With each passing year questions are inevitably asked about whether Nadal's vice-like hold on the French Open will be loosened. Each time, the answer has been an emphatic NO.
Novak Djokovic, who has won a record nine titles at Melbourne Park including the last three, has repeatedly declined to reveal whether he has been vaccinated against COVID-19, with Australian Open organisers Tennis Australia confirming that all players would have to be vaccinated to compete in Melbourne.
World number one Novak Djokovic had to work hard for a three-set victory over Hungarian Marton Fucsovics at the Paris Masters on Tuesday in his first match since losing the U.S. Open final in September.
While Djokovic has a firm grip on top spot, there will be a new number two on March 15 in Russian Daniil Medvedev, who will climb one place to his career-best ranking to replace Nadal, who has not played since the Australian Open due to a back injury.
American teenage sensation Coco Gauff progressed to her maiden WTA final as she eased past Germany's Andrea Petkovic 6-4, 6-4 at the Linz Open on Saturday. The 15-year-old Gauff became the youngest player to reach a WTA final since Czech Republic's Nicole Vaidisova won the Tashkent Open in 2004, also aged 15.
Swiss great Roger Federer said he has faced no setbacks and is recovering well after his latest knee operation.
Inspired Garcia goes from Cincinnati qualifier to champion
'I'm not vaccinated and I'm not planning to get vaccinated so the only good news I can have is them removing the mandated green vaccine card'
The Swiss three-time grand slam champion was out-gunned by 21-year-old Medvedev, who had the Centre Court crowd on their feet as he pulled off a dazzling array of winners to wrap up a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory on his first Wimbledon appearance.
World number one Novak Djokovic once again declined to reveal whether he has been vaccinated against COVID-19 and said he is unsure if he would defend his title at next year's Australian Open.
Homeland favorite Ashleigh Barty and Serbia's Novak Djokovic are the top seeds for the upcoming Australian Open.
World number one Novak Djokovic, bidding for a record-equalling sixth title at the event, is in the Tokyo group with Russian Daniil Medvedev, Germany's Alexander Zverev and Argentine first-time Diego Schwartzman.
Novak Djokovic cruised past Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-1 on Wednesday to reach a record-equalling eighth Western & Southern Open semi-final in New York where he will face Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut.
Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra has been selected as one of the six nominees for the 2022 Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award.
Penpix of the top men's contenders at the 2021 Australian Open
Wimbledon finalists Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer are on a semi-final collision course at the US Open after they were placed in the same half of the draw.
The future arrived late but after some old-fashioned glitches, two Russian trailblazers fired the first shots in what could be a revolution in tennis at the Next Gen ATP Finals on Tuesday.
No clear favourite for Australian Open, says Djokovic
Here are a few famous faces that watched Nadal go one step close to matching Roger Federer's 20 Grand Slam titles...
Raducanu retires in Rome as back injury persists, Jabeur survives early scare
Top seed Novak Djokovic made quick work of Tennys Sandgren at the Western and Southern Open on Tuesday, never dropping serve en route to a 6-2, 6-4 win over the American, while big-serving Milos Raonic enjoyed a straight sets win over Andy Murray.
The US is not going to be able to mount a concerted 'Western strategy' against China or Russia in the present international milieu, predicts Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Novak Djokovic has been unbeaten at Wimbledon since retiring with an elbow injury against Tomas Berdych in the 2017 quarter-finals.
Zverev has not lost to Wawrinka in two previous meetings but is not taking the 2014 Melbourne Park champion lightly.
Big serving Berrettini is having a breakout year, with two titles under his belt, one on grass and one on clay, and is now on the brink of becoming the first Italian male grand slam finalist in more than 40 years.
Raducanu stormed into the third round of the Cincinnati Open
Images from Day 4 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Thursday.
Andrey Rublev and Alexander Zverev clinched the Laver Cup for Team Europe with a 6-2, 6-7(4), 10-3 win over Team World's Reilly Opelka and Denis Shapovalov on Sunday in Boston.
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.
Not since Stan Wawrinka's 2016 US Open triumph has a Grand Slam been won by someone other than the 'Big Three', winners of the last 13 major titles.
Action-man Vlad finds a gym buddy in Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
Sweden and Novak Djokovic's Serbia took the two best runners-up spots and a place in the last eight by virtue of their better match win-loss records among the second placed sides throughout the group stages.
'The gold medal (in Tokyo) has motivated me in life to do even better. Performing well and ending up on podium will be my target in the World Championship (in July)'.
Former champions Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams have all entered next month's Western & Southern Open in New York, which will serve as a tune-up for the US Open, tournament organisers said on Wednesday. Organisers of the August 20-28 event, which was relocated from Cincinnati this year because of COVID-19, said defending champions Daniil Medvedev and Madison Keys are also among the initial entries.
Images from the action on Day 2 at the Australian Open.
For the second time in three days at the ATP Finals, Rafael Nadal fought off one of the game's rising powers but beating Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas proved in vain as his semi-final hopes vanished on Friday.
These sweeping financial sanctions follow the action earlier this week to cut off Russia's frozen funds in the United States to make debt payments.
Sharath Kamal's progress to the third round of the men's singles in table tennis was the only bright spot on another gloomy day for India at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday.
All players who want a visa to compete in the Australian Open will need to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, the country's immigration minister said on Wednesday, putting Novak Djokovic's title defence and Grand Slam record bid in doubt.
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