stressed he did not see a tee being thrown at him, while Reed denied it.
However, McIlroy explained he has no desire to speak to Reed, who the Northern Irishman has claimed sent him court papers on Christmas Eve.
Reed is one of several high-profile players to have joined the LIV Golf Invitational Series last year, a Saudi-backed breakaway from the PGA Tour, the main tour for which McIlroy has become an unofficial spokesperson over the past 12 months.
"Patrick came up to say hello and I didn't really want him to," McIlroy told reporters in Dubai.
"From my recollection, that was it. I didn't see a tee. I didn't feel a tee. Obviously, someone else saw that.
"But it's definitely a storm in a teacup. I can't believe it's actually turned into a story; it's nothing.
"I was down by my bag, and he came up to me. I was busy working and sort of doing my practice. I didn't feel the need to acknowledge him."
It is unclear if McIlroy will take any further steps, though the 33-year-old added: "I didn't see a tee coming my direction at all, but apparently that's what happened. And if roles were reversed and I'd have thrown that tee at him, I'd be expecting a lawsuit."
McIlroy also suggested Reed must be living in a different world if he believed the four-time major champion would shake his hand.
"I was subpoenaed by his lawyer on Christmas Eve," McIlroy said.
"Trying to have a nice time with my family and someone shows up on your doorstep and delivers that, you're not going to take that well.
"I'm living in reality, I don't know where he's living. If I were in his shoes, I wouldn't expect a hello or a handshake."
McIlroy again reiterated his opposition to LIV Golf, saying: "There's no point in just being a mouthpiece when you can't back that up by playing good golf and showing people the rewards people can have out here if they are playing well.
"It's a merit-based system. That's the thing that I've always struggled with: if a five-year-old boy or girl know that they work hard and they shoot the scores, there's a merit-based system in golf all the way through junior golf, amateur golf, all the way up to the professional level, and they can make it to the top levels of the game.
"This is the one thing that's come into the game that has disrupted that. It's not a merit-based system."
Novak Djokovic felt he played his best tennis in Wednesday's straight-sets win over Andrey Rublev which resulted in his 10th semi-final appearance at the Australian Open.
Djokovic produced a dominant performance as he ran out a 6-1 6-2 6-4 victor against Rublev, who has now lost each of his seven career grand slam quarter-finals.
Having missed last year's tournament, nine-time Australian Open champion Djokovic has now won 26 consecutive matches at the event, matching Andre Agassi's record streak in the men's singles draw, set between 2000 and 2004.
Speaking courtside after securing another routine win, Djokovic insisted his opponent deserved more but said he had hit top form at Rod Laver Arena.
"Overall, I think the scoreline of the first two sets does not speak to the reality of the match, there were some really close games," Djokovic said.
"Andrey's a great opponent, a great player. I have tonnes of respect for him. He has one of the biggest forehands and is one of the quickest players on the Tour.
"I knew what the game plan was, but it's one thing to imagine how you want to play and another to execute it on the court.
"If I had to sum it up, in all the important moments and important shots, I found my best tennis. That's what makes me most pleased tonight."
Djokovic described his 6-2 6-1 6-2 demolition of Alex de Minaur in the last 16 as his best performance of the year on Monday, and the Serbian ranked his display against Rublev as a close second.
"I would rank it as number two, but very close to the performance of two nights ago!" Djokovic said.
"I could not be happier with my tennis, honestly. I've been playing very solid from the back of the court and I really love playing under these conditions and on this court.
"I've said it many times, but I love playing here. It's definitely the most special court for me."
Djokovic's pursuit of a record-extending 10th title at Melbourne Park looked to be in doubt as he struggled with a hamstring injury in the early rounds, but after moving freely on Wednesday, the 35-year-old credited his medical team's efforts.
"On the days off it's important to be smart and wise with the body in these particular circumstances. It's important to recover and get ready for the next challenge," he said.
"I just want to give huge credit to my physiotherapist Miljan [Amanovic], he has been through hell with me over the last 10 days with all the treatments. He deserves huge credit and I'm so grateful to him."
Novak Djokovic claimed a share of another piece of history on Wednesday as he won his 26th consecutive match at the Australian Open.
Djokovic took the title in Melbourne in 2019, 2020 and 2021 before he was denied entry last year and subsequently deported due to his COVID-19 vaccination status.
The 21-time grand slam champion is back this year and has continued his winning run, defeating Roberto Carballes Baena, Enzo Couacaud, Grigor Dimitrov, Alex de Minaur and, on Wednesday, Andrey Rublev.
That quarter-final success saw Djokovic match Andre Agassi for the longest Australian Open win streak in the Open Era.
Agassi won 26 in a row between 2000 and 2004, likewise winning three titles, missing one tournament and then reaching a semi-final before finally being beaten.
Djokovic will hope to avoid the same fate as he bids for the outright record against Tommy Paul in the semis, although he has never been beaten in a last-four match in Melbourne, winning the title on the previous nine occasions he reached this stage.
Those nine titles are a record for any man at the Australian Open and for Djokovic at any one major.
This is also now Djokovic's favourite grand slam in terms of match wins, with the 6-1 6-2 6-4 dismantling of Rublev his 87th victory in Melbourne. It passed his 86 wins at Wimbledon.
Professional tennis player John Chin is set to represent Jamaica in the upcoming Davis Cup tie for the first time since becoming a professional.
Chin, a two-time representative on Jamaica's Davis Cup team, is preparing for another Davis Cup battle on February 4-5, when Jamaica takes on Estonia on home turf.
Chin, a former top junior made a strong professional debut in the second half of last year. While still only 18 years old, he played through the qualifying round and into the semi-finals of a Men's $25,000 tournament in the Dominican Republic in his first ever professional competition.
Then in November 2022, partnering with Miles Jones of the USA, he recorded his first professional doubles win in Santo Domingo. Playing against Aydan Gomez-Osorio (Netherlands) and Kaipo Marshall of Barbados, Chin and Miles won in straight sets 6-1, 7-6.
"The transition from the junior circuit to the pro circuit is definitely a step up in skill level," says the Mandeville native who is trained locally by Ryan Russell of Russell Tennis Academy.
"It is very challenging but I will continue to work on my game and hopefully improve my ranking this year."
Having reached a Junior ITF (International Tennis Federation) career high ranking of 211, Chin hopes to eventually better that on the pro circuit.
He ended 2022 ranked 1019 on the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Men's Singles pro tour.
He played his freshman year of college tennis at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in 2021-2022, where he went undefeated at 8-0 in the spring season.
MTSU ended the year ranked in the top 20 of NCAA Division 1 men's tennis. After one season with the Tennessee college Chin decided to transfer to Boise State University (BSU) in Idaho where he will wear the colours of the Broncos.
"I am looking forward to training with the Boise men's tennis team. I want to make an impact on the team and to help BSU reach our goals for the 2023 spring season and beyond." BSU's head coach Luke Shields and assistant coach Alexander Free both have excellent reputations as coaches and I expect to do well under their tutelage." says Chin.
He is one of only three Jamaican men who are currently ranked on the ATP tour. Blaise Bicknell leads the group as the highest ranked player at 764, with Chin second at 1019, followed by Rowland 'Randy' Phillips at 1398. All three men are again slated to play for Jamaica in the tie against Estonia.
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