Serena Williams' tactic of staying in her hotel room and being "boring" appears to be paying off after the world number one and top seed swept past Sara Errani into the final of the Madrid Open on Saturday.
Caroline Wozniacki became the biggest name to fall at the BNP Paribas Open.
Maria Sharapova rallied to beat Kaia Kanepi on Thursday and will meet Serena Williams in the Brisbane International semi-final knowing she must drastically improve to end her run of 13 straight defeats against the world number one.
Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova has been provisionally named in her country's squad for the forthcoming Rio Olympics.
Five-times grand slam tennis champion Maria Sharapova hit out at some media accounts of her doping case that she termed "wrong" in an open letter to her fans on Facebook on Friday. Sharapova, who tested positive for the banned drug meldonium at the Australian Open in January, is facing a suspension of up to four years by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and has already lost numerous sponsorships in the aftermath. The former world number one thanked her fans for their "tremendous outpouring of support" before launching into a critique of what she believed were some inaccurate reports. "A report said that I had been warned five times about the upcoming ban on the medicine I was taking. That is not true and it never happened," Sharapova wrote. The 28-year-old Russian said she was making no excuses for not knowing about the ban that went into effect on Jan. 1, but said that after the first announcement, other notices were "buried in newsletters, websites, or handouts." "Again, no excuses, but it's wrong to say I was warned five times," said Sharapova, who has said she took the drug for 10 years due to a family history of heart issues and diabetes.
Ana Ivanovic recovered from an awful start to beat Kaia Kanepi at the Brisbane International on Thursday and remain on track for a glamour meeting with Maria Sharapova.
Maria Sharapova claimed her second French Open title when she floored Romanian fourth seed Simona Halep 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-4 after a marathon encounter in Saturday's final.
Caroline Wozniacki put a huge dent in Maria Sharapova's bid to finish the season as world number one by overcoming some distracting bright lights to down the Russian 7-6(4), 6-7(5), 6-2 in their marathon opening group match of the WTA Finals on Tuesday.
A stone-faced Sharapova was left to ponder a 6-1, 6-1 drubbing that proved once again Williams has all the answers when the pair meet on court.
Maria Sharapova's outfit sparkled even if her play sometimes didn't during her grand slam return at the US Open but the former world number one's run to the fourth round showed she is back in business on and off the court.
Maria Sharapova is used to having to rebuild from scratch after suffering a string of debilitating injuries throughout her career, but the Russian is still surprised at how well she is playing in her latest comeback at the WTA Finals.
Spanish tennis maestro Rafael Nadal has defended his training methods and outrightly rejected to have used any banned substance in order to speed up his recovery from injury.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Friday.
Sharapova, making her return to top-flight tennis after serving a doping ban, defeated Romanian Halep 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to move into the 2nd round of the final major of the year.
Former world number one Maria Sharapova crashed out of the Stuttgart Grand Prix semi-final in her first event back after a 15-month doping suspension, losing to France's Kristina Mladenovic 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 on Saturday.
The Russian five-times Grand Slam champion struggled for rhythm initially on the low-bouncing grasscourt at the Mallorca Open but picked up the pace to beat Viktoria Kuzmova 7-6(8), 6-0.
Maria Sharapova made it a remarkable 20 victories from 23 grand slam quarter-finals but was pushed all the way at Wimbledon on Tuesday by feisty American Coco Vandeweghe before emerging a 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-2 winner.
Maria Sharapova recovered from a second-set meltdown to record her first victory at this year's WTA Finals with a 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-2 triumph over Poland's Agnieszka Radwanksa on Friday but the Russian still bowed out of the elite eight-woman tournament.
Chris Evert said on Monday she was stunned to hear that Maria Sharapova failed a doping test, but not by the fact that there is doping in tennis, claiming that she knew players who doped during her career.
Maria Sharapova made light of her long injury layoff by advancing to the last four of the WTA Finals with an unbeaten record in round robin play after the Russian breezed past Flavia Pennetta 7-5, 6-1 on Thursday, and booked a surprise passage to the semi-finals for Agnieszka Radwanska.
Still shaking off the rust from a 15-month doping ban and a string of nagging injuries, the 30-year-old Sharapova needed all her skill, determination and two hours and 44 minutes to snatch victory in front of a packed Arthur Ashe stadium.
Maria Sharapova will appeal a two-year ban for doping imposed by the International Tennis Federation on Wednesday.
Images from Tuesday's matches at the Australian Open.
Fifth seed Maria Sharapova averted an early exit on a sweltering day in Flushing Meadows. Updates from Wednesday's play.
IMAGES from Day 5 of the Australian Open in Melbourne, on Friday.
'Sharapova has been a US resident since early in her career, which does bring in a question of how or why she is using a drug that is not licensed there'
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Tuesday
It's three days since the Australian Open kicked-off. Let's check out what the top stars are wearing. Tennis fashion has travelled a long way from whites to bright colours. Players and the famous brands, experiment with various shades.
Along with film stars and fashion icons, sports stars and their better halves also showed off their whacky creations on the pink carpet.
Images from Sunday's action at the Australian Open, in Melbourne.
The Maria Sharapova-Jimmy Connors partnership got off to a rocky start on Tuesday as Sloane Stephens shocked the third ranked Russian 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-3 at the Western and Southern Open.
Tennis sensation Maria Sharapova ensured all eyes would be on her as she attended the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday night in a glamorous silver gown.
On Monday, Spain eased the lockdown rules that were in effect since mid-March because of the Coronavirus pandemic. But sports facilities are supposed to remain closed at least until next week in most parts of the country.
Naomi Osaka's return a boost for women's tour, says Mouratoglou
Seven-time Italian Open winner Rafael Nadal lost 7-6(7), 6-2 to Stanislas Wawrinka.
'The suspicion of doping will hang over numerous men and women players including the elite stars,' says Desh Gaurav Chopra Sekhri.
"I prayed hard. Prayers not to win but for strength. All glory to God," the World No 1 said.
Swiatek's dominance on clay that the top seed from Poland has won her last 20 matches at Roland Garros, as she bids for a third successive trophy to add to her maiden Grand Slam triumph in Paris four years ago
Maria Sharapova's mix of grit and power were enough to see off American teenager Sofia Kenin 7-5, 6-2 in the third round of the US Open on Friday.
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