Lucas Pouille was not prepared to say his pulsating four hour, fourth-round upset of 14-time grand slam winner Rafael Nadal at the US Open on Sunday was a career changing moment.
Milos Raonic, the finalist at Wimbledon this year, and women's world number five Simona Halep of Romania have pulled out from next month's Rio Olympics due to fears over the Zika virus.
Serena Williams was forced to go on the attack once again to defend equal prize money after she reached a ninth Wimbledon final in a new record time. The world number one blasted Russia's Elena Vesnina off Centre Court in just 48mins 34sec, the fastest ever semi-final at the All England Club. Vesnina earned 500,000 ($649,000) by making the last four.
The Argentine, making his first appearance at Wimbledon since reaching the semi-finals in 2013, held aloft his arms in triumph after condemning twice Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka to his earliest defeat at the All England Club for three years.
Novak Djokovic claimed a fourth Wimbledon title in ruthless fashion as he beat giant South African Kevin Anderson 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(3) in the final.
Top seed Novak Djokovic launched his Shanghai Open title defence in fine style, breezing past Spain's Marcel Granollers 6-2, 6-0 on Wednesday. Later Roger Federer, playing his first singles match since a fourth-round exit at the US Open, made a brisk return to winning ways, beating Andreas Seppi 6-4, 6-3.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Sunday
Top seed Simona Halep came back from 4-1 down in the deciding set to beat Elina Svitolina 6-3 3-6 6-4 in the Qatar Open semi-final on Friday, marking her first victory over the Ukrainian in nearly two years.
Novak Djokovic endured a fierce challenge to his Melbourne Park reign before overhauling Dominic Thiem 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday to clinch an eighth Australian Open crown and reclaim the world number one ranking. While Rafa Nadal rules Roland Garros with 12 titles, Djokovic holds sway in the title match at Rod Laver Arena having never lost a final in Melbourne Park.
A rampant Novak Djokovic completed a stunning 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 demolition of Lucas Pouille, on Friday, to storm into his seventh Australian Open final and set up a mouthwatering title match with Rafael Nadal.
Reigning champions Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams have been named top seeds for the Australian Open starting on Monday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Saturday
Images from matches played on Day 5 at the Australian Open in Melbourne Park on Friday
A long season took its toll on Roger Federer on Thursday as the Swiss was knocked out of the Paris Masters following a 7-6(3) 3-6 7-6(5) third-round defeat by big serving John Isner.
Novak Djokovic sauntered past Spaniard Feliciano Lopez to reach the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters on Thursday but Andy Murray had to claw past big-serving American John Isner after losing a first-set tiebreaker.
Two-time champion Novak Djokovic thumped Spain's David Ferrer 6-4, 6-2 to march into the last four of the Shanghai Masters on Friday and set up a semi-final showdown with third seed Roger Federer.
Fourth seed Rafael Nadal survived a few anxious moments before booking his place in the semi-finals of the BNP Paribas Open with a see-sawing 6-4, 6-3 victory over Japanese Kei Nishikori at Indian Wells in California on Friday.
Angelique Kerber, who will reclaim the world number one ranking on Monday, breezed to a 6-2, 6-1 second-round victory over fellow German Andrea Petkovic at the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday.
Wimbledon's genteel surrounds resembled Saturday night on a casualty ward as injuries saw seven players withdraw or retire and third seed Maria Sharapova stumble to a shock second-round defeat on Wednesday.
PHOTOS from the Wimbledon Championships matches played at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, on Saturday
US Open, the final Grand Slam of the season, starts Monday, August 28, at Flushing Meadows in New York.
Lucas Pouille crowned a glorious French charge at the U.S. Open on Sunday by ousting 14-times grand slam singles winner Rafa Nadal in a five-set thriller. The 22-year-old Pouille, seeded 24th, won a deciding tiebreak 8-6 to complete a 6-1 2-6 6-4 3-6 7-6(6) marathon victory and join compatriots Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils into the last eight at Flushing Meadows.
Exodus of big guns opens up bottom half of men's draw
Top seeds Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams face challenging early tests at the US Open following Friday's draws for the year's last Grand Slam starting on Monday.
Britain's Andy Murray enjoyed a routine win over Argentina's Juan Monaco to ease into the third round of the tennis tournament at the Rio Games on Tuesday, while Spain's world number nine David Ferrer was knocked out.
A look at the records of Spain's Rafael Nadal and Serbia's Novak Djokovic before their title clash at the Australian Open on Sunday (prefix number denotes seeding):
The draw for the first Grand Slam of the season was made on Thursday and the top seeds could face some early tests of their credentials when play gets underway in Melbourne on Monday.
Indian Aces, comprising heavyweights Roger Federer and retired Pete Sampras, pummeled Singapore Slammers 26-16 for their second straight victory in the IPTL.
The new-look Davis Cup, masterminded by Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique, has the potential to rival golf's Ryder Cup as a sporting spectacle, the tennis competition's organisers say.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic, who beat Switzerland's Roger Federer to win his 16th Grand Slam title on Sunday:
Nadal faced no break points in a ruthless display to set up a meeting with Canadian Denis Shapovalov.
PHOTOS from day four of the Wimbledon championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London on Saturday
As Real Madrid star striker Cristiano Ronaldo watched, the World No 4 Nadal went past Italian Bolelli to set up a quarter-final clash against 10th seed Grigor Dimitrov.
Third seed Stan Wawrinka was knocked out in the third round of the Paris Masters when he lost 6-7(2), 7-5, 7-6(3) against South African Kevin Anderson on Thursday, suffering his fourth defeat in five matches.
Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov kept cool in the Rod Laver Arena maelstrom to knock home favourite Nick Kyrgios out of the Australian Open in a fourth-round thriller on Sunday.
Former World No. 1 Roger Federer was named as the high-profile replacement for the injured Rafael Nadal in Team India in the forthcoming International Premier Tennis League (IPTL), the organisers announced on Monday.
Novak Djokovic beat Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final to win a 24th Grand Slam singles title and equal Margaret Court's record haul.
Maria Sharapova will be back in the US Open spotlight on Wednesday hoping she can come up with a winning encore to her electrifying first round victory over second seed Simona Halep.
Defending champion Serena Williams is the top seed in the women's draw. The American will be looking to equal Steffi Graf's Open era record by sealing a 22nd Grand Slam triumph.
A win for Djokovic would move him past Pete Sampras (14) to outright third on the list of Grand Slam title winners.
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