Medvedev whips Dimitrov to enter US Open final
'It's a positive start with a good result. If I do months without playing an official match, it's always a little bit more difficult.'
Thirteen-time champion Rafael Nadal, 20-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer and world number one Novak Djokovic were placed in the same half of the French Open draw on Thursday.
A couple of months ago, the 35-year-old Spaniard was worried that he might never return to the court again.
Rafael Nadal has issued a rallying cry and called on Spanish athletes to help raise 11 million euros ($12.07 million) to help fight the coronavirus pandemic. Spain is one of the most badly affected countries in the world with over 56,000 cases and the parliament voted to extend the coronavirus lockdown to at least April 12 after the death toll rose to over 4,000 by Thursday.
In his pre-tournament news conference in Toronto on Sunday, Nadal said a recurring foot issue he has been dealing with since 2005 returned at the French Open, where he fell to eventual champion Djokovic in the semi-finals.
The 20-times Grand Slam champion said he was having some "unpleasant moments" but was hoping to feel better soon.
Djokovic is the last member of the "Big Four" still standing and the Serb said he wanted to continue giving to the sport.
Nadal's great rival and fellow 20-times Grand Slam winner Roger Federer is also out of the US Open and will be sidelined for many months because he needs knee surgery.
Defending champion Jannik Sinner swept past Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-0, 6-2 on Thursday to reach the Cincinnati Open semi-finals, the world number one extending his hardcourt winning streak to 25 matches.
Rafael Nadal's comeback from a long-term knee injury has been put on hold by an illness that has ruled him out of an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
Rafael Nadal will miss next week's ATP tournament in Buenos Aires following a stomach bug that has hindered his recovery from the back injury he sustained at the Australian Open.
The 35-year-old also paid tribute to Messi, who played for Real's arch-rivals Barcelona.
Images from the Wimbledon semi-final played between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on Friday
Zverev will have a chance to spoil the birthday party for Nadal, who turns 36 on Friday
Alberto Contador is auctioning his bike from the 2011 Giro d'Italia and Tour de France while Rafael Nadal is selling the shirt he wore when he won the 2019 French Open to raise money for the Spanish Red Cross' fight against the coronavirus.
Rafael Nadal has conceded he is not yet sure that he will be able to represent Spain at the Rio Olympics as his fitness concerns linger.
Tournaments continue to be played in front of a handful of fans at most.
Rafael Nadal struggled to finish off Fabio Fognini at the Barcelona Open on Friday but eventually quelled one of his most troublesome opponents 6-2, 7-6(1) to reach the semi-finals.
Nadal has won his 13th French Open singles title and 20th Grand Slam tournament by beating Novak Djokovic in straight sets.
Rafael Nadal is no stranger to being out of action for months due to injuries taking a toll on his body but when the Spaniard pulled out from a virtual reality tennis match that would have been contested using a game console - it raised a few eyebrows. The claycourt king had been expected to take on gamer DjMariio as part of a virtual Madrid Open charity event - but ended up being a no show on Monday.
Zverev and Rublev among dark horses for French Open
Rafael Nadal dug deep to beat mercurial wildcard Nick Kyrgios 7-6(0), 5-7, 6-4 in a blockbuster quarter-final match that lived up to the hype at Indian Wells on Thursday.
Lucky loser Taro Daniel will replace Nadal in the second round against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
There are few more impressive sights in sport than Roger Federer in full flow on a tennis court but the Swiss great cannot compare with Rafael Nadal as an athlete, says former world No.1 John McEnroe.
With the ATP Finals coming up next month, Nadal said on his Facebook page he had made the decision to pull out of next week's Basel tournament after getting medical advice.
Medvedev will be glad to play the role of dream wrecker once again.
The spirit was as strong as ever but Rafael Nadal's troublesome knee failed him in the end as the Spaniard quit the ATP Finals after a painful defeat by Belgium's David Goffin.
Rafael Nadal's quarter-final win over compatriot Nicolas Almagro made him only the sixth player ever to win 50 matches at the French Open. Roger Federer, his arch rival, had achieved the feat earlier in the tournament.
'I think I played a great first set, one of the best of the claycourt season, in my opinion. No mistakes, high intensity, winners, playing long'.
World number one Carlos Alcaraz sailed into the Paris Masters third round with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Yoshihito Nishioka but Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev both slumped to surprise losses on Wednesday.
Top seed Rafael Nadal beat American qualifier Maxime Cressy 7-6(6), 6-3 to win the Melbourne Summer Set 1 ATP 250 event and build up momentum heading into the Australian Open.
Rafael Nadal captured his 16th career Grand Slam title and third at the US Open
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.
Rafael Nadal was at his awe-inspiring best as he recovered from a first set wobble to crush Juan Martin del Potro 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 in the US Open semi-finals on Friday and move within reach of a 16th grand slam title.
'I'm disappointed and sad because after a good start to the season I was coming to a very important part of the year with very good feelings and good results.'
Auger-Aliassime, now coached by Nadal's uncle and long-time mentor Toni who sat in his box, will face Fritz in his final group match with a chance of making the last four.
Friction has dogged the ATP Player Council, whose president is world number one Novak Djokovic, this year since ATP president Chris Kermode failed to gain support for another term.
Both are in superb form and have yet to drop a set at this year's championship. Britain's Murray, the number one seed, will face 28th ranked Fabio Fognini from Italy while Spaniard Nadal will go up against Russian Karen Khachanov, ranked 30.
Spain's Rafael Nadal defeated local boy Di Wu in straight sets to reach the second round of the China Open on Tuesday.
