A mouthwatering finale to the season ended before it even began on Sunday when Roger Federer was forced to pull out prior to the ATP World Tour Final showdown with Novak Djokovic.
IMAGES from the French Open quarter-finals played in Paris on Tuesday.
But for the first time, that golden trio will be having an anxious glance over their shoulders. The past week in London has revealed a new fearlessness in the generation of 20 somethings expected to fill the void when they call it a day.
The duo, who had won the Australian Open earlier this year, overcame several unforced errors in the first set to win the gruelling quarterfinal 3-6, 7-6 (4), 10-7.
World number one Carlos Alcaraz will not play in the Australian Open after picking up a right leg muscle injury during pre-season training, the Spaniard said on Friday.
Laslo Djere won his first ATP title at the Rio Open on Sunday and then captured the hearts of the Brazilian crowd with a victory speech dedicated to his parents, both of whom died from cancer.
Factbox on Carlos Alcaraz, who beat seven-time champion Novak Djokovic
ATP, WTA cancel China events, including Shenzen Finals
Nadal, 31, pulled out of the Paris Masters before his quarter-final match last week after experiencing discomfort in his right knee during his third-round win over Pablo Cuevas.
Roberto Bautista Agut predicted a great future for Jannik Sinner after going down to the Italian teenager
A very different Australian Open comes to a familiar end on Sunday as Novak Djokovic looks to thwart another challenge to his Melbourne Park dynasty from the latest Grand Slam aspirant in Daniil Medvedev.
Stefanos Tsitsipas won 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 to book his place in the French Open final on Friday.
Novak Djokovic said he is still hoping for a final chapter in their storied rivalry.
Australian bad boy Bernard Tomic has shrugged off his Miami arrest and banishment from the Davis Cup team to successfully defend his ATP title in Bogota.
The five top contenders for the men's title at the Australian Open, which starts on Monday.
Spain's Rafael Nadal said on Wednesday that he is not sure if he will be able to play at next month's French Open.
Federer dismisses Nadal's suggestion to play ATP Finals on clay
Rafael Nadal beat new world number one Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-3 in a rematch of their Australian Open clash to storm into the final of the ATP 500 event in Acapulco on Friday.
Reaching ATP Finals like winning a tournament, says Zverev
Sania, the country's finest woman doubles player, who began the year with the number one ranking, closed it at number 9.
Russian Andrey Rublev beat Norwegian top seed Casper Ruud
Serbian tennis ace Novak Djokovic has continued his domination on an unchanged top 10 in the latest men's tennis rankings issued by the ATP on Monday.
Tsitsipas made short work of Norwegian eighth seed Casper Ruud as he seized a third Monte Carlo Masters title in four years with a 6-1, 6-4 victory on Sunday.
The 38-year-old, who has lost six games so far in the tournament, dispatched his hapless opponent in only 62 minutes winning the second-round match 6-0, 6-3.
Images from the US Open men's singles second round matches, at Flushing Meadows, New York, on Thursday.
Factbox on Austria's Dominic Thiem, who beat German Alexander Zverev 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(6) to win the US Open title on Sunday.
For the second time in three days at the ATP Finals, Rafael Nadal fought off one of the game's rising powers but beating Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas proved in vain as his semi-final hopes vanished on Friday.
Rafael Nadal's announcement on Friday that he will miss the ATP World Tour Finals because of appendicitis ended a difficult year for the Spaniard during which he has endured injury, illness and worrying defeats.
Djokovic did not drop a set en route to the final in Rome
Gauff cruises past Zidansek to reach French Open third round
Top seed Alexander Zverev bagged his first ATP crown of the year after beating Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-3 to lift the bett1HULKS Indoor title in Cologne on Sunday.
Roger Federer added yet another record to his vast collection when he guaranteed becoming the oldest ATP world number one by beating Dutchman Robin Haase 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 to reach the semi-finals in Rotterdam on Friday.
IMAGES from Day 10 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Tuesday.
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.
Penpix of the top men's contenders at the 2021 Australian Open
Rafa Nadal's below-par season has continued with the former world number one dumped from the Rio Open semi-finals with a 6-7(6) 7-6(3) 6-4 defeat by unseeded Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas on Saturday. The top seed pipped Cuevas in a first set tie-break and denied his opponent two set points in the second but succumbed to his first defeat against the world number 45. "I lost an opportunity, that's it," Spaniard Nadal said after being denied his 100th ATP final by claycourt specialist Cuevas who fired 48 winners to clinch the contest. "I fought until the end. I have to accept it and keep working to try to change the dynamic. That's what's happening today and I have to work hard to change it," added the 14-times grand slam champion. "I didn't win a title, so it wasn't a positive two tournaments. I had my chances in both. I lost in the semi-finals of both tournaments and just have to look forward to Indian Wells."
Roger Federer says he does not regret passing up the chance to topple great rival Rafael Nadal from the top of the world rankings at the ATP Finals in London this week.
Andrea Binaghi, who has headed the Italian tennis federation (FITP) since 2001, pointed to reforms over the last 10-15 years to decentralise the coaching system and offer more financial, technical and psychological support to young talent.
Russians scoffed at Wimbledon's efforts to keep their compatriots out of the tournament after Moscow-born Elena Rybakina became the first player representing Kazakhstan to reach a Grand Slam final.
Wildcard Jannik Sinner completed a dream run when he beat top-seeded Alex de Minaur to win the final of the Next Gen tournament for the season's best Under-21 players on Saturday.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances