Albania qualified for Euro 2016, their first ever major tournament, when a 3-0 away win over Armenia clinched second place in Group 'I' above Denmark on Sunday sparking wild celebrations across the country.
Prior to the kick-off of the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro on Friday, Rediff.com spotted some of the biggest names in sport at the Olympic Village. Check it out.
The world number one had arrived in Tokyo aiming to become the first man to win all four majors and an Olympic gold medal in the same calendar year. But that quest came to an end after he was beaten by fifth-ranked German Alexander Zverev in Friday's semi-final.
Djokovic helped Serbia to a 3-0 victory over Japan in their Group A opener on Wednesday at La Caja Magica where a revamped Davis Cup climax is being contested by 18 nations over seven days.
.jpg)
A team from Serbia had participated in the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in 2013, and that country is participating in this year's summit as well.
World number one Novak Djokovic shook off an eye infection to beat Kazakhstan's Aleksandr Nedovyesov 6-1 6-2 6-3 in front of a passionate home crowd to give Serbia a 1-0 lead against Kazakhstan in their Davis Cup first-round tie on Friday. Djokovic, who was forced to retire with the problem from last week's Dubai Championships quarter-final against Spaniard Feliciano Lopez, showed no sign of problems as he brushed aside his opponent in the acoustic Pionir Arena. The 28-year-old from Belgrade delighted the home fans, who enjoyed a rare opportunity to watch him live because there are no major tour events in Serbia, with a barrage of sizzling winners, including some spectacular net points.
Novak Djokovic has undergone an elbow operation in an attempt to cure an injury that has troubled him for the past two years.
Naomi Osaka faces Zheng before possible meeting with Coco Gauff
Images from the first Wimbledon semi-final between Serbia's Novak Djokovic and Spain's Roberto Batista Agut at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on Friday
With Sunday's win, the world number one took his Grand Slam tally to 18, just two shy of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's men's record of 20.
'When I signed, I only knew that East Bengal are a big club with great history. I have no idea about ISL or any other tournament. I came here because East Bengal are a big club'.
Novak Djokovic had his neck taped during the match on Court Philippe Chatrier and his movements seemed somewhat restricted
Play at the Australian Open continued amid the lockdown, but fans were banned through Wednesday. Thousands were forced to leave mid-matches before midnight on Friday.
Popping the question to Nandita Mahtani, Commando style at an army camp while rappelling down a wall. Surrounded by 300 army men...
List of Australian Open men's singles champions since the event began in 1905 (Australian unless stated):
Greek third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas battled back from a set down to beat Serbia's Filip Krajinovic 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the quarter-finals of the Swiss Indoor championship on Friday. The win took Tsitsipas into his 10th semi-final of the season where he will face top seed Roger Federer, who was handed a walkover after Swiss compatriot Stan Wawrinka withdrew before their quarter-final with a back issue.
'He can say what he wants, I don't have a problem with it. Does he show me the same amount of respect that most other players do? No, he doesn't, but that's the way he communicates these days'
Ace British tennis player Andy Murray ended his 2016 campaign on a perfect note after defeating Novak Djokovic in straights in the summit clash of the ATP World Tour Finals, assuming the mantle of year-end No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. Murray dethroned Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 in a contest that lasted for an hour and 43 minutes to earn his first title at the ATP finals and make sure he remained No. 1 until next season. Rediff.com takes a look at the hosts of celebrities from footballers, tennis champions and Hollywood stars, who attended this big clash.
Three-time US Open champion Djokovic, who comes into the tournament having won his fifth Wimbledon title, is followed in the seedings by 2017 winner Rafael Nadal.
The 34-year-old bellowed a series of frightening roars after completing a victory that at one stage looked like a formality but became increasingly fraught as Berrettini threw the kitchen sink at the Serb who becomes only the second man to reach 40 Grand Slam semi-finals after Roger Federer.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
India's Davis Cup tie against Finland was on Friday postponed to 2021 as the International Tennis Federation pushed back all the matches, including the Finals, to next year owing to COVID-19 pandemic. India were scheduled to travel to Finland for the World Group I tie in September.
Five-times Davis Cup champions Spain will host Britain in the first round of the 2018 competition.
Supported by his sons and receiving a standing ovation from a 12,000-strong crowd, Serbia midfielder Dejan Stankovic entered retirement as his country's most capped player with a 2-0 victory over Japan in a friendly on Friday.
Here is a timeline of Djokovic's decline since the last of his 12 Grand Slam titles.
Switzerland are unlikely to face the same hostility when they face already-eliminated Costa Rica in Group E of the World Cup on Wednesday.
Austrian Thiem was 6-2, 3-6, 7-5, 5-7, 4-1 up when the men's match, which had already been halted on Friday because of bad weather, was stopped.
Daniil Medvedev dominated Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 on Friday to reach the US Open final courtesy of a dozen aces in just a little over two hours.
Djokovic was soundly beaten by Zverev in the 2018 final, a match played out in an electrifying atmosphere in front of 18,000 fans. This time the arena was empty because of the COVID-19 lockdown, a surreal backdrop for a match with so much riding on it for both men.
All the gold medallists from Saturday's action at the Tokyo Olympics.
Twelfth seed Djokovic resumed two sets to one ahead after snatching a third-set tiebreak the previous night before Wimbledon's 11pm curfew left the match on a knife edge.
With champions Germany out, Argentina only scraping through, and Spain in turmoil, many see Brazil as the clear favourites to lift the World Cup in Moscow on July 15.
World number one Rafael Nadal won a battle of attrition against fellow left-hander Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan 7-6(4), 6-4 to seal Spain's spot in the final eight of the inaugural ATP Cup in Perth on Wednesday. Meanwhile his long-time rival, world number two Novak Djokovic, had an easier outing in Brisbane, strolling past Chile's Cristian Garin 6-3, 6-3 to stay undefeated in the new year.
Holders Portugal must face Ukraine and Serbia in a tricky five-team Group B while world champions France drew Iceland and Turkey in Group H. The top two teams from each group qualify automatically. Unlike previous tournaments, the playoffs to decide the four other spots will be contested between the most successful teams from the four divisions of the Nations League who have not already qualified.
Celebrities from the world of Hollywood, fashion and sport were there to witness the proceedings of the fourth and final Grand Slam of the year.
Sharan and Nys did not get any break-point in the 72-minute clash
Novak Djokovic dredged his tank of mental and physical resilience to claim a thrilling 7-6(5), 1-6, 7-6(4), 4-6, 13-12(3) win.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 99th international goal as the defending champions edged past Luxembourg 2-0
Images from Day 3 of the 2022 Australian Open in Melbourne on Wednesday.
Former world number one Andy Murray is in line to play Grigor Dimitrov in the opening round of the inaugural ATP Cup, with Bulgaria qualifying among the final six teams in the nation-based tournament.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances