The most anticipated practice session of the 2026 Australian Open was for a player three-and-a-half years removed from tennis.

The Australian Open’s first formal opening ceremony became the Roger Federer show on the eve of the season-opening major.

However, as the pace intensified and Agassi struggled to keep up, the moment took an unexpected turn, with a former Australian Open champion, Ash Barty, stepping in to rescue the spectacle and delight...