Reigning champions Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams have been named top seeds for the Australian Open starting on Monday.
The future arrived late but after some old-fashioned glitches, two Russian trailblazers fired the first shots in what could be a revolution in tennis at the Next Gen ATP Finals on Tuesday.
Stanislas Wawrinka survived a second-set wobble to beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 and give Switzerland a 1-0 lead over hosts France in the Davis Cup final on Friday. In the second match, Gael Monfils rose to the occasion as he upset Roger Federer 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 to help France level.
Novak Djokovic boosted his chances of finishing the season as world number one when he became the first player to retain his Paris Masters title with a 6-2, 6-3 win over big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic in the final on Sunday.
A long season took its toll on Roger Federer on Thursday as the Swiss was knocked out of the Paris Masters following a 7-6(3) 3-6 7-6(5) third-round defeat by big serving John Isner.
World No 2 Rafael Nadal sailed into the quarter-finals of the China Open, his first tournament in 13 weeks, with a 6-3, 6-4 win over German qualifier Peter Gojowczyk on Thursday.
Novak Djokovic sauntered past Spaniard Feliciano Lopez to reach the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters on Thursday but Andy Murray had to claw past big-serving American John Isner after losing a first-set tiebreaker.
Swiss second seed Stan Wawrinka advanced into the semi-finals at the Rogers Cup with a comprehensive 6-1, 6-3 victory over big-serving South African Kevin Anderson at the Aviva Centre in Toronto on Friday.
With the year sprinting to a close, we bring you, in pictures, some of the best action from the sports world.
Fourth seed Andy Murray erased memories of early losses at Indian Wells by storming into the BNP Paribas Open third round with a ruthless 6-1, 6-3 victory over Canadian Vasek Pospisil on Saturday.
World number one Rafael Nadal will face compatriot David Ferrer at next week's ATP World Tour Finals in London, with last year's champion Novak Djokovic and runner-up Roger Federer drawn in the second group on Saturday.
Relentless schedule taking toll on big-name tennis players.
Roger Federer booked his place in the ATP World Tour Finals for a record-tying 12th consecutive year when he dismissed South African Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-4 to reach the third round of the Paris Masters on Wednesday.
Top seed and defending champion Novak Djokovic rallied to see off Frenchman Gael Monfils 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-4 in the Shanghai Open quarter-finals on Friday and world number one Rafa Nadal also booked his place in the last four.
Roger Federer produced a vintage performance to crush Richard Gasquet 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 and seal Switzerland's maiden Davis Cup title with a 3-1 win over hosts France on Sunday.
Gael Monfils rose to the occasion as he upset Roger Federer 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 to help France level the Davis Cup final with Switzerland 1-1 on Friday.
I physically feel very fit. I'm very motivated to keep on playing on a very high level, says Novak Djokovic.
Seven-time Italian Open winner Rafael Nadal lost 7-6(7), 6-2 to Stanislas Wawrinka.
Defending champion Novak Djokovic trounced stand-in David Goffin 6-1 6-2 for a clean sweep of his group at the ATP World Tour Finals on Thursday but spiced up a leisurely afternoon workout by picking a row with the umpire. The world number two, who will be joined in the last four by Milos Raonic after the Canadian beat Austrian Dominic Thiem 7-6(5) 6-3, began the week at London's O2 Arena quarrelling with a reporter and despite being relatively untroubled on court, there has been an edginess about the 12-times grand slam champion.
Andy Murray has already scaled the tennis summit but Japan's Kei Nishikori did his best to loosen his footing before falling in a three-hour thriller at the ATP World Tour Finals on Wednesday. Home favourite Murray's insatiable will power allowed him to prevail in a brutal encounter 6-7(9) 6-4 6-4, keeping him on course for his first title at the year-ender. Should he achieve that in his eighth attempt it would guarantee the 29-year-old end the year as world number one ahead of Novak Djokovic who would steal back the crown if he manages a fifth straight title at the O2 Arena.
Novak Djokovic rediscovered his warrior spirit to tame Canada's Milos Raonic 7-6(6), 7-6(5) in a rivetting duel and guarantee progress from his group at the ATP World Tour Finals in London on Tuesday.
Spaniard David Ferrer produced one of his finest performances to edge world number one and compatriot Rafael Nadal 6-3, 7-5 in the Paris Masters semi-final on Saturday and keep alive his hope of retaining his crown.
From Novak Djokovic's top performances to Australia's ICC World Cup victory and Sania Mirza's fabulous run, we have these and many more scintillating moments frozen in time and presented to you in this special photo-feature...
Lucas Pouille crowned a glorious French charge at the U.S. Open on Sunday by ousting 14-times grand slam singles winner Rafa Nadal in a five-set thriller. The 22-year-old Pouille, seeded 24th, won a deciding tiebreak 8-6 to complete a 6-1 2-6 6-4 3-6 7-6(6) marathon victory and join compatriots Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils into the last eight at Flushing Meadows.
The Sports Ministry dropped para-sports coach Satyanarayana from the list of this year's Dronacharya awardees due to a criminal case pending against him, but made no changes to the names recommended for the Khel Ratna and Arjuna awards.
World number two Murray, who smashed a frame in anger in the final game, said the proximity of next week's Davis Cup final on a claycourt in Ghent had not been a factor in his defeat.
Top seed Dominic Thiem was knocked out the Rio Open in the first round on Tuesday, going down 6-3, 6-3 to Laslo Djere.
Andy Murray avoided a 'double bagel' humiliation by Roger Federer at the ATP Tour finals on Thursday but conceded that even if he had played well he would not have lived with the "exceptional" brilliance of the Swiss.
Ukrainian second seed Elina Svitolina ended Naomi Osaka's remarkable recent run with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over the Indian Wells champion in the second round of the Miami Open on Friday.
Two-time champion Novak Djokovic thumped Spain's David Ferrer 6-4, 6-2 to march into the last four of the Shanghai Masters on Friday and set up a semi-final showdown with third seed Roger Federer.
An ailing Rafael Nadal added his name to the list of upsets at the Shanghai Masters after the Spaniard suffered a 6-3, 7-6(6) loss to Feliciano Lopez in Wednesday's second round, as fourth seed Stanislas Wawrinka and in-form Kei Nishikori also made early exits. Nadal's great rival Roger Federer survived a huge scare, saving five match-points before overcoming Argentina's Leonardo Mayer 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(7).
Second seed and world number 14 Roberto Bautista Agut outclassed Benoit Paire in a lop-sided semi-final to set up the singles title clash of the ATP Chennai Open with young Daniil Medvedev, who rallied to reach his maiden ATP final, in Chennai on Saturday.
It is the first time the final match of the season will decide who is ranked number one.
Top seed Novak Djokovic overcame a strong challenge from Belgium's David Goffin to reach the Miami Open final with a 7-6(5), 6-4 victory on Friday as he continued his pursuit of a fifth title in six years on Key Biscayne.
Top seed Stanislas Wawrinka lifted his fifth ATP World Tour title and second Chennai Open trophy after a convincing straight sets win over Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the final on Sunday.
All major sporting events in the Paris region were suspended on Saturday as France mourned the victims of the attacks in the capital city the night before that left 129 people dead and 352 wounded.
The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) has recognized the French Open semi-final encounter between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic as the "Best Grand Slam Match of the Year".
Rediff.com brings you the second instalment of the Best Sports Photos of the Year!
Roger Federer said he trusts the anti-doping procedures in tennis despite rival Novak Djokovic's claim that fellow Serb's Victor Troicki's one-year ban was the result of negligence by the authorities.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Wednesday
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