Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz clash in the Australian Open final with history on the line as Djokovic chases a record 25th Slam and Alcaraz eyes a career Grand Slam.
IMAGES from all the action on Day 8 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Sunday.
There could be no place more appropriate for Djokovic to finally break free of his tie with Margaret Court on 24 Grand Slam singles titles than in her own backyard at Melbourne Park, where he has won the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup 10 times.
Sinner remains the man to beat at Melbourne Park even as doping officials seek a two-year ban for the world number one for failing two drugs tests last March.
Alcaraz has not gone beyond the quarter-finals in his three previous visits to Melbourne, but that has not stopped the world number three from dreaming of glory in the Jan. 12-26 event.
Jannik Sinner retained his Australian Open title with an emphatic 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3 win over Alexander Zverev on Sunday
Novak Djokovic won a record-extending 10th Australian Open crown, beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in a generational clash in the men's singles final, at Melbourne Park, on Sunday.
List of leading men's grand slam singles title winners after Roger Federer beat Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final on Sunday.
Federer being out of the way does not hand Nadal a free path to glory in Melbourne
With the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup sitting a few centimetres away from his left hand, Novak Djokovic was a contented man at his post-match media conference.
Novak Djokovic will need to spend some time on the sidelines recovering from a muscle tear that hindered him in the later rounds of the Australian Open, the Serbian said as he celebrated his ninth Melbourne Park title on Monday.
Yet the warrior-like instincts kicked in and we were all reminded that Nadal, as long as he is standing, remains a physical and psychological force of nature on a tennis court.
'I'm happy to have the chance to try to stop, one more time, somebody from making history.'
Nadal fought from two sets down to defeat Medvedev in a five-set thriller at Rod Laver Arena.
No sooner had Novak Djokovic claimed his 17th Grand Slam trophy by triumphing at the Australian Open for the eighth time on Sunday, the Serb was already setting himself a deadline to claim the record of major titles. Djokovic's 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory in a thriller over fifth seed Dominic Thiem drew him within three slams of Roger Federer's haul of 20 and two behind second-placed Rafa Nadal's 19.
Novak Djokovic endured a fierce challenge to his Melbourne Park reign before overhauling Dominic Thiem 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday to clinch an eighth Australian Open crown and reclaim the world number one ranking. He captured the decisive break in the third game of the final set, then held firm as Thiem made desperate assaults on his serve. Going for broke in a nerve-shredding final game, the fifth seeded Austrian went for the lines but missed twice to hand Djokovic one of his most hard-earnt triumphs.
Djokovic is clubbed with Federer, Juan Martin Del Potro, David Goffin and Alexander Zverev.
The last 24 hours have been a follow-through to that and other sporting events across the world. Rediff.com brings you five Best Sports Photos of all the action that sum up memorable events of the last 24 hours.
In his darkest moments last year when he doubted if he would ever get back to full fitness following his knee injury, Roger Federer clung on to one thought -- he still had the game to maybe sneak another Grand Slam title.
One of the first orders of business for Stanislas Wawrinka on his return to Melbourne Park last week was to see the photo of himself holding the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup on the 'Walk of Champions' under the Rod Laver Arena centre court.
Factbox on Switzerland's Roger Federer,
Novak Djokovic has vowed not to become over-confident as he seeks to extend a 15-match winning streak when he returns to action in Dubai, his first tournament since winning a sixth Australian Open title last month.
Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand started his campaign at the Bilbao Final Masters with a crushing win over former FIDE world champion Ruslan Ponomariov of Ukraine in Bilbao, Spain.
The red-shingled, colonial-style Capella is a five-star hotel on the Sentosa island, which boasts several resorts, hotels, two golf courses and a theme park.
Novak Djokovic's star still burns bright as he returns to Melbourne Park in search of a record seventh Australian Open title.
Elia Viviani's Olympic gold medal hopes seemed to have vanished in a tangle of legs and carbon fibre after a crash during the finale of the men's omnium but the Italian recovered to claim an emotional victory.
Even after 20 Grand Slam titles, the tears gushing down Roger Federer's cheeks after winning his sixth Australian Open crown on Sunday showed the competitive fires still rage within the 36-year-old Swiss.
'It ranks right at the top. Under the circumstances, playing against Nadal, such an important match, it's amazing," the 31-year-old told reporters after needing barely two hours to extend his perfect record in seven Australian Open finals'
When it comes to the Australian Open the Serbian reigns supreme.
IMAGES from the Australian Open final played on Sunday
An emotional Roger Federer wiped away tears and urged Rafael Nadal to stay with him on the tour for years to come after felling his great rival to win his fifth Australian Open on Sunday.
Australian Open champion Roger Federer is set to continue defying Father Time after announcing he will return to defend his title next year.
Factbox on Serbia's Novak Djokovic who won his sixth Australian Open men's singles title on Sunday.
'Remarkable discipline for training, competition, sacrifice, perfection, a little crazy but a legend of a bloke. Bravo Andy'.
Novak Djokovic crushed Andy Murray 6-1, 7-5, 7-6(3) on Sunday to match Roy Emerson's record of six Australian Open titles and leave the Briton heartbroken again at Melbourne Park.
Novak Djokovic reasserted his rule over the hard-courts of Melbourne Park
A summary of Novak Djokovic's rise in the tennis circuit in photos.
Novak Djokovic vanquished Andy Murray for the fourth time in an Australian Open final on Sunday to win a record-equalling sixth title and serve notice to his rivals that he could surpass even his stellar 2015 this year.
There are moments at the Olympic Games that have a sporting significance, and then there are those that leave an indelible mark on humanity.
Some of the big moments of the sporting world from 2010-2019!
