The German is 40 points adrift of Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton with six races remaining and is running out of time to reassert himself in the battle of the four times world champions.
Recovering from an ankle injury, star India shuttler Saina Nehwal said she will look to get back to her full fitness during the three weeks break after the India Open next month.
A self-confessed tennis fan, former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar has bought stake in the the Singapore franchise of veteran Mahesh Bhupathi's ambitious brainchild -- the International Premier Tennis League.
New Zealand Cricket has backed the proposed changes in the ICC's administrative structure, which would leave major decision-making in the hands of India, Australia and England, despite facing severe criticism from the country's players' association.
The World No 1 beat Japan's Kei Nishikori for his 63rd career title
Take a look at what fit-again Saina needs to do before going into the Olympic Games in August this year.
'Two points are not that important. Country is important, those 40 soldiers who lost their lives are far more important than a cricket match. If we let go of a World Cup final, the country should be ready for it. Certain section of society says that don't mix sports with politics but Jawans are far more important than a game of cricket.
IMAGES from matches played at the BNP Paribas tennis tournament played in Indian Well, California, on Thursday
Olympic silver medallist P V Sindhu edged past Japan's Nozomi Okuhara to advance to the semi-finals of the All England Championship, in Birmingham, on Friday.
Former World No 2 Sergio Garcia is hoping his Qatar Masters victory is an encouraging sign of good things to come for the Spaniard this season.
Star Indian boxer Vijender Singh said he is aiming for another "early finish" when he faces WBO Oriental super middleweight champion Zulpikar Maimaitiali of China in Mumbai on Saturday.
Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has said hosts India will be the toughest team to beat in next month's World Twenty20 Championship due to their familiarity with the conditions.
Success eluded them on the European and the PGA Tour but Indian golfers enjoyed a decent run in Asia, with rising talents Rashid Khan and Anirban Lahiri sharing four titles between them even as some seasoned veterans struggled in a mixed year for the sport.
British number one Andy Murray hopes to marry Kim Sears next year after the former Wimbledon champion announced their engagement last week after nine years together.
Steve Smith and David Warner could be in line for an immediate return to the Australian team when their bans expire midway through the upcoming one-day international (ODI) series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.
World number one Rafael Nadal recorded his 20th straight win on clay as he began his quest for a sixth title in Madrid, defeating Frenchman Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-1.
India dislodged arch-rivals Pakistan to claim the top spot in the ICC Test rankings following their series-clinching comprehensive 178-run win over New Zealand in the second cricket Test in Kolkata on Monday.
'Lifting this trophy makes me feel like I have achieved that the dream that I had when I began my Jhalak journey.' Teriya Magar wins Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 9.
Nick Kyrgios needs to improve his fitness to have a chance of winning Grand Slams, former world number one Jim Courier said on Wednesday.
World No 3 Simona Halep turned up the aggression and rallied for a 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Carla Suarez.
Shubhankar Sharma, on Friday, became the youngest Indian golfer to make the cut in any Major after he capped a wonderful back nine to achieve the feat at the 147th Open Championships in Scotland.
Be ready to be amazed as Rediff.com encapsulates all the sporting action from the past week in this super photo feature.
Miffed with the changes being proposed in the ICC's administrative structure, the Pakistan Cricket Board said it will oppose any overhaul that will cede executive decision-making to India, Australia and England.
Describing the year that's coming to an end as "fantastic" for her personally, Rio Olympic Games silver medal-winning shuttler Pusarla V Sindhu said she was now targeting the no.1 world ranking among women after reaching a career-best six at present. "It has been a fantastic year for me, because winning a medal at the Olympics is a big achievement. It's a dream come true. Also, I always had in mind that I wanted to win a Super Series title and that also was fulfilled (at the China Open)," Sindhu told reporters on the sidelines of a promotional event in Mumbai on Thursday.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Monday
Gaganjeet Bhullar turned in yet another steady round of three-under 69 to overturn a six-shot deficit into a one-shot lead on a blustery day at the Fiji International.
Women dominated this year's Padma awards for sports with tennis star Sania Mirza and ace shuttler Saina Nehwal getting the nod for the Padma Bhushan, while archer Deepika Kumari was chosen for the Padma Shri in New Delhi, on Monday.
Still recovering from a foot injury and a recurring fever, defending champion Saina Nehwal has pulled out of the women's singles competition at the Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament in Lucknow.
The 25-year-old Indian, who clinched the Indonesia Open and Australian Open this year, besides reaching the final of the Singapore Open, defeated Wong 21-18, 21-17 at the Odense Sports Park.
The Indian women's team qualified for the quarter-finals in the Uber Cup badminton tournament despite a 2-3 defeat to 2014 runners-up Japan in their third and final Group D match, in Kunshan, China, on Wednesday. The men's team, however, continued its dismal run in the Thomas Cup and crashed out after being blanked 0-5 by Indonesia in their third Group B match at the Kunshan Sports Center Stadium.
'We are all members of a tennis paradise that this year improbably promises to last forever -- and we owe it in no small part to the two champions' parents,' notes Rahul Jacob.
10-year-old Praggnanandha is the world's youngest chess International Master. His sister Vaishali is a Woman's International Master.
P V Sindhu cemented her position as a dominant force on the world stage with an Olympic silver medal while Saina Nehwal continued to battle with injuries in a year, which saw Indian badminton take giant strides at the global platform. It turned out to be a watershed year for Sindhu, who reached the upper echelons of world badminton with a silver medal at Rio Games -- an achievement also for her mentor and chief coach Pullela Gopichand, who became the only Indian coach to produce two Olympic medallists. On the other hand, for the first part of the year, it was Saina's battle with injuries which dominated the headlines even though she was considered to be the best bet for India at Rio. The Indian ace fought against time to recover from an Achilles tendons and went on to win the Australian Super Series.
Venus Williams staged a spirited comeback to down third seed Petra Kvitova 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 and reach the third round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on Saturday.
H S Prannoy, feels a high ranking would help players avoid meeting top shuttlers in early rounds, while conceding that the primary focus should be on winning big events.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Saturday
India's two rival football leagues will merge within five years and will be profitable not long after, a senior official at the country's football association said on Wednesday.
In the ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers, Australia's Ryan Harris has moved up two places to second following his six wickets against India in the fourth Test at MCG.
Sindhu goes down fighting in All England semisSindhu goes down fighting in All England semis
The top-seeded Serb, who had not dropped a set in four matches since the round of 16 at the Australian Open in January, looked out-of-sorts throughout the 98-minute contest.
