Rafael Nadal's path to his Australian Open semi-final against Grigor Dimitrov on Friday has taught the 30-year-old Spaniard one thing -- he's still got it.
'Everybody knows that they could wait a little bit, no? It was an unfortunate decision.'
IMAGES from all the action on Day 8 the Australian Open on Monday
Fifth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer was ousted from the Indian Wells ATP tournament on Tuesday as Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer both moved into the fourth round.
World No 1s Andy Murray and Angelique Kerber have been named top seeds for the first major of the season, Australian Open, which will commences on January 16.
Rediff.com presents the early surprises at the year's first Grand Slam.
Rafael Nadal has conceded he is not yet sure that he will be able to represent Spain at the Rio Olympics as his fitness concerns linger.
A month shy of his 35th birthday, Roger Federer knows time is not on his side if he wants to triumph at Wimbledon again, but he is adamant his goals stretched beyond the world's most famous Centre Court.
Andy Murray produced a masterclass in tennis to destroy the highly rated Milos Raonic on Monday and book his place in the quarter-finals of the US Open.
He had written stories and screenplays for over 70 films in his lifetime.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Friday
Novak Djokovic was dumped out of the Paris Masters in straight sets by Marin Cilic on Friday, opening the door for Andy Murray to end the Serb's two-year stranglehold on the world number one ranking.
Pospisil and Shapovalov joined forces in the deciding doubles rubber against Jordan Thompson and John Peers, winning 6-4, 6-4 in front of several hundred delirious Canadian fans.
Top seed Andy Murray cruised past Spain's David Ferrer 6-2, 6-3 on Saturday and Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov received a walkover into the China Open final after Milos Raonic withdrew due to an ankle injury.
Fourth seeded Canadian Milos Raonic played the game of his career to snatch the singles title from the jaws of defeat in the $ 450,000 Chennai Open tennis championship by beating top seeded Serbian Janko Tipsarevic 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 7-6(4) in the final in Chennai on Sunday.
Fourth seed Canadian Milos Raonic won his first round match of the season beginning Chennai Open with utmost ease, disposing off unseeded Victor Hanescu of Romania 6-1, 6-4 at the centre court on Wednesday night.
World No 1 Novak Djokovic and defending champion Andy Murray produced contrasting performances to secure their berths in the quarter-finals of the Madrid Masters on Thursday.
World No 3 Roger Federer had to use all his guile and experience to battle back from a set down to see off fast-rising Canadian Milos Raonic 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 in the Madrid Open second round on Wednesday.
Milos Raonic demonstrated his claycourt credentials with a 6-4, 7-6 win over Andy Murray in the last eight of the Barcelona Open on Friday before top seed Rafa Nadal crushed Janko Tipsarevic 6-2, 6-2 to claim his semi-final place.
Novak Djokovic reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open on Wednesday after Kei Nishikori retired hurt when trailing 6-1, 4-1 in their quarter-final.
Top seed Rafa Nadal ran hard-serving Canadian Milos Raonic ragged in a 7-5, 6-3 victory to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the Japan Open on Thursday.
Images from Day 8 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Monday.
Big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic became the first two-time winner on the ATP World Tour this season when he beat unseeded Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan 7-6, 6-2 in Sunday's final to repeat as champion of the San Jose Open.
Mischa Zverev took some of the limelight back from younger brother Alexander when he beat second seed Kei Nishikori to reach the Geneva Open final on Friday.
Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Roddick each launched their title bids in triumphant style at the Indian Wells ATP tournament on Sunday without losing a set in the second round.
Big-serving Milos Raonic of Canada did not dish out his best tennis today, but still he managed to book his place in the semifinals of the Chennai Open by defeating Israel's Dudi Sela in straight sets. He will now face second seed Nicolas Almagro of Spain, a 4-6, 7-6 (10-8), 6-4 winner over Japanese qualifier Yuichi Sugita. Meanwhile, defending champion Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland crashed out.
Japan's Kei Nishikori surged to a three-set victory over alternate David Ferrer at the ATP World Tour Finals on Thursday before sitting back to watch his fate unfold in the night match.
After winning their second ATP title together Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-ul-haq Qureshi said winning the tense final at the Gerry Weber Open was like surviving Russian roulette.
Milos Raonic, the finalist at Wimbledon this year, and women's world number five Simona Halep of Romania have pulled out from next month's Rio Olympics due to fears over the Zika virus.
Novak Djokovic bolstered his hopes of holding on to his World No 1 status until the end of the season with a 6-2, 6-3 defeat of big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic to retain the Paris Masters title on Sunday.
Canadian prospect Milos Raonic enhanced his growing reputation with a stunning 7-6, 7-6 upset victory over top seed and defending champion Fernando Verdasco to win his first title at the San Jose Open on Sunday.
Canadian Milos Raonic will not be the only man experiencing something new on Wimbledon's Centre Court on Sunday -- for the first time Britain's Andy Murray will start a Grand Slam final as favourite after crushing Tomas Berdych in the semis.
Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon had a solid game in his first appearance since the World Cup as his side eliminated Catania with a 2-0 home win in the Italian Cup last 16 on Thursday.
Seven-time champion Federer faces last year's runner-up Milos Raonic in his quarter-final on Wednesday after defending champion Murray, who is chasing a third SW19 title, takes on big-serving American Sam Querrey for a place in the last four.
The Rohan Bopanna-Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi juggernaut continued to roll in the ATP BNP Paribas Open as the Indo-Pak pair advanced to the semifinals with a straight-set triumph over Serbs Novak Djokovic and Viktor Troicki in Indian Wells on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Donald Trump talked by phone for about 50 minutes Friday morning and agreed to 'strengthen cooperation' on fighting the novel coronavirus, but did not discuss postponing the Olympics or holding them without spectators, Japanese officials said.
Novak Djokovic deserves a "little star" next to his name for a spectacular 2015 season that saw him win three grand slams among his 11 titles but the men's game is not simply a matter of the Serb versus the rest, Roger Federer said.
Surging Canadian Milos Raonic will make his debut in the top 50 of the world rankings next week thanks to a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 quarter-final win over American Robert Kendrick at the Memphis Championships on Friday. The 20-year-old Raonic, fresh off his first tournament win on Sunday at the San Jose Open, utilised his powerful serve and unleashed 20 aces to beat Kendrick in one hour and 53 minutes.
Canadian Milos Raonic continued his impressive early-season form by beating former world number four James Blake in straight sets in their second-round clash at the San Jose Open on Wednesday. The confident, big serving 20-year-old showed his mettle in a 6-2, 7-6 triumph to set up a quarter-final against Lithuanian Richard Berankis, who defeated American Donald Young 6-4, 5-7, 7-5.
Canada's Milos Raonic pounded 17 aces to end the winning run of second seeded and Commonwealth gold medallist Somdev Devvarman and create the biggest upset of the day in the $1,25,000 Tashkent Challenger, on Thursday. The 155-ranked Raonic beat the 95th ranked Somdev 6-4, 7-6(3) in an hour and 18 minutes.
