Former world number one Ana Ivanovic is doubtful for this month's Australian Open after suffering a stomach injury at the Hopman Cup mixed team event.
India are the fourth team to be confirmed for the 20th edition of the Hopman Cup mixed tennis tournament starting in Perth on Dec. 29, event director Paul McNamee announced on Tuesday.
The former world number one ruled herself out of next month's Australian Open because of a wrist injury.
Rafter, who turns 31 on Sunday, is not planning a comeback to the professional circuit.
Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt slammed Australian tennis administrators for presiding over a period of decline in the local game and backed a leadership challenge to drive change. Local media have reported that former Davis Cup player and Australia Open director Paul McNamee is bidding to oust incumbent Tennis Australia president and chairman Geoff Pollard at a board election at the end of this month.
Despite testing positive, the Grand Slam's tournament director said he will be allowed to play in the year's first Grand Slam event.
The three-times Wimbledon champion will partner Taylor Dent for the United States at the Dec. 29-Jan. 5 event in Perth's Burswood Dome.
The Swiss will be offered a wildcard for next year's Australia Open if she wants one, tournament chief executive Paul McNamee said.
The former world No.1 told organisers of the Perth event that she wants to concentrate on defending her title at the Australian Open.
World number one tennis player Novak Djokovic was denied entry into Australia on Thursday amid a storm of protest about a decision to grant him a medical exemption from COVID-19 vaccination requirements to play in the Australian Open.
Melbourne man McNamara won five singles titles and 19 in doubles and teamed up with compatriot Paul McNamee to win the Australian Open doubles in 1979 and Wimbledon twice in 1980 and 1982.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Friday.
Other world leaders to figure in the top 10 list are Nicolas Maduro from Venezuela, Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, Emmanuel Macron from France, Enrique Pena Nieto from Mexico, Mauricip Macri of Argentina, Britain's Theresa May, Columbia's Juan Manuel Santos and Akun resmi Joko Widodo of Indonesia.
Unveiling his second year agenda to a deeply divided Congress and nation, a bullish United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday used his first State of the Union address to appeal for bipartisanship on issues like immigration while pledging to tackle the Islamic State and a nuclear-armed North Korea.
Images from Sunday's action at the Australian Open.
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