Merlisa
@merlisa.com
Award-winning journalist, freelance writer and author of the book: Serena Williams: Tennis Champion, Sports Legend and Cultural Heroine.
Creator of Courtside Coffee Substack, highly-caffeinated tennis coverage.
https://courtsidecoffee.substack.com/
Creator of Courtside Coffee Substack, highly-caffeinated tennis coverage.
https://courtsidecoffee.substack.com/
The wind in Florida right now sounds like a hurricane coming through. Not sure about Monday night in Miami but if it's anything close to this ain't nobody throwing the ball and field goal attempts gonna sail.
January 18, 2026 at 5:47 PM
The wind in Florida right now sounds like a hurricane coming through. Not sure about Monday night in Miami but if it's anything close to this ain't nobody throwing the ball and field goal attempts gonna sail.
Football fans can be so cruel...and funny. 😂
January 18, 2026 at 3:58 PM
Football fans can be so cruel...and funny. 😂
Olga Danilovic wins six games straight to defeat Venus Williams 6-7, 6-3, 6-4.
Father Time is Undefeated.
Credit to Danilovic who battled Venus and the Australian Open crowd.
Father Time is Undefeated.
Credit to Danilovic who battled Venus and the Australian Open crowd.
January 18, 2026 at 11:17 AM
Olga Danilovic wins six games straight to defeat Venus Williams 6-7, 6-3, 6-4.
Father Time is Undefeated.
Credit to Danilovic who battled Venus and the Australian Open crowd.
Father Time is Undefeated.
Credit to Danilovic who battled Venus and the Australian Open crowd.
Raducanu breaks back. 4-4.
January 18, 2026 at 11:13 AM
Raducanu breaks back. 4-4.
After 13 minutes, Danilovic breaks Venus and will serve for the match.
Venus was up 4-0.
Venus was up 4-0.
January 18, 2026 at 11:11 AM
After 13 minutes, Danilovic breaks Venus and will serve for the match.
Venus was up 4-0.
Venus was up 4-0.
Venus Williams is torturing us with this service game.
January 18, 2026 at 11:08 AM
Venus Williams is torturing us with this service game.
Venus Williams second serve letting her down.
January 18, 2026 at 11:05 AM
Venus Williams second serve letting her down.
Venus Williams in serious trouble.
Raducanu too.
Raducanu too.
January 18, 2026 at 10:57 AM
Venus Williams in serious trouble.
Raducanu too.
Raducanu too.
Danilovic fighting back. Back on serve 3-4.
January 18, 2026 at 10:52 AM
Danilovic fighting back. Back on serve 3-4.
Venus Williams is up 4-0 in the third.
January 18, 2026 at 10:41 AM
Venus Williams is up 4-0 in the third.
Venus Williams gets the break. Would love for her to win a three setter.
January 18, 2026 at 10:35 AM
Venus Williams gets the break. Would love for her to win a three setter.
Danilovic takes the second set 6-3. Venus has to hold in the first game of the third set.
January 18, 2026 at 10:25 AM
Danilovic takes the second set 6-3. Venus has to hold in the first game of the third set.
Day One of the Australian Open, and ESPN commentators have pronounced Zverev's name three different ways.
He is not a newbie.
He is not a newbie.
January 18, 2026 at 10:13 AM
Day One of the Australian Open, and ESPN commentators have pronounced Zverev's name three different ways.
He is not a newbie.
He is not a newbie.
Nike. Why you do that to my boy Carlos?
a man in a suit and tie is crying with his eyes closed in a dark room .
ALT: a man in a suit and tie is crying with his eyes closed in a dark room .
media.tenor.com
January 18, 2026 at 10:09 AM
Nike. Why you do that to my boy Carlos?
Venus Williams comes back from 0-2 in the tiebreaker to win the first set against Olga Danilovic.
Can Venus close it out.
That winner!
Can Venus close it out.
That winner!
January 18, 2026 at 9:54 AM
Venus Williams comes back from 0-2 in the tiebreaker to win the first set against Olga Danilovic.
Can Venus close it out.
That winner!
Can Venus close it out.
That winner!
Venus Williams serving well and whacking winners. Leads 6-5.
a woman stands on a tennis court in front of a kia ad
ALT: a woman stands on a tennis court in front of a kia ad
media.tenor.com
January 18, 2026 at 9:42 AM
Venus Williams serving well and whacking winners. Leads 6-5.
Venus Williams leads Olga Danilovic 5-4.
Crucial that Vee wins the first set.
Crucial that Vee wins the first set.
January 18, 2026 at 9:34 AM
Venus Williams leads Olga Danilovic 5-4.
Crucial that Vee wins the first set.
Crucial that Vee wins the first set.
Michael Zheng, a student at Columbia University, upsets Sebastian Korda, 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 6-3 in the Australian Open.
January 18, 2026 at 8:36 AM
Michael Zheng, a student at Columbia University, upsets Sebastian Korda, 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 6-3 in the Australian Open.
Down goes No. 20 seed Marta Kostyuk, defeated by Elsa Jacquemot 6-7, 7-6, 7-6.
January 18, 2026 at 6:01 AM
Down goes No. 20 seed Marta Kostyuk, defeated by Elsa Jacquemot 6-7, 7-6, 7-6.
Hailey Baptiste defeats Taylor Townsend.
January 18, 2026 at 5:55 AM
Hailey Baptiste defeats Taylor Townsend.
Marta Kostyuk takes a nasty fall. Hope she is able to finish.
January 18, 2026 at 5:34 AM
Marta Kostyuk takes a nasty fall. Hope she is able to finish.
Australian Open upset watch: Diallo takes first set (tiebreaker) off Zverev.
January 18, 2026 at 3:24 AM
Australian Open upset watch: Diallo takes first set (tiebreaker) off Zverev.
Happy that Taylor Townsend got in as a lucky loser. Hate that she faces fellow American Hailey Baptiste in the first round of the Australian Open.
a man dressed as a tennis ball with the australian open written on it
ALT: a man dressed as a tennis ball with the australian open written on it
media.tenor.com
January 18, 2026 at 3:16 AM
Happy that Taylor Townsend got in as a lucky loser. Hate that she faces fellow American Hailey Baptiste in the first round of the Australian Open.
Reposted by Merlisa
Arthur Fery pulls off the first upset of the AO 7⁷-6¹, 6-4, 6-1 over Flavio Cobolli.
Doesn't even take 2.5 hours for Fery to pull this one off.
📸 Aaron Favila/AP
Doesn't even take 2.5 hours for Fery to pull this one off.
📸 Aaron Favila/AP
January 18, 2026 at 2:30 AM
Arthur Fery pulls off the first upset of the AO 7⁷-6¹, 6-4, 6-1 over Flavio Cobolli.
Doesn't even take 2.5 hours for Fery to pull this one off.
📸 Aaron Favila/AP
Doesn't even take 2.5 hours for Fery to pull this one off.
📸 Aaron Favila/AP