Rafael Nadal and Marc Lopez of Spain won the Olympic men's doubles tennis title on Friday, beating Romania's Florin Mergea and Horia Tecau to secure their country's third gold medal of the Rio Games.
With professional tennis tours closed down until mid July at the earliest because of the coronavirus pandemic, an esports version of the claycourt event is being staged online. Nadal showed impressive fingerwork to beat young Canadian Denis Shapovalov in his opening round-robin match on a digital representation of the Spanish capital's Manolo Santana Stadium.
'That's the motto: the future is bright. This year hopefully I can play better in Australian Open and go further and show some good tennis.'
The untroubled advance of the heavy hitters at Wimbledon was spectacularly halted on Thursday when twice champion Rafa Nadal was bundled out by German qualifier Dustin Brown who played the match of his life.
World number one Rafael Nadal made light work of Greek teenager Stefanos Tsitsipas to win the Barcelona Open final 6-2, 6-1 on Sunday, lifting the trophy for a record-extending 11th time.
Jannik Sinner has sprinted past opponents at the Australian Open in his quest for a maiden Grand Slam but could end up running a marathon in the final against Daniil Medvedev on Sunday, when Melbourne Park will crown a new king.
"It has been an amazing year. One year ago, for sure I never dreamed about being World No. 1 again at the end of the season. It's something that means a lot to me. But the season is not over."
"I think especially Rafa playing singles and doubles almost every day, he's been our MVP this week," Lopez said.
He will surpass Roger Federer's record as the oldest No. 1 in ATP Rankings history on Sunday when he will be 36 years and 321 days old.
Eleven-times champion Rafael Nadal booked his place in the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open semi-finals by beating German Jan-Lennard Struff 7-5, 7-5 in a hard-fought match on Friday.
Rafael Nadal's hopes of a 15th Grand Slam title were crushed by an inspired Roger Federer in the Australian Open final on Sunday but the rejuvenated Spaniard was already rubbing his hands together with the prospect of a 'special' season on clay.
Fourteen-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal has entered the quarter-finals of the ATP Acapulco tournament with a comprehensive straight-sets victory over Italy's Paolo Lorenzi.
With the Australian Open currently on, defending champion Novak Djokovic has once again been dubbed as a favourite to retain the title, and former world No. 17 Bernard Tomic of Australia firmly believes there will be no one to challenge the great Serbian.
Nadal avenged his defeat to the 20-year-old Greek at the same stage of the Madrid Open a week ago
Top seed Rafael Nadal pulled out of this week's Mexican Open in Acapulco after aggravating the leg injury that forced him out of the Australian Open last month.
Former Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi has penned a heartfelt letter to Rafael Nadal where he has expressed his support to the Spaniard who is seeking to clinch his 10th French Open title.
Russian fourth seed Mikhail Youzhny made a winning start to the New Year as he routed world no. 2 Rafael Nadal 6-0, 6-1 in the final of the Chennai Open on Sunday.
It was like someone had turned up the volume and intensity to the last notch. The spectators had poured in to watch the Spanish bull-fight, and they devoured every bit of drama Rafael Nadal and Carlos Moya provided.
Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Johanna Konta progressed to the Italian Open semi-finals on Friday, but Roger Federer and Naomi Osaka were forced to withdraw with injury problems. World number one Osaka pulled out of her quarter-final meeting with Kiki Bertens due to a thumb injury before 37-year-old Federer announced his withdrawal because of a problem to his right leg.
With Rafael Nadal out with injury, can Novak Djokovic go past the Spaniard and pick up a record 23rd Grand Slam title.
Rafael Nadal's uncle, Toni Nadal, will step down as his coach after this year's ATP Tour, as he feels he has been sidelined by other figures in the player's entourage, he told an Italian tennis magazine.
Rafael Nadal claimed a record-extending 10th Monte Carlo Masters title as he geared up for his beloved French Open with a 6-1, 6-3 victory against fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos on Sunday.
Nadal, 31, pulled out of the Paris Masters before his quarter-final match last week after experiencing discomfort in his right knee during his third-round win over Pablo Cuevas.
Rafa Nadal's injury situation is "delicate" ahead of the Rio Olympics, according to Spanish team mate David Ferrer. Nadal, a 14-time grand slam champion, has not played a competitive match since May 27 when a left wrist injury forced him to pull out of the French Open after the second round and miss Wimbledon. World number four Nadal won gold in Beijing eight years ago and will be Spain's flag bearer in Rio.
World No 3 Rafael Nadal admitted that he may not play in the upcoming Australian Open after suffering a shocking first round defeat against Germany's Michael Berrer at the Qatar Open.
Fourth seed Rafa Nadal was stunned by Serb Viktor Troicki in an upset-filled Shanghai Masters second round on Wednesday while Andy Murray breezed past American Steve Johnson and Nick Kyrgios slumped to a listless defeat. Troicki, ranked 31st in the world, overcame Nadal 6-3 7-6(3) in an hour and 34 minutes to secure his first ever victory in five previous attempts against the 14-time grand slam winner. The unseeded Serb broke twice to seal the opening set before Nadal came back strongly in the second. The Spaniard saved a match point at 5-4 down but was defeated in the tiebreak.
Former World No 1 Rafael Nadal says regaining control of his emotions has sparked a resurgence that continued on Thursday when he reached the Shanghai Masters quarter-finals with victory against Canadian Milos Raonic.
Rafael Nadal won a record 34th ATP Masters 1000 title with a 6-0, 4-6, 6-1 victory over Novak Djokovic in the Italian Open final on Sunday.
Murray required two medical stoppages for cramp and received treatment to his thigh as he battled with his fitness and form
Factbox on Rafael Nadal, who beat Dominic Thiem to win his 12th French Open title:
It will be the second time Nadal and Del Potro meet at Roland Garros. The previous match up saw the Spaniard beat Del Potro in straight sets in the opening round in 2007.
ATP chief hails Nadal's 'unprecedented' return to top
The tennis star also opened the doors of his Rafael Nadal Academy to those who were affected by the storm.
'And that was what I missed the most when I saw Nadal play in Delhi, the banter with my mom, because she's gone and I won't get to share that moment with her.' 'Superfan' Roshneesh Kmaneck on watching Rafa in person.
The 35-year-old Swiss, showing no sign of losing his edge, improved to 19-1 this year, winning the Australian Open in five sets over Nadal, and BNP Paribas Open in straight sets over fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka.
Rafael Nadal has cast doubt on his participation at Wimbledon, saying he needs to see how his body recovers after a long clay court campaign culminated in an 11th French Open title.
Rafael Nadal maintained his ominous claycourt form by seizing back the Barcelona Open title from Kei Nishikori with a 6-4, 7-5 victory on Sunday, matching Guillermo Vilas's record title haul on the surface.
Indian ace Leander Paes is one of the biggest stars in doubles and one of the best players in the history of tennis, said fourteen-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal, who led Spain to the Davis Cup World Group by winning the doubles match in New Delhi on Saturday night.
World number one Rafael Nadal won a battle of attrition against fellow left-hander Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan 7-6(4), 6-4 to seal Spain's spot in the final eight of the inaugural ATP Cup in Perth on Wednesday. Meanwhile his long-time rival, world number two Novak Djokovic, had an easier outing in Brisbane, strolling past Chile's Cristian Garin 6-3, 6-3 to stay undefeated in the new year.
He was slapped with $24,000 in fines on Friday but was allowed to play two matches in the doubles tournament with partner Simone Bolelli before the Grand Slam Board announced their decision to suspend Fognini on Saturday.
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