Having toppled 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer in the fourth round of the Australian Open on Sunday, an overwhelmed Stefanos Tsitsipas felt thrilled to have turned his idol into a 'rival'.
Federer's hard-fought 6-7 (5), 7-6 (8), 10-7 victory over American John Isner put the Europeans just three points from their victory target and Zverev got them there with a 6-7 (3), 7-5, 10-7 win over Kevin Anderson.
Nick Kyrgios shelved the on-court histrionics and let his tennis do the talking to win an enthralling battle against rising Belgian David Goffin 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 and clinch the Japan Open on Sunday.
Seven-times grand slam champion John McEnroe called Nadal's latest injury "extremely disappointing". "We've seen him play for many years and it's always been a concern about how his knees would hold up," the American told Eurosport in his daily spot. "After last year, we all hoped he would be able to get his health and fitness back and get his game together and it looked like that was happening. "We all know how much he wanted (title) number 10 and we were looking forward to seeing play Novak in the semis." Former French Open champion Mats Wilander said the decision had been a no-brainer for Nadal.
'I always believed.' 'I kept on believing and dreaming I could get back'
Andre Agassi and world number four Novak Djokovic need to work together for at least a month if the American's coaching is to have a long-term impact on the struggling Serb's game, three-times Wimbledon champion John McEnroe said.
Summary of all sports events and persons that made news on Thursday.
American tennis legend John McEnroe has hailed Novak Djokovic as one of the greats of all time after the Serb again claimed the year-end world number one spot with a victory at the ATP Tour Finals on Friday.
Britain's Andy Murray won the Aegon Championships at Queen's Club by dismantling big-serving South African Kevin Anderson 6-3, 6-4 in a one-sided final.
Nadal has turned back the clock to sweep through the European claycourt season with titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid and is a daunting obstacle for anyone with genuine title ambitions.
"Think of it from a players' perspective. Some are hoping to reach the second week of a major but some don't even make it to the first week of the event. That's tough to take.
Three-times Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka returned to the big stage in style on Monday, ousting sixth seed Grigor Dimitrov 1-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(5), 6-4 on Centre Court at Wimbledon.
American great John McEnroe expects Roger Federer's sensational comeback season to continue in New York when the US Open kicks off on Monday.
Roger Federer said on Monday, dismissing concerns that players might treat the event, which launches in September, as an exhibition.
List of US Open men's singles champions since the Open Era began in 1968:
Cricket great Sachin Tendulkar is a foodie but his first experience with Chinese cuisine ended in disappointment and he had to return home thirsty and hungry.
Briton Andy Murray will take over from Novak Djokovic as World No 1 when the rankings are updated on Monday after his Paris Masters semi-final opponent Milos Raonic withdrew with a leg injury on Saturday.
Nick Kyrgios's Australian Open ended with a gallant fourth round defeat by an inspired Grigor Dimitrov on Sunday but the maverick talent leaves Melbourne Park after winning over a nation.
Alexander Zverev snatched the Laver Cup for Team Europe as he beat Canada's Milos Raonic in the final rubber of a thrilling three days of action in Geneva's Palexpo Arena on Sunday.
Change might be afoot though, according to American great John McEnroe
Serena Williams gave little away on Sunday as she assessed her chances of retaining her Wimbledon title -- and dismissed suggestions that she is under any pressure. The 34-year-old American has not struck a ball competitively since losing to Spain's Garbine Muguruza in the French Open final on June 4 - a defeat that frustrated her hopes of matching Steffi Graf's professional era record of 22 grand slam titles. Considering she also fell at the final hurdle in Australia against Angelique Kerber and went out of the U.S. Open semi-finals last year when two wins away from a calendar grand slam, Williams would be forgiven for feeling a little edgy.
French open runner-up Andy Murray should consider re-hiring Ivan Lendl as his coach ahead of Wimbledon, according to American seven-times grand slam champion John McEnroe.
Maria Sharapova will probably have to win 10 matches to claim a second Wimbledon title this year after deciding on Friday not to request a wildcard for the championships.
It has now come to light that Federer's wife Mirka is at the centre of this now infamous row between the seventeen-time Grand Slam champion and the 2014 Australian Open champion.
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will set aside their long-time rivalry when they play for Europe against the rest of the world in the inaugural Laver Cup tournament which starts on Friday.
World number ones Serena Williams, aiming to complete the first calendar-year Grand Slam in 27 years, and Novak Djokovic have been named the top seeds for the US Open championships starting on Monday in New York.
Andy Murray reprised his familiar role of being the last British singles player heading into Wimbledon's second week.
Dread-locked German Dustin Brown was nowhere to be seen at Wimbledon on Friday, at least into the early afternoon, but his shock upset of Rafa Nadal the night before remained the talk of the tournament.
Players' efforts over the years to get Wimbledon's "all-white" clothing rule relaxed got a boost when Roger Federer said he thought the policy as it stood was "quite extreme".
The yellowing obituaries are looking premature as serve-and-volley tennis creeps, with a few tweaks, towards a renaissance of sorts.
Images from the US Open final played at Flushing Meadows on Sunday
A hot-headed Viktor Troicki added his name to Wimbledon's hall of shame on Thursday after he blew his top at umpire Damiano Torella following an over-rule in the dying seconds of his second-round defeat by Spain's Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
The tournament will be Murray's third since hip surgery in January and mark his return to the hard courts for the first time since March 2017 at Indian Wells.
Roger Federer put his global army of "Fed-Head" fans through the wringer for four nerve-shredding sets before he kept alive his pursuit of a record eighth Wimbledon title with a 6-7(4) 4-6 6-3 7-6(9) 6-3 win over Marin Cilic the quarter-finals on Wednesday. Novak Djokovic's shock third round exit had raised hopes that this could be the week when the Swiss finally ends his four-year hunt for an 18th grand slam title, as the Serb had been the only man to beat him at the majors over the past year.
'Can Tendulkar recreate the magic of his youth?', asks advertising guru Sandeep Goyal.
Djokovic feels technology will decide future of serve and volley game in men's tennis
With 1,500 points available for an undefeated champion next week, the tournament could produce a thrilling climax with Murray and Djokovic, who have never met at the O2, facing off in the final for the year-end number one ranking.
World number one Rafael Nadal recorded his 20th straight win on clay as he began his quest for a sixth title in Madrid, defeating Frenchman Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-1.
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) will reveal plans to build a retractable roof over the centre court at Arthur Ashe Stadium as part of major changes to the U.S. Open venue in Flushing Meadows.
Team Europe swept the singles matches at the inaugural Laver Cup on Friday before Australian Nick Kyrgios and American Jack Sock took down top-ranked Rafael Nadal and Tomas Berdych in the doubles to salvage a point for Team World.
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