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.
Here's this week of photos that prove we live in a mad world.
Among its various records, China now has the world's largest vacant malls, empty cities, and stalled amusement parks.
Chinese world champion Lin Dan was unhappy with the judges after being upset on home soil by South Korea's Park Sung-hwan in the China Masters first round. After winning the first set 21-19, Lin squandered two match points to lose the second 20-22, before Park sealed victory 21-17 in the third.
These photos prove we live in an odd, odd world!
Nancy Pelosi's gritty refusal to backtrack on her plans to visit Taiwan is part of who she is.
A look at Reuters Photojournalist of the Year Damir Sagolj's photographs.
Two South Korean speed skaters are facing growing calls for them to be banned from the national team after they appeared to blame a team mate for their failure to reach the semi-finals of the women's team pursuit at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
'When Covid first struck, the lockdown resulted in clean air in major Indian cities.' 'You were able to see the Himalayan range from Ludhiana.' 'In Delhi, you were seeing deer and stags all over the city because there was no traffic.' 'It was incredible. Nature was waiting to come back.'
The prayer, Sarvejana Sukhinobhavantu, or let the whole universe of living beings be well, helps. So do profound and relevant Ancient Wise Words and aphorisms: Vasudaiva Kutumbakam, or the whole world is one big family, interconnected, interdependent. And a sense of humour, jokes, pranks, writing, conversations. And, last but definitely not least, the rippling waves of inner realisation on the background mind-track -- about the insignificance of ego, the importance of humility, the wasted opportunities in life, the wrong moves, the strokes of luck, the past 'sins', the what-ifs.
Images from the Aquatics Centre at the Olympic Park.
After devoting years to the difficult pursuit of perfection, some fall wayward.
Rediff.com recaptures these and other exciting sporting moments from the week gone by....
Steve Finn helped England dominate Australia in another Ashes Test at Edgbaston on Friday to take a 2-1 series lead. A day later, there were celebrations across China as Beijing won the rights to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. And, on Sunday, Premier League club Arsenal finally won bragging rights after beating Chelsea 1-0 to clinch the Community Shield to kick-start their season on a positive note. Rediff.com has all this and a lot more action from the week gone by, snapped right here!
Endearing moments of family time, impromptu singing sessions, ping-pong games on dinner tables and a constant stream of online humour provide a much-needed salve of hope and sanity in this time of distress.
China said the study was "ridiculous" and based on "superficial" information.
South Korean Olympic archers will be hoping to avoid striking out in Rio after they announced plans to conduct open training sessions in a baseball dome to harden themselves for potentially hostile environments at the August 5 to 21 Games.
Cinemas, stadiums, town squares and other public gathering places are devoid of people as the coronavirus spreads to at least 118 countries around the world. As of Thursday, the Johns Hopkins University tracker says 1,26,258 people have contracted the disease and 4,638 have died across the globe. The vast majority of the victims have been in China but the country said on Thursday that it had only 15 new cases. The outbreak also claimed its most high-profile victim so far when Hollywood star Tom Hanks announced he and his wife, Rita Wilson, had tested positive. The couple, who are in Australia where Hanks is making a film about Elvis, said they had felt "a bit tired, like we had colds" before being "found to be positive" Take a look.
Chinese Super League clubs started to return to training on Monday, two months after the league's originally scheduled start date of February 22 but still some time before the new season is likely to begin. While mid-April was previously touted as a possible date for the CSL's return, the positive test returned at the weekend by former Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini may well have pushed that back.
Vice President Hamid Ansari on Monday held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and conveyed the new Indian government's interest in furthering bilateral ties, even as he flagged off India's concerns over border related issues during his parleys with the top leadership in Beijing.
Novak Djokovic is chasing a record-extending eighth Australian Open title, while Dominic Thiem will bid to become the first man born in the 1990s to win a major title.
The confirmed cases climbed to 571 mostly from the city of Wuhan with 17 deaths so far. The Wuhan government required all people in public places such as hotels, restaurants, cinemas, parks, shopping centres and public transports to wear masks to prevent the spread of the virus, according to an announcement on Wednesday night. The rule took effect immediately.
They have played for Olympic gold in parks, next to car parks and on royal parade grounds, but at the Rio Games beach volleyball will actually be played -- on a beach.
China beat South Korea 3-1 on Sunday to win the Thomas Cup men's badminton team title for the third time in a row. The Chinese won the Uber Cup women's title for the sixth consecutive time on Saturday after beating Indonesia 3-0.
Missed the biggest news from last week? Here's what happened in the world in photos.
Factbox on Switzerland's Roger Federer,
According to a study, published in the journal International Forum of Allergy and Rhinology, people with influenza-like symptoms, and a dysfunction of smell and taste, are strongly associated with COVID-19 infection.
Cash-rich China is looking to outwit rival Japan by pledging to invest billions of dollars in India's railway, manufacturing and infrastructure projects during President Xi Jinping's maiden visit to the country this week.
Organisers of the Tokyo Olympics have recommended five more sports -- baseball/softball, karate, skateboard, sports climbing and surfing -- be added to the programme for the 2020 Summer Games.
The BRICS summit offers Modi an excellent platform to reach out to world leaders and conduct diplomacy on the very ticklish issue of reform of the world governance structure, and to exchange notes with his peers on international, regional and bilateral issues on the margins of the meeting, says Rup Narayan Das.
Property giant Dalian Wanda Group Co said on Wednesday it would buy a stake in Spanish soccer champions Atletico Madrid for 45 million euros ($52 million), becoming the first Chinese company to invest in a premier European football club.
The venture is seen as a rival to the World Bank.
Baseball and softball officially applied for inclusion in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on Thursday as they look to earn back their spot in the Games they lost after 2008.
What the UK is getting out of the Serum Institute is what India is losing. And the responsibility of the Indian State ought to have been to dictate where Serum Institute's vaccine doses should go, argues Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
"India has never used me against China. I am a messenger of the ancient Indian thought and I talk about ahimsa, peace, harmony and secular ethics wherever I go," the Tibetan spiritual leader said while talking to the media.
Rediff.com recaptures these and other exciting sporting moments from the week gone by....
China's strong manufacturing base and India's software and scientific skills had massive potential both as a production base and for creating a consumer market.
Just an hour or so from the ones we commonly throng to, they promise a lot more for a lot less.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday had his first meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who said that China is looking forward to the Indian leader's maiden visit to Beijing.
The celebrations in China will be second biggest in the world after India.
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