Rafael Nadal called Novak Djokovic's COVID-19 vaccination controversy in Australia "a circus" and joked that he would prefer that the world number one tennis player didn't play at the upcoming Australian Open.
The Serbian Wimbledon champion extended his win streak to nine, wrapping up the final in 75 minutes without facing a break point and booked his place at next month's ATP Finals.
World number two Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, the tournament announced on Wednesday, in the latest setback for the player due to his refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine.
IMAGES from Day 9 of the US Open, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows, New York.
'I am uncomfortable that the focus of the past weeks has been on me and I hope that we can all now focus on the game and the tournament I love'
Serena Williams said on Sunday she will not compete at this week's Miami Open as the 23-times Grand Slam champion is recovering from oral surgery.
It was sweet victory for Japan's Miyu Kato as she bagged the mixed doubles crown with Tim Puetz after being disqualied from the women's doubles.
Djokovic announced on Tuesday he received an exemption to play in the Grand Slam tournament in Melbourne and said he was heading to Australia.
World number one Novak Djokovic said on Tuesday he would defend his Australian Open title at Melbourne Park later this month after receiving a medical exemption from getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
The arrival of Novak Djokovic led to incongruous scenes outside the hotel, with members of the Serbian expatriate community draped in the national flag and playing traditional music joining refugee activists in protests.
Djokovic, who has won nine titles at Melbourne Park, including the last three, confirmed on Tuesday that had received a vaccination exemption to allow him to bid for a record 21st major title at the Australian Open, which starts on January 17.
Carlos Alcaraz stayed on course for his fourth title of 2023 by powering into the semi-finals of the Madrid Open.
Images from Day 2 of the 2023 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Tuesday.
World number three Dominic Thiem is "extremely sorry" for the way players conducted themselves at Novak Djokovic's Adria Tour exhibition event after which four players tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the Austrian said on Thursday. Djokovic, Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki tested positive after playing in the charity tournament in Serbia and Croatia, which drew big crowds and saw players pose for pictures together.
Germany's Alexander Zverev beat Russian world number two and defending champion Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-4 in the summit clash of the ATP Finals on Sunday to win the title for the second time in his career.
World No 1 Djokovic on Sunday won his sixth Wimbledon title. With this win, Djokovic now has 20 Grand Slams to his name and he is now equal with Swiss tennis maestro Roger Federer and Nadal.
Novak Djokovic has only faced Nick Kyrgios twice in his career, losing twice to him in 2017, so while he will be favourite to claim a seventh Wimbledon crown, he knows exactly how dangerous the unpredictable world number 40 Kyrgios can be.
No tennis players hoping to compete at the Australian Open have yet been granted medical exemption from vaccination, tournament director Craig Tiley said on Thursday, as he reiterated that everyone at Melbourne Park would need to be fully inoculated.
Carlos Alcaraz is the third Spaniard to reach the Wimbledon men's singles final after Manuel Santana and Rafael Nadal.
Images from the men's singles fourth round matches on Day 8 of the 2023 Australian Open in Melbourne on Monday.
Nick Kyrgios ended a three-year title drought with a dominant victory over Yoshito Nishioka at the Citi Open on Sunday and the Australian said he was stunned at his "incredible transformation" over the last year.
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Nadal pulled off his greatest escape to deny Daniil Medvedev again, less than three years after leaving the Russian heartbroken in five sets at the 2019 US Open final.
World number one Novak Djokovic said on Wednesday he hopes rival Roger Federer will return to competitive action soon and be able to compete with the best again after the Swiss great said he would miss the Australian Open in January.
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Former world number one Roger Federer retained his place at the top of the list of the world's highest paid tennis players for a 17th year despite not playing a match for nearly 14 months.
Russian Daria Kasatkina said she left the French Open with a bitter taste in her mouth after being booed off by the crowd.
On Monday, Spain eased the lockdown rules that were in effect since mid-March because of the Coronavirus pandemic. But sports facilities are supposed to remain closed at least until next week in most parts of the country.
Novak Djokovic split with his long-time coach Marian Vajda at the end of the 2021 season, ending one of tennis's most enduring and successful partnerships, the Serbian former world number one said.
Sinner is most likely to upset the applecart after the Italian's run to the Canadian Open title this month
Djokovic said it had been a friendly conversation.
'This has nothing to do with sports, this is a political agenda. Novak is the best player and the best athlete in the world, but several hundred million people from the West can't stomach that.'
'I am very proud to pack for Tokyo and join our national team'
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Novak Djokovic beat Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final to win a 24th Grand Slam singles title and equal Margaret Court's record haul.
It was a case of more pain than gain for Nadal since he hoisted the Musketeers' Cup for a record 14th time in June.
While proof of vaccination is not required to enter France or any sporting event in the country, French tennis federation (FFT) president Gilles Moretton warned that things could change before the tournament starts on May 22.
World number one Novak Djokovic began his quest for a sixth title at the season-ending ATP Finals with a 7-6(4), 6-2 victory over Norway's Casper Ruud in their round robin encounter in Turin on Monday.
Galan will play either Canadian Denis Shapovalov or American Brandon Nakashima for a place in the fourth round.
Kyrgios was hailed for the brilliance of his tennis in the opening set but panned for his erratic behaviour
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