Linda Pearce
Linda Pearce is the Chief Tennis Writer and general sports reporter for The Age. She writes about a range of sports, including football, netball, and gymnastics. Linda has twice been named Australian tennis writer of the year.
Tennis
Final yields tears, pain and fireworks
Linda Pearce Victoria Azarenka defended her Australian Open title at Melbourne Park on Saturday night, but not before the drama that preceded the final spilled over into the match itself.
Relief at last as Stosur goes through
Linda Pearce Ninth seed completes a victory she greeted with both happiness and relief.
Tennis
Federer ready for challenge
Linda Pearce Bernard Tomic and Roger Federer continue to monitor each other.
Tennis
Sam's honest admission stuns top seed
Linda Pearce The surprise to Victoria Azarenka was that Sam Stosur would admit to the third-set choke against Zheng Jie.
Tennis
Slap in the face for unbeaten Serena
Linda Pearce Rivals are struggling to damage Serena Williams, she's being left to land blows on herself.
Tennis
Roger revved up for weekend at Bernie's
Linda Pearce BERNARD TOMIC watched Roger Federer play Nikolay Davydenko on Thursday night, just as Federer would have monitored the young Australian's performance on Rod Laver Arena earlier that afternoon.
Tennis
Azarenka cops ribbing after hitting panic button
Linda Pearce VICTORIA AZARENKA has won the right to defend her Australian Open title in Saturday's final, but few friends for the controversial tactics that helped get her there. The world No.
Tennis
Azarenka sticks to her guns: injury not a ruse
Linda Pearce VICTORIA AZARENKA admits she is unsure of the reception she will receive when she walks out for the Australian Open final against Li Na on Saturday night, having moved into damage-minimisation mode...
Tennis
Azarenka may cop a ribbing
Linda Pearce Victoria Azarenka is unsure of the reception she will receive at the Australian Open final.
Going beyond a choke
Linda Pearce Victoria Azarenka has won the right to defend her Australian Open title in Saturday's final, but gained few friends for the controversial tactics that helped to get her there.
Tennis
Djokovic piles pain on Murray
Linda Pearce FOR Novak Djokovic, no shirt ripping this time, no early-morning, record-setting marathon, but still a history-making result.
Tennis
Djokovic piles pain on Murray
Linda Pearce For Novak Djokovic, no shirt ripping this time, no early-morning, record-setting marathon.
French the ace in pack for ambitious Djoker
Linda Pearce Novak Djokovic was on his way to Tullamarine Airport early on Monday morning at a time, 12 months earlier, that his previous final on Rod Laver Arena was still being played.
Tennis
Champ has drive, just less bounce
Linda Pearce Last year's longest-ever grand slam final will not be repeated at this Australian Open.
Tennis
Human headline, talent to Bern
Linda Pearce Linda Pearce talks to Australia's most topical player, a rare talent with an uncanny knack for finding controversy.
Chat with Rafter has Stosur on right track
Linda Pearce Sam Stosur's long-time coach David Taylor has always admired Pat Rafter for his problem-solving skills on the tennis court, and it might be that the Davis Cup captain has helped, in some small way,...
Williams's bid takes a whacky turn
Linda Pearce OPPONENTS are struggling to inflict damage on Serena Williams but the Australian Open favourite is doing a good job of doing it to herself.
Our new No.1 has no grand slam victories
Linda Pearce Marinko Matosevic will become Australia's top-ranked tennis player on Monday.
Tennis
Strike never an option: Murray
Linda Pearce, Shanghai Andy Murray is pleased there will be no player boycott of the Australian Open.
Tennis
Laver laments Australia's demise
Linda Pearce, London Rod Laver is sad to see how far Australian tennis has fallen, to the point where there was no third-round singles presence at Wimbledon for the first time since 1939.
