ROBERTO CARBALLES BAENA

The Australian Open tournament director says Novak Djokovic played with a tear in his left hamstring that was more than an inch long along the way to winning the championship.

Tennis, in particular, and sports, in general, can’t help but reflect society.

Novak Djokovic has returned to the Australian Open with a straight-set victory in the first round over Roberto Carballes Baena.

Rivals Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have been placed on opposite halves of the Australian Open bracket in the draw, meaning the owners of a combined 43 Grand Slam singles titles could only meet in the final at Melbourne Park.

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___A women’s world middleweight title fight in England has been called off after a trainer tested positive for the coronavirus. The 29-year-old Marshall was scheduled to fight Hannah Rankin on Saturday in Peterborough for the vacant WBO world middleweight title. ___Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie has tested positive for the coronavirus. ___The Canadian round of figure skating’s Grand Prix has been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. The five-round Grand Prix season is due to begin with Skate America in Las Vegas from Oct. 23-25 without spectators.

(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)PARIS – The Latest from the French Open (all times local):___11:10 p.m.Danielle Collins grabbed the last four games to come back and beat 2016 champion Garbiñe Muguruza 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 in the last third-round singles match at the French Open. Next up for Djokovic as he pursues a second French Open title and 18th Grand Slam trophy overall: No. ___4:20 p.m.Fifth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas reached the fourth round at the French Open for the second year in a row. He came through the qualifying tournament to reach the French Open main draw. ___1:10 p.m.Andrey Rublev advanced to the French Open fourth round with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 win against the unseeded South African Kevin Anderson.

2 seed Karolina Pliskova at the French Open on Thursday, the conversation quickly turned to 2017. And just, like, the world doesn’t stop with winning only one Grand Slam. That’s not very different from where she was three years ago in Paris, ranked 47th and just two days past her 20th birthday when she became an impossible-to-predict Grand Slam champion. Pliskova, who came into the French Open dealing with a leg injury, was not the most gracious foe after Thursday’s loss. The first time I’m in the third round in a Grand Slam.

(AP Photo/Christophe Ena)PARIS – The Latest from the French Open (all times local):____6:10 p.m.Former runner-up Sloane Stephens lost in the second round for her earliest exit at Roland Garros since a first-round defeat on her debut in 2011. ___4:15 p.m.Novak Djokovic's biggest concern seemed to be dealing with a rare bit of sunshine during his second-round victory at Roland Garros. ___2:30 p.m.Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin reached the third round at Roland Garros by beating Ana Bogdan 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. ____1:10 p.m.Danish teen Clara Tauson's surprise run is over after losing to American player Danielle Collins 6-2, 6-3 in the second round. Pliskova's twin sister, Kristyna, was also playing a former French Open champion when she faced 2016 winner Garbiñe Muguruza.