JOHN PYE
FILE - Feb. 21, 2021, file photo Serbia's Novak Djokovic holds the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after defeating Russia's Daniil Medvedev in the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia. Players who haven't received a COVID-19 vaccination are unlikely to get a visa to enter the country for the Australian Open next January, according to the political leader of the state which hosts the season-opening major. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair, File)
Prospect of no jab, no visa for Australian Open tennis stars

By John Pye Oct. 19, 2021 01:30 AM EDT
Elite tennis players are being urged to get a COVID-19 vaccination or risk

Spectators walk around Melbourne Park, venue for the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021. All competition at six Australian Open tuneup events scheduled for Thursday, feb. 4, 2021 was called off after a worker at one of the tournaments' Melbourne quarantine hotels tested positive for COVID-19. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)
Testing times: Organizers say Aussie Open will start on time

By John Pye Feb. 04, 2021 02:37 AM EST
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — There were 160 players back in isolation because a

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain rubs his nose during a press conference at the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne, Thursday, March 12, 2020. Six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has questioned the wisdom of staging the season-opening Formula One Grand Prix while other sports are canceling events because of the spreading coronavirus. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
F1 cancels season-opening Australian GP amid virus concerns

By John Pye Mar. 13, 2020 02:24 AM EDT
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — As thousands of fans queued to get into the

From left to right, Michael Masi of the FIA, Australian Grand Prix Corporation Chairman Paul Little, Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO Andrew Westacott and executive chairman of the Formula One Group Chase Carey, speak to the media about the cancellation of the Formula One Australian Grand Prix at the the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, March 13, 2020. The first F1 Grand Prix of the season was canceled two hours before the first official practice was set to start Friday after organizers relented to pressure to call it off amid the spreading coronavirus. (Michael Dodge/AAP Image via AP)
Where next for F1? Australia race canceled, Bahrain in doubt

By John Pye Mar. 13, 2020 01:53 AM EDT
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — With the curtain-raiser canceled, and the second,

McLaren driver Carlos Sainz of Spain waves as he poses for a photo at the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne, Thursday, March 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
McLaren: 1 staffer has coronavirus, 14 others in quarantine

By John Pye Mar. 12, 2020 10:30 PM EDT
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — One positive case of coronavirus for a McLaren

CORRECTS DRIVER'S NAME - McLaren driver Carlos Sainz of Spain arrives at the track for the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, March 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill)
F1 cancels season-opening Australian GP amid virus concerns

By John Pye Mar. 12, 2020 02:39 AM EDT
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — As thousands of fans queued to get into the

England rugby fans warm up with a rugby ball at an underground pathway in Tokyo Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. A heavy downpour and strong winds pounded Tokyo and surrounding areas on Saturday as a powerful typhoon forecast as the worst in six decades approached landfall, with streets and train stations deserted and shops shuttered. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
As Japan braces for typhoon, rugby squad trains in the rain

By John Pye Oct. 12, 2019 03:46 AM EDT
TOKYO (AP) — Emergency crews were on high alert. Flights and trains were cancelled.

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland, bottom, leads the pack during the start of the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, March 17, 2019. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Bottas, version 2019, has breakthrough win at Australian GP

By John Pye Mar. 18, 2019 01:06 AM EDT
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The 2019 version of Valtteri Bottas is leading a Formula

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands holds up his trophy after coming third in the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, March 17, 2019. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Max power: Verstappen gets podium for Red Bull and Honda

By John Pye Mar. 17, 2019 07:51 AM EDT
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — With one overtaking maneuver and consistent speed, Red

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, right, passes Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany during the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, March 17, 2019. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill)
Ferrari misses out on a podium place at F1 Australian GP

By John Pye Mar. 17, 2019 05:19 AM EDT
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Ferraris were touted as the fastest cars on the F1

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland goes through turn 2 as he leads during the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, March 17, 2019. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Bottas beats Mercedes teammate Hamilton to win Australian GP

By John Pye Mar. 17, 2019 02:48 AM EDT
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Valterri Bottas can't really explain how he got from

Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton of Britain, center, and Valtteri Bottas of Finland, left, pose with Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany after qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, March 16, 2019. Hamilton qualified first, Bottas second and Vettel in third place on the grid for the first race of the year, Sunday. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Vettel chases 3rd straight Aussie GP win to equal Schumacher

By John Pye Mar. 16, 2019 05:12 AM EDT
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — It doesn't really bother Sebastian Vettel that he'll be

Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton of Britain, right, and Valtteri Bottas of Finland attend a press conference after qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, March 16, 2019. Hamilton qualified first and Bottas second place on the grid for the first race of the year, Sunday. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill)
Record lap gives Hamilton 6th straight pole at Australian GP

By John Pye Mar. 16, 2019 03:27 AM EDT
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Lewis Hamilton produced the fastest lap ever at the

A tribute to Charlie Whiting, the former FIA Formula One Race Director who recently passed away, is on the front of Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton's car during the final practice session for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, March 16, 2019. The first race of the year is Sunday. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Hamilton on track for 6th consecutive pole at Australian GP

By John Pye Mar. 16, 2019 12:26 AM EDT
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Lewis Hamilton got incrementally faster across three

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain answers a question during the drivers press conference ahead of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, March 14, 2019. The season-opening Australian Grand Prix will be raced here on Sunday, March 17. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill)
Hamilton, Bottas lead the way for Mercedes at Australian GP

By John Pye Mar. 14, 2019 10:43 PM EDT
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Five-time world champion Lewis Hamilton picked up where

Williams driver Robert Kubica of Poland, right, and teammate George Russell of Britain, laugh with team principal Williams team principal Claire Williams during the launch for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, March 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Pundits applaud Kubica's F1 comeback at the Australian GP

By John Pye Mar. 14, 2019 05:46 AM EDT
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Robert Kubica had just tried to make light of his long

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain answers a question during the drivers press conference ahead of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, March 14, 2019. The season-opening Australian Grand Prix will be raced here on Sunday, March 17. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill)
Whiting's death sets somber tone for opening F1 GP weekend

By John Pye Mar. 14, 2019 04:28 AM EDT
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The sudden death of race director Charlie Whiting set a

FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2014, file photo, Charlie Whiting, FIA Race Director, right, and FIA President Jean Todt, left, arrive for a news conference at the 'Sochi Autodrom' Formula One circuit , in Sochi, Russia. The governing body for international auto racing says its Formula One director Whiting has died from a pulmonary embolism. He was 66. The FIA issued a statement Thursday, March 14, saying Whiting died in Melbourne, where the season-opening Australian Grand Prix will be raced on Sunday. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, File)
F1 race director Whiting dies 3 days before Australian GP

By John Pye Mar. 13, 2019 09:49 PM EDT
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Five-time world champion Lewis Hamilton described Charlie