Coco Gauff of the U.S. plays a forehand return to Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic during their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Associated Press photographers take a look at the Australian Open through the light and shadows at Melbourne Park. The images capture tennis players hitting their shots in shafts of light. Instead of zooming in on the stars, the photographers focus on the harsh contrasts created in the middle of a sunny Southern Hemisphere summer.
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays a backhand return to Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada serves to Nuno Borges of Portugal during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)Raphael Collignon of Belgium plays a forehand return to Lorenzo Musetti of Italy during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)Flavio Cobolli of Italy plays a backhand return to Arthur Fery of Britain during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)Flavio Cobolli of Italy serves to Arthur Fery of Britain during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)Oleksandra Oliynykova of Ukraine plays a forehand return to Madison Keys of the U.S. during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)Raphael Collignon of Belgium plays a backhand return to Lorenzo Musetti of Italy during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)Lorenzo Musetti of Italy plays a forehand return to Raphael Collignon of Belgium during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)Andrey Rublev of Russia serves to Jaime Faria of Portugal during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)Raphael Collignon of Belgium plays a backhand return to Lorenzo Musetti of Italy during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)Mackenzie McDonald of the U.S. plays a forehand return to Alex de Minaur of Australia during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)Anastasia Potapova of Austria plays a forehand return to Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)Daniil Medvedev of Russia serves to Jesper de Jong of the Netherlands during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)In this image taken with a slow shutter speed, Andrey Rublev of Russia plays a forehand return to Jaime Faria of Portugal during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)Victoria Mboko of Canada plays a forehand return to Clara Tauson of Denmark during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)Gabriel Diallo of Canada plays a forehand return to Alexander Zverev of Germany during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.
