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.
Djokovic had been favourite to win a 10th title at Melbourne Park and claim a 21st Grand Slam crown but the Serb now faces being deported from Australia.
The 2011 Australian Open will offer a record A$25 million ($24.2 million) prize money, up 3.8 per cent on the previous year, with the men's and women's winners to each pocket A$2.2 million.
Roger Federer will not be competing in the US Open men's final for the first time in seven years and he will not be watching it either.
Novak Djokovic said he expects a "great battle" against Italian powerhouse Matteo Berrettini in Sunday's Wimbledon final when victory will earn the Serb a record-equalling 20th Grand Slam title.
Nadal, a Real fan despite his uncle Miguel Angel making over 200 appearances for arch-rivals Barcelona, was seen speaking to umpire Mohamed Lahyani about his team's 0-0 home draw with Real Betis on Saturday and was less than impressed with what he saw.
The two great rivals meet at Roland Garros for the first time in eight years in Friday's French Open semi-final.
Novak Djokovic said any questions over whether he has genuinely been struggling with a hamstring injury at the Australian Open only give him extra strength and motivation.
Should Carlos Alcaraz win Queen's final against Alex de Minaur he would reclaim the world number one ranking from Novak Djokovic.
Saville, whose parents live in Moscow, represented Russia in tennis until emigrating to Australia seven years ago.
24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic looked completely powerless as he was pummeled into submission by Spain's Carlos Alcaraz.
It was fitting that Nikolay Davydenko should get his biggest win of the year on Sunday at a Shanghai Masters tournament dominated by injury retirements and a debate over the length of the season.
The fifth seeded German did not let up and another break confirmed the win in two hours and 40 minutes.
Nadal fought from two sets down to defeat Medvedev in a five-set thriller at Rod Laver Arena.
Djokovic will be nowhere near the centre court after losing his bid to overturn a second visa cancellation.
Roger Federer advanced to the final of the Australian Open with a 6-2, 7-5, 7-5 demolition of Andy Roddick on Thursday. Federer, who beat the American at the same stage in the 2007 tournament before going on to lift the title, will play either world number one Rafa Nadal or Fernando Verdasco in the final.
Jannik Sinner was not about to announce the end of the "Big Three" after his breakthrough Grand Slam triumph at the Australian Open but the 22-year-old Italian does believe tennis needs a fresh generation of champions.
World number one Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from next week's Madrid Open for a second consecutive year to rest before the Rome Masters and the French Open, organisers of the clay Masters event said on Wednesday.
Medvedev squandered a two-set lead against Nadal in their previous meeting in the Melbourne final in January, allowing the Spaniard to clinch his 21st Grand Slam title.
Rafael Nadal fired hosts Spain into the Davis Cup final as he joined Feliciano Lopez to win a thrilling late-night doubles and seal a nail-biting 2-1 victory over Britain on Saturday.
World number two Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, the tournament announced on Wednesday, in the latest setback for the player due to his refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Austrian spent four days in bed with a virus after pulling out of a tournament in Doha last week.
'To be part of Team Europe together is great and if we're able to possibly share the court one more time as a doubles pairing then this would be a truly special experience for us both at this stage in our careers.'
Underarm serve could be an effective weapon in halting Rafael Nadal's annual rampage on clay most just chuckled.
'The conventional view is that it's the women who are being provocative and drawing attention to themselves. Has anyone considered the alternative view?' asks Kanika Datta.
The 20-year-old Spaniard will attempt to end Djokovic's 34-match winning run on the Wimbledon grass.
Spain's David Ferrer has pulled out of Wimbledon on the eve of the tournament because of an elbow injury, the All England Club said in a statement on Sunday.
'The personal satisfaction is big because under the circumstances that we played this Roland Garros, even if I played an amazing match this afternoon, the conditions are a little bit not the conditions that I will choose, never, to play an event like this'
Juan Martin del Potro could be a 'nightmare opponent' for Rafael Nadal when they clash in the French Open semi-finals on Friday, according to former champion Mats Wilander.
World number one Novak Djokovic will bid for a record fourth successive ATP World Tour Finals crown in London later this year after becoming the first man to qualify for the season-ender.
After all, he has been champion there twice, is bang in form after a record-stretching 12th French Open, is injury free and last year was a whisker away from reaching the final.
Roger Federer has secured his place in the ATP Finals for a record 15th time after the Swiss world number three won a record eighth Wimbledon title on Sunday, the Association of Tennis Professionals confirmed on Monday.
Two-times champion Rafa Nadal crashed out in the second round of Wimbledon on Thursday after being out-muscled and out-thought in four sets by an inspired Dustin Brown of Germany.
'I wanted to fight until the last ball and that was the key.'
Wimbledon's grass is slower than when Sampras and all the classic serve-volley specialists ruled the roost and, though it still offers a lower bounce than clay or the hard courts that dominate the circuit, it seems that the difference is becoming marginal.
Nadal had a solid start, but the 35-year-old struggled physically towards the end of the contest
Roger Federer brings down the curtain on his illustrious career later this week but the Swiss maestro has assured his millions of fans that he will not become a tennis ghost.
'They're incredible players, but they're not superheroes. The new generation has to start believing in themselves.'
Alcaraz was impressive in his first Grand Slam match since his US Open triumph last year
Thirteen years on and his record next to the Bois de Boulogne stands at an incredible 85 wins and two losses.
