Garbine Muguruza's preparations for next week's Australian Open were thrown into disarray when the world number three pulled out of the Sydney International with a thigh injury on Wednesday.
Novak Djokovic handed Kei Nishikori a brutal lesson in hardcourt tennis as the Serb began his bid for a record fourth successive title at the ATP World Tour Finals with a 6-1, 6-1 win on Sunday.
The trick-shots, underarm serves and tirades at spectators are all part of the theatre, and the 'what will he do next?' lure puts bums on seats, in much the same way John Daly still draws a crowd in golf.
Rafael Nadal was cautious about predicting how his body would hold up in the run-in to the US Open on Wednesday but did reveal that he had not missed the grind of the tennis tour during his absence from the game.
IMAGES from the French Open semi-finals played at Roland Garros on Friday
Images from Day 5 of the French Open, at Roland Garros, in Paris.
Seven-time champion Serena Williams endured an unlikely scrap in her Wimbledon opener and will look to shake off more rust in the second round on Thursday when she faces another qualifier in 18-year-old Kaja Juvan.
Pandit Ravi Shankar was George Harrison's link into the Vedic world.
Serena Williams moved another step closer to a record-tying 24th career Grand Slam title with a comfortable 6-3, 6-2 victory over Czech Karolina Muchova on Friday to reach the last 16 at the US Open.
IMAGES from Day 7 at Wimbledon on Monday
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday
The 36-year-old Australian Open champion arrived in the Dutch port city at the weekend knowing a run to the semi-finals will move him ahead of Rafael Nadal in the ATP standings.
PHOTOS from day two of the Wimbledon championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London on Tuesday.
Australian maverick Nick Kyrgios blazed past Feliciano Lopez with a barrage of aces to reach the semi-finals of the ATP 500 Fever-Tree championships at Queen's Club on Friday. The 23-year-old was in dazzling form as he claimed a 7-6(5), 7-6(3) victory over the defending champion to set up a clash with top seed Marin Cilic, who breezed past Sam Querrey.
Here are some of those lucky celebrities who were invited to watch the Ladies Singles Finals.
Showing great mobility, the towering Czech neutralised the potentially tricky world number 25 in a sometimes tetchy two-hour contest on Margaret Court Arena.
Novak Djokovic vanquished Andy Murray for the fourth time in an Australian Open final on Sunday to win a record-equalling sixth title and serve notice to his rivals that he could surpass even his stellar 2015 this year.
Former Wimbledon champion Rafa Nadal could be heading for a clash with one of his Big Four rivals as early as the fourth round after the Spaniard was seeded 10th for the grasscourt championships.
I physically feel very fit. I'm very motivated to keep on playing on a very high level, says Novak Djokovic.
Finally clinching an elusive Australian Open crown is Andy Murray's number one goal for the new year but the Briton concedes that his hopes of success at Melbourne Park may rest on champion Novak Djokovic having an off-day.
Images from Day 4 of the French Open, at Roland Garros, in Paris.
PHOTOS from the Wimbledon Championships matches played at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, on Saturday
Images from matches played on Day 4 at the US Open at the Flushing Meadows in New York on Thursday.
The moment Novak Djokovic accepted that being part of the Roger Federer/Rafael Nadal era was a chance, not a curse, everything improved for him.
Novak Djokovic brushed past France's Adrian Mannarino 6-4 6-3 7-6(5) on Wednesday to book his place in the third round of Wimbledon. The defending champion, aiming for his third consecutive title, played well within himself and was rarely troubled during the second-round match. Mannarino, ranked 55, put up spirited resistance in the third set to force a tiebreak but was ultimately swept off Centre Court by the Serbian's laser-guided ground-strokes.
One of the first orders of business for Stanislas Wawrinka on his return to Melbourne Park last week was to see the photo of himself holding the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup on the 'Walk of Champions' under the Rod Laver Arena centre court.
Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli is the sole sportsperson from the country to feature among the world's 100 highest paid athletes in the latest Forbes list topped by soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo.
Photos from the Wimbledon matches played on Saturday.
The US Open women's semi-finals scheduled for Thursday evening have been postponed due to the threat of rain.
Defending champion Simona Halep was knocked out of the French Open 6-2, 6-4 by 17-year-old American Amanda Anisimova in a quarter-final shock.
"This is going to be a huge confidence boost and springboard for whatever is coming up and for the rest of my career."
Rajneesh Gupta highlights important numbers featuring the West Indies team from the World Cups.
One of the most brilliant theoretical physicists since Einstein passes into worlds beyond our understanding.
Croatian Marin Cilic reached his first Wimbledon final with a 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-5 victory over American Sam Querrey on Friday.
Roger Federer rallied from a set down to beat Moldovan surprise package Radu Albot 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in a stuttering start to the 20-times Grand Slam champion's Miami Open campaign on Saturday.
Stokes took three quick wickets late in the afternoon session to quash a brief Australian fightback and two more victims late in the day helped England restrict the touring side to 241 for seven at the close, still 90 runs behind the hosts.
World number one Simona Halep saved three match-points before edging past an inspired Lauren Davis 4-6, 6-4, 15-13 in a thrilling marathon to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open on Saturday.
Can 2018 top its predecessor in Sporting Glory?
Images from Day 5 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Friday.
Roger Federer began his 63rd consecutive Grand Slam tournament with a majestic 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 first-round win over little-known Bosnian Damir Dzumhur at Wimbledon in London, on Tuesday.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances