Today's edition of Daily Intel is dedicated to the memory of Damian Kust, the most knowledgeable and generous tennis analyst and journalist I've ever encountered.

The tennis world, particularly the ATP Challenger Tour, has lost its most passionate ally and champion.

My sincere condolensces to his family and friends.

🔥 Hurkacz Zeroes Out Zverev. Twenty-one aces at a 33% ace rate. Insanity. The Pole hands the world #3 has been terrifyingly strong on serve this week.

🌪️ Seeds Suffer in Brisbane. Tommy Paul (4), Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (2), and Denis Shapovalov (5) are all out. Bottom half of the draw blown wide open.

🚀 Sabalenka Ain't Playin'. World #1 demolishes Cristina Bucsa (who is no slouch!) in Brisbane. Wins 6-0, 6-1 in under and hour.

⚔️ USA Gets Past Greece. Stefanos Tsitsipas topples Taylor Fritz, 6-4, 7-5. But, Coco Gauff and Ryan Harrison pull out the deciding mixed doubles victory at United Cup.

NOTABLE WINS

🎾 Elena Rybakina Rolls. Former Wimbledon champion bounces Shuai Zhang 6-3, 7-5.(Brisbane WTA)

🎾 Grigor Dimitrov Dominates. Grisha's return from injury continues. Defeats Pablo Carreño Busta 6-3, 6-2. (Brisbane ATP)

🎾 Karolina Muchova Move On. Gets by home fave Ajla Tomljanovic 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 in a gutsy comeback to start her season. (Brisbane WTA)

BIGGEST UPSETS

🚨 Brandon Nakashima Sizzles. Dusts off #2 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, 7-6⁴, 6-4. A straight-set stunner. (Brisbane ATP)

🚨 Sasnovich Sweeps Tauson The qualifier surprises #8 seed Clara Tauson in remarkably

🚨 Raphael Collignon Crushes It. Qualifier blitzes #5 seed Denis Shapovalov, 6-4, 6-2 as the Canadian tosses in 29 unforced errors. (Brisbane ATP)

🚨 Francesca Jones Jumps Up. The newly-minted top 100 scores the biggest win of her career, toppling #2 seed Emma Navarro, 7-5, 2-6, 6-4. (Auckland WTA)

🚨 Coleman Wong Wears 'Em Down. History-maker gets a big win at home, downing #6 seed Gabriel Diallo 1-6, 7-5, 7-5. (Hong Kong ATP)

ODDS & ENDS

🎾 Nick Kyrgios: One and Done. Aleksandar Kovacevic provides merciful end to the Aussie's latest press cycle.

🎾 Wu Yibing Looks Strong. First Chinese man to win an ATP title dispatches Fabian Marozsan 6-4, 6-2.(Hong Kong ATP)

🎾 Joao Fonseca Sidelined. Lower back injury delays the Brazilian prodigy's 2026 debut. (Brisbane ATP)

🔥 Belgium vs. Czech Republic (United Cup, Group Play) Zizou Bergs absolutely hulked out to score his first top 5 win against Auger-Aliassime. Elise Mertens vs. Barbora Krejcikova adds doubles pedigree to the women's singles rubber.

⚔️ Jessica Pegula vs. Dayana Yastremska (Brisbane WTA R16) Upset brewing? Yastremska already took out Fernandez (13) and has dangerous power. Pegula is the 4-seed but the odds (3.27 vs. 1.33) suggest this isn't a gimme.

🚀 Mirra Andreeva vs. Linda Noskova (Brisbane WTA R16) A preview of what could be the top of WTA tennis for the next decade.

🎯 Raphael Collignon vs. Grigor Dimitrov (Brisbane ATP R16) The Dream Run vs. the Dream Boat. (Seriously, even the ATP guys talk about how handsome this man is.)

👀 Botic van de Zandschulp vs. Alexander Bublik (Hong Kong ATP R16) Anything can happen as #2 seed Bublik is the most unpredictable player on tour. van de Zandschulp loves an upset.

CURRENT TITLE FAVORITES (via Tennis Abstract)

Brisbane WTA 500: Aryna Sabalenka (36.4%)

Brisbane ATP 250: Daniil Medvedev (37.4%)

Hong Kong ATP 250: Lorenzo Musetti (32.0%)

Auckland WTA 250: Elina Svitolina (28.8%)

🎾 Kei Crashes Out. Top seed Vit Kopriva send home Kei Nishikori, 6-2, 6-2 at ATP Challenger in Canberra. Spanish phenom Rafael Jodar is the title favorite.

🎾 Qualifier Chaos in Canberra. Ekaterine Gorgodze upset #2 Moyuka Uchijima 6-4, 6-1. Liang En Shuo Liang bageled #4 Daria Snigur. Himeno Sakatsume ousted #5 Mayar Sherif. The seeds are falling and the qualifiers are thriving.

🎾 Indian Tennis Rising. 18yo Manas Dhamne and former Wake Forest NCAA standout Dhakshineswar Suresh both reach the quarterfinals at the Bengaluru Challenger.

🎾 Zidansek Zips Ahead. The former French Open semifinalist came through qualifying and survived Lanlana Tararudee, 7-6, 2-6, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals.