Former world number one Amelie Mauresmo slumped to her second first-round defeat by Slovak teenager Dominika Cibulkova in a week when she lost 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 at the China Open on Monday.
Williams sisters Serena and Venus had been hoping to provide fans with the first all-Williams sisters clash at a Grand Slam since the 2009 Wimbledon final in the semi-finals.
Sania Mirza dug deep into her reserves to overcome a fighting Anne Keothavong 6-4, 7-5 and progress to the singles quarter-finals of the $ 220,000 Pattaya Open, on Thursday.
Li Na is destined for more grand slams and a place in the Hall of Fame after the Australian Open win cemented her position as the most influential female player of the last decade, said former great Chris Evert.
A self-confessed tennis buff, Sachin Tendulkar was among a host of sports stars, including former West Indian cricket captain Brian Lara, who packed the royal box on Centre Court at Wimbledon.
In the men's draw, the "Big Four" look poised to scrap it out for yet another Grand Slam crown over the next week after Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray all won on Monday to join Novak Djokovic in the last eight.
Picking up her racquet bag and marching straight out of Rod Laver Arena without a nod or a wave, Maria Sharapova's abrupt exit after her fourth-round loss to Dominika Cibulkova on Monday spoke volumes of her disdain for a forgettable Australian Open.
Agnieszka Radwanska needed eight match points to finish off Li Na on Thursday but confirmed her fine pre-Australian Open form by maintaining her perfect start to the year and reaching the final of the Sydney International.
Fifth seed Maria Sharapova, the last giant left in the women's draw, powered into the Wimbledon semi-finals after being head and shoulders above diminutive Slovak Dominika Cibulkova in a 6-1, 6-1 demolition on Tuesday.
Maria Sharapova powered into the Wimbledon semi-finals with an awesome display every bit as spectacular as the thunder claps that rattled the All England Club on Tuesday. The Russian fifth seed, the stand-out name in an unfamiliar looking last eight, roared to a 6-1, 6-1 win over shell-shocked Dominika Cibulkova under Centre Court's roof and now only wildcard Sabine Lisicki stands between Sharapova and her first final here since she won the tournament in 2004.
Dinara Safina and Svetlana Kuznetsova, the world's best women claycourters in 2009, relied on their wealth of experience to set up an all-Russian final at the French Open on Thursday.
Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova shocked fifth-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva 6-4, 6-2 to reach the Montreal Cup third round on Tuesday. Dementieva was joined at the exit door by eighth-seeded compatriot Vera Zvonareva, who was upset 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 by Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano.
Senior Associate Editor Bikash Mohapatra looks at an inglorious club of seven players who have been ranked No. 1 without a major title to their credit.
World number one Caroline Wozniacki moved into the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Russian Nadia Petrova but third seed Francesca Schiavone was upset by China's Peng Shuai on Wednesday.
World number one Caroline Wozniacki turned the tables on the media after reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open on Friday, taking charge of her post-match news conference in a charming effort to prove she was not boring.
Former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova started her grasscourt season in convincing fashion with a 6-4, 6-2 first-round win over Canada's Stephanie Dubois in the Edgbaston Classic in Birmingham on Monday.
A confident Sania Mirza thrashed Russian qualifier Vitalia Diatchenko 6-4, 6-0 to reach the quarterfinals of the USD 220,000 Pattaya Open tennis tournament on Thursday.
Elena Dementieva downplayed any suggestions she was the favourite for the Australian Open title after she romped into the quarter-finals with a 6-2 6-2 demolition of Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova on Monday. The victory, in just 76 minutes, was the 14th in a row for the fourth-seeded Russian, who won the Auckland and Sydney tournaments before arriving at Melbourne Park. She is unbeaten in 2009 and plays Spain's unseeded Carla Suarez Navarro in the last eight.
Caroline Wozniacki's New Haven Open title defence and final warmup for the US Open opened smoothly on Wednesday with a clinical 6-4, 6-1 second round win over Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova.
Germany's Nicolas Kiefer had his Australian Open preparations thrown into disarray after injuring his ankle during his Hopman Cup clash against Slovakia's Dominik Hrbaty in Perth on Thursday.
Jelena Jankovic was upset 7-5, 6-2 by Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova in the quarter-finals of the Montreal Cup on Friday.
Defending champion Venus Williams eased into the third round of the Dubai Championships on Tuesday with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Germany's Sabine Lisicki. Top seed Caroline Wozniacki had to recover from 1-5 and save a set point to defeat Slovak Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 7-6 while second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova received a walkover when Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues withdrew with a back injury.
Maria Sharapova captured her first claycourt title when she defeated Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova 7-6, 6-3 in the final of the Amelia Island Championships on Sunday. Sharapova became the first woman to win three titles this season following her success at the Australian Open and Qatar Open and improved her 2008 win-loss record to 22-1.
Big-serving Andy Roddick crashed out of the Pacific Life Open on Sunday while second-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova advanced after a battling 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 win over Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova. Much smoother progress was made by Swiss world number one Roger Federer, Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova and women's title-holder Daniela Hantuchova, who all won their respective matches in straight sets.
Third seed Venus Williams was eliminated in the third round of the French Open, beaten 6-0, 6-4 by Hungary's Agnes Szavay on Friday.
Top seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia and third-ranked Slovak Daniela Hantuchova enjoyed contrasting opening-round victories in the Auckland Classic on Tuesday.
Russian seventh seed Dinara Safina overwhelmed Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-1 to claim the Montreal Cup.
Marion Bartoli knocked holder Anna Chakvetadze out of the Stanford Classic 6-3, 6-4 in the quarter-finals.
The third seeded Indian ace got the better of Hana Sromova in a second round match.
Halep, the beaten finalist in the French Open last week, is the latest top player to pull out from the event after Czech world number three Karolina Pliskova opted to rest her injured elbow ahead of Wimbledon.
Japan's Naomi Osaka cruised to victory in her first match since lifting the U.S. Open title, beating Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-1 in the last-16 at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Simona Halep has moved back to the top five in the latest women's tennis world rankings issued by the WTA, after clinching her first title in over a year at the Madrid Masters.
Fourth seed Kei Nishikori's hopes of making another magical U.S. Open run came to a quick end on Monday as last year's runner-up fell at the first hurdle, falling 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4 to Frenchman Benoit Paire.
Players will be banned from handing their towels to ball-kids at next week's BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, organisers said on Friday.
Garbine Muguruza emerged as a favourite to win the Italian Open after beating Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko to reach the third round after world number one Angeliquer Kerber had earlier bowed out to Estonian qualifier Anett Kontaveit.
World No 1s Andy Murray and Angelique Kerber have been named top seeds for the first major of the season, Australian Open, which will commences on January 16.
Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki battled back after a mid-match slump to beat Angelique Kerber of Germany on Friday and book a place in the semi-finals of the Pan Pacific Open.
Angelique Kerber's build-up for next week's Australian Open suffered a setback with the German world number one going down in straight sets to Russian teenager Daria Kasatkina in the second round of the Sydney International.
Britain's Johanna Konta faces an anxious 24-hour wait before discovering whether she will make her debut at the WTA Finals in Singapore.
Big names and young guns turn up the heat at US Open
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