Andy Murray's hopes of an emotional return to the Australian Open next month have been crushed after he was forced to abandon plans to make the long journey to the southern hemisphere.

Tennis Australia issued a statement on Monday saying Japan's Kei Nishikori had withdrawn from the Australian Open next month as well as next week's new ATP Cup.

MIKE DICKSON IN SYDNEY: They romped to a 3-0 win over the bottom team of their qualification group at the Ken Rosewall Arena which included Dan Evans taking down world No 46 Radu Albot 6-2 6-2.

Juan Martin del Potro has become the latest high-profile casualty of the Australian Open after it was announced the Argentine has withdrawn from the first Grand Slam of 2020.

Sir Andy Murray, 32, admitted being a father of three under five was 'exhausting.' The tennis star said looking after his kids at home in Surrey was full on but still said he cherished this moments.

Margaret Court (pictured) has accepted Tennis Australia's invitation to the Australian Open despite the governing body slamming her opposition to same-sex marriage. 

Even before he suffered what he termed a 'setback' to keep him out of next month's Australian Open, the 32-year-old Scot had hinted his participation on clay this year might be strictly limited.

Tennis champion Margaret Court sparked another divisive controversy on Sunday, telling a Perth church congregation that LGBT material in schools is 'of the devil'.

Court won all four grand slams in 1970 and also holds the record for the most grand slams won by a female player at 24 titles. Serena Williams is one grand slam title away from equally Court's record.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF), Wimbledon, and the US and French Opens have donated more than £300,000 to the Australian Bushfire relief efforts.

MIKE DICKSON IN MELBOURNE: The tennis world is going to spend much of this year trying to work out the best way to deal with the issue of the great champion turned fiery Christian preacher.

A chance meeting with Yeovil Town striker Courtney Duffus at the end of Wimbledon last summer is what the British number two says is behind her form going into the season's first Grand Slam.

Serena Williams was seen flaunting koala-themed nail polish on the court on Monday as she took on Russian opponent Anastasia Potapova in Melbourne Park, on the first day of the Aus Open.

MIKE DICKSON IN MELBOURNE: It was a 'Hello World' moment when Coco Gauff defeated Venus Williams in the first round on Wimbledon's Court Number One last summer.

MIKE DICKSON IN MELBOURNE: It was literally at the eleventh hour that Dart saved British tennis from an Australian Open wipeout when she fought her way through to second round.

On a day of wild swings on global markets, brent crude briefly fell below $16 a barrel - the lowest level this century. It later recovered, surging 10 per cent to more than $21 last night.

Man United walked away from a summer deal for Juventus striker Dybala 'because Ed Woodward feared another Alexis Sanchez situation' over the Argentine's £18million-a-year wage demands.

Sanchez could be out of action until the New Year if he requires surgery, but United sources have confirmed there is no release clause in the deal that saw him move to Italy for the rest of the season.

Tyson Fury has responded to Deontay Wilder excuse that his shock loss to the Gypsy King was caused by his 'heavy' ring walk outfit, saying fighters will often refuse to blame themselves after a defeat.

Tyson Fury's team have opened discussions to face Australian cruiserweight Jai Opetaia in Sydney next year, despite a trilogy fight against Deontay Wilder coming up this summer.

Anthony Joshua's hopes of securing a heavyweight mega-fight with Tyson Fury face a major threat from his next opponent Kubrat Pulev, according Bob Arum.

Perth-based Linear Clinical Research will trial a 'ground-breaking' potential vaccine being developed to help the body produce antibodies to fight the coronavirus.

Ambassador Cheng Jingye said on Monday that Australia's push for an inquiry into the origins of the virus could result in Chinese citizens rejecting Australian products.

The new modeling is based on a nationwide shutdown of non essential services from April to September, meaning if the pandemic persists, the losses could be significantly higher.

Australia is standing firm in its calls for an independent probe into the origins of COVID-19. China has dismissed any potential investigations, describing the proposal as a 'political manoeuvre'.

Digital share broker CommSec, which provides financing to buy shares, is predicting Australia's border closures will cause immigration levels to plummet to levels that will harm the economy.

Warwick Smith has resigned as chairman of the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations as government officials clash over China's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

China's ambassador to Australia has bizarrely denied that 'wet markets' even exist in the Communist nation as the country continues to deny that the outbreak began in Wuhan.

The Morrison government stood firm on its calls for an independent probe into the origins of COVID-19. In response, Chinese diplomats threatened to cut economic ties with the country.

Jingye Cheng triggered a diplomatic firestorm by warning Scott Morrison's push for an inquiry into the origins of coronavirus could lead to a boycott of Australian food, universities, and tourism.

The Morrison government has called for an inquiry into the origins of coronavirus and accused China of not being 'transparent' about how it dealt with the outbreak.

China expert Professor James Laurenceson predicts cashed-up Chinese investors will continue having an interest in Australian property - despite diplomatic tensions over coronavirus.

The Frozen link has been responsible for lots of visits in Hallstatt, along with a view that gained renown in Asia thanks to a South Korean TV series filmed there and a partial replica of it built in China.

Australia's first Hong Kong-born federal MP Michael Johnson has warned a Chinese boycott of Australia exports would have consequences lasting for at least a decade.

The men were arrested over two days in Grafton and Turramurra in Sydney after Australian Border Force intercepted intercepted sex dolls being imported into the country in March and April.

An influential academic who writes for a Chinese Communist Party newspaper has accused Australia of 'stabbing China in the back' over its calls for an international coronavirus inquiry.

Chinese property investors are lying in wait to snap up cheap real estate deals in Australia when coronavirus travel restrictions are lifted.

Mining magnate Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest and media mogul Kerry Stokes drew widespread outrage for calling on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to dump an inquiry into the origin of coronavirus.

China's 'bullying' responses to Australia's calls for an international coronavirus inquiry were slammed as 'outrageous' as experts rethink the diplomatic relationship.

A tweet posted by Mark Buttigieg flashed on screen during Q and A on Monday night, where Mr Buttigieg claimed Australia's relationship with the US is biased.

Scott Morrison said a 'proper assessment' into the deadly virus is necessary.

An Australian film about a man with coronavirus in home quarantine predicted the COVID-19 pandemic more than three years before the outbreak. 

The first scheduled international flight out of South Australia left with 30 tonnes of fresh seafood, meat and other produce destined for Asia.

Neville Power, the chairman of the government's COVID-19 recovery taskforce, has suggested resuming travel ties with China. He used to run iron ore exporter Fortescue Metals.

CCTV footage shows the man stop his car in the overtaking lane of the Qinyuanling tunnel, Zhejiang Province, China, causing a three-car pile up and a near-fatal accident as he tries to escape.

The report by Israeli cyber-security company Check Point said hackers known as Naikon targeted a worker in the office of the Western Autralian premier.

Juwai, Asia's biggest property sales site for overseas investors, has revealed why Chinese buyers are really interested in Australia - and expects their interest to surge in 2020.

The Royal Australian Mint began circulating the new note in October 2019, months before the virus was even identified in Wuhan, China - the original epicentre.

The supplies were sent from the coronavirus epicentre of Wuhan to Sydney Airport on April 8.

Coco Gauff's ather Corey says that age restriction rules will see his daughter out of the spotlight for a while following her third round defeat to Naomi Osaka at the US Open.