With the year sprinting to a close, we bring you, in pictures, some of the best action from the sports world.
Roger Federer is the oldest male player to win a Grand Slam title since Australia's Ken Rosewall won at Melbourne Park in 1972 at the age of 37.
Rafael Nadal's hopes of a 15th Grand Slam title were crushed by an inspired Roger Federer in the Australian Open final on Sunday but the rejuvenated Spaniard was already rubbing his hands together with the prospect of a 'special' season on clay.
Factbox on Switzerland's Roger Federer, who defeated Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open men's singles final on Sunday.
Venus Williams drew on the experience of 73 grand slam campaigns to come from a set down for a 6-7(3) 6-2 6-3 victory over fellow American Coco Vandeweghe on Thursday to set up a possible Australian Open final against her sister Serena.
Former champion Stan Wawrinka engaged in a war of words with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga before winning the only argument that mattered on Tuesday, storming into the Australian Open semi-finals with a 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-3 win over the Frenchman.
Rafael Nadal held off a fierce challenge from one of the hottest prospects in the game when he outlasted German teenager Alexander Zverev 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2 to reach the last 16 of the Australian Open.
A deflated Novak Djokovic blamed a bad day at the office for his stunning second-round elimination by Uzbek wildcard Denis Istomin which condemned the Serb to his earliest grand slam exit in nearly a decade.
Andy Murray looked every bit the world number one as he gave a Russian teenager Andrey Rublev a lesson in Grand Slam tennis to reach the third round of the Australian Open with a 6-3, 6-0, 6-2 win.
World number one Angelique Kerber got the birthday gift she wanted Wednesday by making the Australian Open third round, but she had to work hard against fellow German Carina Witthoeft.
Roger Federer dug himself out of a late slump to fend off American qualifier Noah Rubin 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(3) on Wednesday and draw vital confidence for a tough third round clash against 10th seed Tomas Berdych at the Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic launched his bid for a record seventh Australian Open title on Tuesday with an impressive 6-1, 7-6(4), 6-2 win over hard-hitting Spaniard Fernando Verdasco.
Roger Federer made a winning return to competitive tennis after six months out of the game on Monday, thrilling a packed Rod Laver Arena as he beat qualifier Juergen Melzer 7-5, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 to reach the Australian Open second round.
It was third time lucky for Wozniacki following her runner-up finishes at the 2009 and 2014 US Opens.
Djokovic and Agassi are deep thinkers about the sport and McEnroe said that their partnership, however long it lasts, can be a meeting of minds
Andy Murray's runstellar stretch included his second Wimbledon title, second Olympic gold medal and wins at Queen's Club and Rome.
The coach of Ana Ivanovic, and father-in-law of men's world number two Andy Murray, collapsed in the stands at Rod Laver Arena during the Serb's third round clash with American Madison Keys on Saturday, causing play to be suspended indefinitely.
Roger Federer is in love with tennis even after nearly two decades but may not be that keen to follow his children if they ever turned professional, the Swiss maestro said after storming into the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday.
IMAGES from the Australian Open on Tuesday.
List of US Open men's singles champions since the open era began in 1968:
Serena Williams sets up an all-American semi-final against teenager Madison Keys.
Lucie Hradecka was screaming in delight after causing a huge first day upset at the Australian Open with a 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over the fifth seeded Serb to record her third career victory over a top-five opponent.
An 18-year rivalry will play out its next gripping chapter at Roland Garros as Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic eye up a French Open final in which milestones galore will be on the line.
Angelique Kerber said her dreams came true in just over two hours on Rod Laver Arena on Saturday when she upset defending champion Serena Williams 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to win the Australian Open.
Gilles Simon will carry the distinction of being the first man to prise a set off Novak Djokovic at this year's Australian Open but the lion-hearted Frenchman was crushed after going down in a five-set classic on Sunday.
Former champion Maria Sharapova found inspiration in a change of dress to put away unseeded American Lauren Davis 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-0 at the Australian Open on Friday and set up an intriguing fourth round match with rising Swiss talent Belinda Bencic.
Former golden girl Eugenie Bouchard's hopes of rehabilitation at the Australian Open came to a swift end on Wednesday as wily Agnieszka Radwanska sent the Canadian spinning out of the tournament with a 6-4, 6-2 defeat in the second round.
No one can look as sexy as them in a suit (or briefs for that matter).
Serena Williams said it was a 'great feeling' to surpass Steffi Graf as the most prolific grand slam champion of the open era at the Australian Open on Saturday and was not prepared to put a number on the haul of titles she might end up with.
Grigor Dimitrov reached his first grand slam quarter-final in over two years on Monday by defeating an injury-hampered Denis Istomin 2-6, 7-6(2), 6-2, 6-1 to end the Uzbek wildcard's fairytale run at the Australian Open.
Top seeded Briton Andy Murray was knocked out of the Australian Open in the fourth round on Sunday, losing 7-5 5-7 6-2 6-4 to German world number 50 Mischa Zverev on Rod Laver Arena.
Defending champion Angelique Kerber battled her nerves and blew a match point in the second set before finally overcoming Lesia Tsurenko 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 to reach the second round.
Rafael Nadal easily avoided the embarrassment of a back-to-back first round exits at the Australian Open on Tuesday, ramping up his serve and rattling off 39 winners to beat Florian Mayer 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 on Rod Laver Arena.
Novak Djokovic will contest his 23rd consecutive grand slam quarter-final after easing past Luxembourg journeyman Gilles Muller 6-4, 7-5, 7-5 at the Australian Open on Monday.
Pierre Paganini may be the most important reason Roger has the best record in men's tennis in the past 12 months.
Coming back to the Australian Open as defending champion has felt surreal at times for Stanislas Wawrinka but the Swiss fourth seed was all business in his first-round thrashing of Turkish trailblazer Marsel Ilhan.
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.
Second seed Caroline Wozniacki came through a late wobble to reach the Australian Open final for a first time with a 6-3, 7-6(2) victory over Belgian Elise Mertens on Rod Laver Arena on Thursday.
Images from the Australian Open in Melbourne on Thursday.
Serena Williams' relaxed outlook on life spilled over even in defeat on Saturday when she appeared to be almost as happy that Angelique Kerber had won her first Grand Slam final as the German herself.
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