American tennis player Serena Williams is all set to make her comeback at the Australian Open, organisers confirmed.
After two years of injury frustration and bouts of depression, Victoria Azarenka is hoping a little bit of motorcycle riding and some street art will change people's perceptions and help her to a third Australian Open title. The 26-year-old Belarusian is one of the favourites for the year's opening grand slam that starts on Monday after proving her fitness following a nagging foot injury that has restricted her appearances over the past two years. Now injury free and fresh off her first title since August 2013 at the Brisbane International last week, she is looking forward to the courts she made her own in 2012 and 2013.
Britain's Johanna Konta has learned much from matches against Grand Slam champions and former world number ones over the last 18 months but on Wednesday her education will be complete when she faces Serena Williams in the Australian Open quarter-finals.
'These youngsters have proved there is money in sports today, not just cricket!' 'They are youth icons and people look up to them.' 'Our athletes are not scared. Like a child knows no fear, they are youngsters without fear.'
The bullet train is expected to cover 508 km between Mumbai and Ahmedabad in about two hours.
The Apple Watch goes on sale around the world on Friday.
'The Olympics postponement may not be a political body blow to Abe Shinzo, but it is no denying that the economic cost of the postponement of the Games will be heavy for Japan,' observes Dr Rajaram Panda.
Defending champion Roger Federer argued with an umpire but mostly let his racket do the talking as he beat Tomas Berdych for the ninth time running to reach the Australian Open semi-finals on Wednesday.
Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro became the first player through to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open as she dug herself out of a hole to beat Estonian Anett Kontaveit 4-6, 6-4 ,8-6 on Sunday.
Relief was at hand, however, with a cool change blowing over the city and the temperature expected to fall back below 30 by the evening.
Rediff.com presents the early surprises at the year's first Grand Slam.
Suzuki patriarch steps down from CEO post as mileage test storm grows.
Images from all the action on Day 9 at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Wednesday
Former champion Stan Wawrinka engaged in a war of words with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga before winning the only argument that mattered on Tuesday, storming into the Australian Open semi-finals with a 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-3 win over the Frenchman.
Photos of Day 5 of the Australian Open being played in Melbourne
Images from matches played on Day 4 of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Thursday
We bring you a collection of some of the best photographs taken this week by ace photographers.
Images from the Australian Open matches played at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.
Sealing the match with a thumping serve, the 2014 US Open champion will bid for his second grand slam title against Friday's winner of Roger Federer and South Korea's rising star Chung Hyeon.
With the year sprinting to a close, we bring you, in pictures, some of the best action from the sports world.
Rediff.com gives you a throwback to an eventful 2017, in pictures.
The London Commercial court has granted Tata Sons a period of 23 days, starting July 27th 2016, to apply to set aside the exparte order
The Indian Olympic Association has been fined $10,000 for withdrawing teams from the Asian Games at a late stage, but All India Tennis Association chief Anil Khanna is hopeful that the penalty would be withdrawn.
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Despite being cheaper, the Chinese technology is not the preferred option.
Stan Wawrinka let his tennis do the talking as he brushed off the after-effects of a cold to breeze into the fourth round of the Australian Open with a 6-2, 6-3, 7-6(3) victory over Lukas Rosol on Saturday.
After booking a much-anticipated semi-final with his Australian Open title usurper Stan Wawrinka on Wednesday, Novak Djokovic wasted little time reminding the Swiss of the heavy burden of being defending champion.
'Yeah, I'm a little sad. I don't know. I'm going to have my Stevie G jerseys hanging somewhere'
As another eventful year draws to a close, Rediff.com gives you a pictorial look back at the best and worst moments that shaped the sports stories this year.
Heptathlete Swapna Barman added a dash of heroism to her historic gold medal
Spain's Rafael Nadal was at his dominant best against Pablo Carreno Busta on Saturday, brushing aside his compatriot 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 to move into the fourth round at the Australian Open. Images from Day 6 of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Saturday.
The battle to stay at the top of men's tennis is like a fight to keep hungry wolves at bay, Novak Djokovic said on Sunday after clinching a record-equalling sixth Australian Open title.
Champion Novak Djokovic was unable to draw much support from the crowd at Rod Laver Arena during his 6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 semi-final win over sentimental favourite Roger Federer on Thursday, but the Serb found vital friends in the weather and the net-cord.
ATP says 'no evidence' against Harrison's racist remarks
Following is a list of Serena Williams' 23 grand slam singles titles after the American surpassed Steffi Graf's professional era record with victory at the Australian Open on Saturday:
Second seed Caroline Wozniacki came through a late wobble to reach the Australian Open final for a first time with a 6-3, 7-6(2) victory over Belgian Elise Mertens on Rod Laver Arena on Thursday.
The showdown will see world number one Serena Williams try to equal Steffi Graf's professional era record of 22 Grand Slam singles titles, while Angelique Kerber will seek to become the first German woman to lift the Wimbledon singles crown since her idol Graf 20 years ago.
This test fire is the second time in less than a month and followed the sixth and most powerful nuclear test by North Korea to date on September 3.
Australian great Margaret Court won 24 grand slam singles titles, one ahead of American Williams, who confirmed she was pregnant on Wednesday and will sit out the rest of the season.
If Williams is indeed 20 weeks into her term, that would mean she was approximately two months pregnant when she captured her record 23rd Grand Slam tournament singles title at the Australian Open in January.
'I have grown up in an environment where the dominant narrative of Indian sporting achievement was -- We can't.' 'These achievers have fought hard, built on each other's body of work and knowledge, and have today changed the script to -- We can,' notes Rahul Dravid,cricketing legend.
