David Ferrer has backed fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal to bounce back to winnings ways, saying the latter will surely be a major contender in all the grand slams next year provided he remains injury-free.
Rafael Nadal says he could miss the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals next month because of appendicitis.
Defending champion Novak Djokovic was knocked out of the Australian Open quarter-finals by Stanislas Wawrinka 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 9-7 on Tuesday.
Andy Murray took another step towards securing a berth at next month's World Tour finals when he fought off a typically dogged David Ferrer to win 6-4, 7-5 and move into the final of the Valencia Open on Saturday.
Penpix of the top men's contenders at the 2021 Australian Open
Rafa Nadal's injury situation is "delicate" ahead of the Rio Olympics, according to Spanish team mate David Ferrer. Nadal, a 14-time grand slam champion, has not played a competitive match since May 27 when a left wrist injury forced him to pull out of the French Open after the second round and miss Wimbledon. World number four Nadal won gold in Beijing eight years ago and will be Spain's flag bearer in Rio.
Images from Day 8 of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Monday.
A Spanish left-hander moved into the quarter-finals of the French Open on Sunday. No surprise there, although his name was not Rafael Nadal but Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
Andy Murray remained on course for a maiden Paris Masters title after the Briton saw off local favourite Richard Gasquet on Friday to reach the semi-finals with a 7-6(7), 3-6, 6-3 victory.
Andy Murray demolished Croatian teenager Borna Coric 6-1, 6-2 in the second round of the Paris Masters on Wednesday to set up a Davis Cup-flavoured clash with Belgium's David Goffin.
PHOTOS from day two of the Wimbledon championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London on Tuesday.
The new president of the Spanish tennis federation (RFET) has fired the nation's first female Davis Cup captain, Gala Leon, two weeks before the Group I second-round tie away to Russia.
Defending champion Novak Djokovic was handed a tough opening round at Wimbledon when Friday's draw paired him with Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber.
Anyone banking on the ravages of time taking their toll on Roger Federer had better think again -- the Swiss is only getting better, according to his latest victim.
India will have to contend with none other than 14-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal as Spain today named a full strength team for the upcoming Davis Cup World Group Play-off tie. Apart from world number five Nadal, who lost in the fourth round at the US Open, Spain has packed the side with world number 13 David Ferrer, world number 18 Feliciano Lopez and Mark Lopez (world number 19 in doubles).
Young Sumit Nagal showed spark in his game on Davis Cup debut before 'breathing problem' scuttled his victory march as India suffered a 5-0 whitewash at the hands of mighty Spain in the World Group Play-off tie, in New Delhi on Sunday. Up against the reigning Olympic and French Open doubles champion Marc Lopez, who does not play singles anymore, the 19-year-old Nagal dominated the proceedings under muggy conditions before losing 3-6 6-1 3-6 in the dead fourth rubber, that lasted more than two hours. It was a mountainous task for Ramkumar Ramanathan to prevent a clean sweep since he had world number 13 David Ferrer as his opponent. The Spaniard cruised to a 6-2 6-2 win to complete a dominating 5-0 win for his side even as Ramkumar fought his heart out, giving his all.
Third seed Stan Wawrinka was knocked out in the third round of the Paris Masters when he lost 6-7(2), 7-5, 7-6(3) against South African Kevin Anderson on Thursday, suffering his fourth defeat in five matches.
Rafael Nadal fought off a ferocious challenge from Stanislas Wawrinka to earn his second Group A victory at the ATP World Tour Finals on Wednesday and guarantee ending 2013 as world number one.
If Rafael Nadal's Australian Open semi-final win over Greek sensation Stefanos Tsitsipas was one-sided, Novak Djokovic showed he could be even more brutal in his victory against Lucas Pouille on Friday.
Roger Federer does not figure among the top four in the men's tennis world rankings for the first time in ten years. The Swiss champion and holder of a record 17 Grand Slam titles slipped to No 5 in the latest rankings following a shock second round defeat by little-known Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky at Wimbledon.
Iran were banned from an Olympic football qualifying match against Jordan later that year after refusing to remove their hijabs before kick-off.
Britain's Wimbledon hope Andy Murray has to live with the very different pressure that comes with being labelled a shoe-in to reach the final after two of his main rivals suffered shock exits in early rounds.
Rafael Nadal has booked his place at the World Tour finals after winning a record eighth French Open title, the ATP said on Monday.
"But if you need a reminder of who he is, just look at his career stats and grand slams that he won."
Former world number one Rafa Nadal wasted a match point as he slipped to a surprise semi-final loss to Austrian Dominic Thiem on his beloved clay at the Argentina Open on Saturday.
Victory meant Nadal set the record for the longest Davis Cup winning streak in combined singles and doubles rubbers with 23 matches in a row.
Defending champion and world number one Andy Murray was swept aside by home favourite Fabio Fognini at the Italian Open on Tuesday, being completely outplayed in a 6-2, 6-4 defeat.
Fabio Fognini pulled off a huge upset, stunning top seed and holder Rafael Nadal 1-6, 6-2, 7-5 in the Rio Open semi-final on Saturday.
Six weeks after completing one of the greatest seasons in tennis history, Novak Djokovic begins his 2016 campaign and warm-up for his Australian Open defense in Qatar.
Unheralded Joao Sousa completed a fairytale run at the Malaysian Open on Sunday when he beat France's Julien Benneteau 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the final to become the first Portuguese to win an ATP Tour title.
Novak Djokovic beat Tomas Berdych 7-6 (3), 7-6 (8) in the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters on Friday to claim his 20th consecutive win and stay on course for an unprecedented third title in a row at the event.
Andy Murray put down an early warning for the Davis Cup final when he dismantled David Goffin 6-1, 6-0 in awe-inspiring fashion to reach the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters on Thursday.
A new brand of tennis will make its debut in the country as international stars along with India's top players will come together to compete in the inaugural Champions Tennis League, where matches will be a one-set affair in an exciting format.
Novak Djokovic beat defending champion David Ferrer of Spain 7-5 7-5 to win the Paris Masters on Sunday and keep alive his hopes of reclaiming the world number one spot by the end of the year.
Factbox on Rafael Nadal, who beat Dominic Thiem 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 to win his 11th French Open title on Sunday:
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Sunday
World number four Stan Wawrinka began the new season with a straight-sets victory over Viktor Troicki in his Brisbane International debut on Wednesday. Second seed Wawrinka edged out Troicki 7-6(5) 6-4 to maintain his perfect record against the Serbian whose seventh attempt at beating the Swiss failed at the Pat Rafter Arena. "I'm quite happy with my level at the start the year," Wawrinka said.
Five things to watch out for on day five of the French Open on Thursday
Novak Djokovic's muted celebrations after ending Rafa Nadal's reign as claycourt king were partly out of respect for his Spanish victim but mainly due to the fact the his French Open mission is far from accomplished.
Although comprehensively beaten by Novak Djokovic on the Monte Carlo semi-finals, clay court king Rafael Nadal believes he is on the right path as his beloved French Open looms.
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