Daily Dose of Social Media: Nick Kyrgios trains with Cruz Hewitt amid controversy, Sinner and Alcaraz focus on Australian Open

Nick Kyrgios found himself embroiled in controversy a day ago due to comments on an Instagram post by Cruz Hewitt. However, today the two were seen training together in good spirits. In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, we take a look at standout moments featuring ATP and WTA stars.

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz shared photos from Melbourne as they await the start of the Australian Open. The Italian spent some downtime playing cards between training sessions, while the Spaniard set foot on Rod Laver Arena and practised with Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Meanwhile, Coco Gauff reacted to her recent MVP award at the United Cup.

From surprised to proud: Gauff reacts to being named United Cup MVP

World No. 3 Coco Gauff was the undisputed leader of Team USA on their path to victory at the United Cup. She achieved five consecutive singles wins, defeating opponents like Karolina Muchova, Leylah Fernandez, and five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek. Additionally, Gauff partnered with Taylor Fritz twice in mixed doubles, winning both matches in straight sets.

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During the award ceremony, Gauff was visibly surprised when she heard through the microphones that she had been named the MVP of the tournament. “I didn’t know it was a thing, so I wasn’t expecting anything like that,” she commented later.

“But it’s probably the only time, you know, you can get MVP in tennis, so that’s pretty cool. I think it’s one of the trophies I might actually leave outside the box,” said the World No. 3. From off-camera, Taylor Fritz could be heard jokingly asking her, “And the US Open, where is it?”

“The US Open one, it’s in a safe,” the 20-year-old American star replied, laughing.

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Sinner enjoys card games ahead of Australian Open title defence

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner shared a series of photos playing cards with his team as he relaxed ahead of his Australian Open debut. The defending champion has been in Melbourne for several days, training to fine-tune his game before beginning his title defence.

The Italian opted out of playing lead-up tournaments, meaning he will arrive at the Aussie Open without any official matches this year. However, Sinner is committed to playing two exhibition matches during the Open Week. His first will be against Alexei Popyrin on Tuesday, 7 January, followed by a match against Stefanos Tsitsipas on Friday, 10 January.

Sinner’s tournament path will be revealed on 9 January during the official draw, with his debut match scheduled for 12 or 13 January. “Sometimes simple stuff like playing cards can make you feel better for the moment ♠️🃏🙂🤞🏻,” Sinner captioned the photos.

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Nick Kyrgios and Cruz Hewitt train together amid controversy

A video on social media captures the latest training session between Nick Kyrgios and young prodigy Cruz Hewitt, the son of former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt. This comes just a day after Kyrgios stirred controversy online by commenting on an Instagram post from Cruz, where the teenager posed with Jannik Sinner following a training session.

“Love ya Cruz but this is wild,” Kyrgios replied, adding “cooked post” with a needle emoji. The comment drew criticism on social media, with some interpreting it as an attack on the 16-year-old player.

Kyrgios has been a vocal critic of Sinner since the doping case that allowed the World No. 1 to avoid suspension despite two positive tests for clostebol, a banned substance under ITIA rules. The Australian has repeatedly taken jabs at his 23-year-old peer, and the photo with Cruz became another chapter in this ongoing saga.

Despite the social media drama, the training session between Kyrgios and Cruz highlighted not only their skill levels but also their camaraderie, as they shared laughs after a spectacular passing shot from Kyrgios.

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Alcaraz arrives at Melbourne with new look and trains with Mpetshi Perricard

Carlos Alcaraz shared photos of his arrival at Rod Laver Arena, sporting a fresh haircut in preparation for the Australian Open. The Spaniard touched down in Melbourne two days ago to finalise his training ahead of the tournament’s start. Alcaraz was seen on court today, greeting fans and sharing moments from his first session.

The 4-time Grand Slam champion began his practice with none other than Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, a rising star who has recently made waves on the ATP Tour. Widely regarded as one of the best servers on the circuit, the Frenchman had an impressive run at the Brisbane International, reaching the quarterfinals before falling to Reilly Opelka. Along the way, he defeated notable names like Frances Tiafoe, Nick Kyrgios, and Jakub Mensik.

As for Alcaraz, he has chosen not to participate in any lead-up tournaments before the Australian Open. Instead, he plans to build match rhythm through a couple of charity exhibition matches at Rod Laver Arena. On Wednesday, 8 January, he will face World No. 8 Alex De Minaur, followed by a clash with 2024 Canadian Open champion Alexei Popyrin on Friday, 10 January.

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Stefanos Tsitsipas returns to Australian Open: A new chapter in 2025

Stefanos Tsitsipas is gearing up for the Australian Open, where he reached the final in 2023. However, this time, the Greek star arrives under different circumstances. Having fallen out of the top 10 in 2024, he won’t be among the top 8 seeds for the first time in five years, leaving him vulnerable to a challenging draw as early as the fourth round.

Tsitsipas boasts an impressive 24-7 record at the Australian Open, with a runner-up finish in 2023 and three semifinal appearances (2019, 2021, 2022). Last year, however, he suffered a fourth-round exit at the hands of the then-12th seed, Taylor Fritz.

As preparation for Melbourne, Tsitsipas participated in the United Cup, teaming up with Maria Sakkari for Greece. Despite entering as the third seeds, their hopes were dashed in the decisive match against Kazakhstan. Tsitsipas concluded the tournament with a win over Pablo Carreño Busta and a loss to Alexander Shevchenko.

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