Serena continues Slam record bid, Djokovic gears up for Tiafoe test

- Serena Williams will hope to move a step closer to a record-equalling 24th major when she meets Serbia’s Nina Stojanovic, while Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open title defence faces its first real test against Frances Tiafoe in the second round today.

American Williams has been stuck on 23 majors since triumphing at Melbourne Park in 2017, losing four Grand Slam finals since to remain one short of Margaret Court’s record.

But the 39-year-old was at her vintage best in her 6-1 6-1 drubbing of Laura Siegemund in the opening round and will hope to make quick work of world number 99 Stojanovic.

“I felt really comfortable in the tournament leading up to this just a couple days ago when I was playing,” Williams said after her first-round win. “Wasn’t sure how my serve would be after that shoulder (injury), but it’s feeling good.”

In the men’s draw, world number one Djokovic will continue his bid for a record-extending ninth Australian Open title and 18th Grand Slam crown.

The Serbian looked very much at home on the distinctive blue surface in his 6-3 61 6-2 victory over Jeremy Chardy in the first round but 2019 Australian Open quarter-finalist Tiafoe is set to pose a much sterner test. In other matches, U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka faces Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia, a former world number four, while second seed Simona Halep plays local favourite Ajla Tomljanovic. Canadian 11th seed Denis Shapovalov is up against Australian qualifier Bernard Tomic, while U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem meets German Dominik Koepfer.

LeBron James had 28 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists as the Los Angeles Lakers earned their fifth straight victory by defeating the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder 119-112 in overtime on Monday.

Montrezl Harrell contributed 21 points and eight rebounds and Dennis Schroder added 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the Lakers, who played without Anthony Davis (Achilles) and Alex Caruso (hand).

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 29 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds, and Darius Bazley collected 21 points and 16 rebounds for the Thunder. Hamidou Diallo scored 20 points with 11 rebounds, while Justin Jackson and Al Horford each had 14. Oklahoma City’s Mike Muscala (concussion), Isaiah Roby (foot) and Theo Maledon (health and safety protocol) did not play.

Milwaukee Bucks 125 - Denver Nuggets 112

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points and nine rebounds, Khris Middleton scored 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and Milwaukee prevailed at Denver.

Bryn Forbes had 15 points while Brook Lopez and Donte DiVincenzo scored 13 each for the Bucks, who have won five straight.

Nikola Jokic followed up 50-point performance Saturday with 35 points and 12 rebounds, and Will Barton scored 20 of his 24 points in the first half for the Nuggets, who have dropped three straight.

Charlotte Hornets 119 - Houston Rockets 94

Rookie LaMelo Ball drilled a seasonhigh seven 3-pointers as host Charlotte blitzed Houston from behind the arc to win its second straight.

Ball paired 24 points with 10 assists to pace the Hornets, who improved to 4-0 at home in the second half of back-to-back sets. Charlotte finished 19-for-41 on 3pointers, with Ball (7-for-12), Gordon Hayward (3-for-5) and Terry Rozier (3for-8) leading the charge. Hayward scored 19 points while Rozier chipped in 15.

The Rockets, playing without starters Christian Wood (right ankle sprain) and John Wall (rest) plus Eric Gordon (rest), were led by Victor Oladipo (21 points, seven rebounds, six assists) and Ben McLemore (15 points).

Toronto Raptors 128 - Memphis Grizzlies 113

Pascal Siakam scored 12 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter as Toronto won at Memphis.

Toronto coach Nick Nurse was ejected when he picked up his second technical foul with 3:02 left in the third quarter. The Raptors, who were down by 10 points after the technical free throw, responded with a 28-5 surge to take the lead, and they went on to win for the fourth time in five games.

Fred VanVleet also scored 32 points and added nine assists for the Raptors, and Norman Powell had 29 points. Former Raptor Jonas Valanciunas, who had 18 points and 14 rebounds in the first half, finished with season bests of 27 and 20, respectively. Dillon Brooks scored 22 points for the Grizzlies, who have lost four straight.

San Antonio Spurs 105 - Golden State Warriors 100

Dejounte Murray scored 27 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and snagged a career-best eight steals to lift host San Antonio to a win over Golden State in the first game of a back-to-back between the teams.

Murray’s eight steals were the most in the NBA this season. Three Spurs players posted double-doubles, with DeMar DeRozan adding 21 points and 10 assists and Jakob Poeltl scoring 14 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

Stephen Curry paced the Warriors with 32 points while Kelly Oubre Jr. added 24,

Andrew Wiggins hit for 11 points and Draymond Green had 10 rebounds and 10 assists for Golden State.

Dallas Mavericks 127 - Minnesota Timberwolves 122

Kristaps Porzingis scored 27 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and Dallas held off a late rally to defeat visiting Minnesota.

Luka Doncic added 26 points, eight rebounds and five assists, Tim Hardaway Jr. came off the bench for 24 points for the Mavericks, who won consecutive games for the first time since Jan. 20-22. Doncic scored 25 or more points for the 11th consecutive game, two shy of the franchise record held by Mark Aguirre and Dirk Nowitzki.

Malik Beasley had 30 points and nine rebounds and Anthony Edwards scored 22 points for the Timberwolves, who lost for the fourth time in their past five games. Jaylen Nowell added a career-high 18 points.

Washington Wizards 105 - Chicago Bulls 101

In a matchup of two of the NBA’s best scorers, Bradley Beal scored 35 points to lead Washington to a road victory over Zach LaVine and Chicago.

- Joe Root could hardly have scripted his 100th test any better after the England captain led his team to a 227-run victory over India yesterday before being named Man of the Match at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium.

James Anderson displayed his reverseswing mastery with a three-wicket burst in the morning session to effectively snuff out India’s hopes of a draw while left-arm spinner Leach (4-76) then ran through the lower. The hosts, who had been set a daunting 420-run victory target, got a fighting 72 from captain Virat Kohli while opener Shubman Gill scored an elegant 50 but they were bowled out for 192 in root10 the second session of the final day.

The tourists lead the four-match series 1-0, with the second test set to start on Saturday, again in Chennai.

Root, who smashed 218 in the first innings, said batting first had been key.

“It was a crucial toss and we posted a very good score and to take 20 wickets in alien conditions ... huge credit to the bowlers,” he added.

“That’s got to be the way we have to win out there — bat for long periods for time in the first innings.”

England have now recorded six straight wins in away tests, including triumphs in South Africa and Sri Lanka.

The win also boosted England’s chance of reaching the final of the inaugural World Test Championship in June on home soil.

Root’s team need to win two more tests against Kohli’s men to book a place against New Zealand, while India must prevail by a 2-1 margin to pip England.

India skipper Kohli said there was lots of room for improvement from his side.

“England played far more professionally,” he added. “You need your bowling unit to step up and perform more collectively.

“We are a side that’s always looking to improve. We know how to bounce back strongly, and we’re going to give our best effort in the next game and start off on the right note.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Leach had given England the perfect start by removing Cheteshwar Pujara after the hosts had resumed on 39-1. Pujara, whose dour batting could have helped India bat out the final day and secure a draw, made 15.

The flamboyant Gill brought up his third fifty in only his fourth test before Anderson struck twice in four balls. The 38-year-old breached Gill’s defence to dismiss him with a hint of reverse swing.

Next man in Ajinkya Rahane survived a strong lbw appeal but it did not matter as Anderson’s next delivery sent his offstump cartwheeling away.

The dangerous Rishabh Pant became Anderson’s third victim, offering a leading edge to Root at short cover.

Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin resisted England for nearly 18 overs, during which Ashwin sustained blows on his wrist and was smacked on top of his helmet by Jofra Archer.

Leach dismissed Ashwin, who batted more than an hour for his nine runs, but India’s resistance effectively ended when Stokes bowled Kohli.