Losing five Melbourne Park finals would leave many believing they were destined to never win the Australian Open title but world number one Andy Murray remains confident that this could be the year he lays his demons to rest.
Pliskova will be guaranteed toppling Germany's Angelique Kerber if she prevails against Halep who would need to go on and take the title to seize the top ranking.
Latvian Jelena Ostapenko's dream run at the French Open continued as she stunned former world number one Caroline Wozniacki to reach the semi-finals.
Photos from Day 5 action at the Western & Southern Open at Cincinnati on Thursday.
Photos from the Wimbledon matches on Day 1
Kei Nishikori swept aside Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals of the Rogers Cup.
Twice winner Maria Sharapova and reigning champion Flavia Pennetta advanced to the third round of the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday, though in sharply contrasting fashion.
If, as former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson once said, a week is a long time in politics, four and a half months in football clearly represents an eternity.
Dani Alves has blamed the media for Brazil's unsuccessful World Cup campaign but conceded that the team did not prepare properly ahead of the humiliating 7-1 defeat by Germany in the semi-final.
Caroline Wozniacki became the biggest name to fall at the BNP Paribas Open.
Photos from the matches played at the Miami Open on Tuesday
With another Australian Open title having slipped through his fingers after a tournament plagued by off-court dramas, Andy Murray could not wait to see the back of Melbourne Park after losing his fifth final on Sunday.
A day after suffering her heaviest defeat since she was a teenager, Serena Williams was back to her brilliant best as she swatted aside Eugenie Bouchard 6-1, 6-1 in her final round robin match at the WTA Finals on Thursday.
His season had already provided several unforgettable chapters but Andy Murray saved the best to last as he eclipsed Novak Djokovic 6-3 6-4 to claim his first ATP World Tour Finals title and rubberstamp the year-end top ranking on Sunday. Against a man who has so often been his nemesis, Britain's golden boy Murray produced a relentless display to claim a ninth title of a year which included a second Wimbledon crown and Olympic gold in Rio.
A patient Roger Federer weathered a second set storm from Grigor Dimitrov before slapping down the Bulgarian challenger 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open and clinch his 300th win in Grand Slams.
The All England Club's medical rooms were overflowing as the third day of Wimbledon resembled a casualty ward with Rafa Nadal's conqueror Steve Darcis one of five players to withdraw injured before mid-afternoon on Wednesday.
The politically-sensitive Euro 2016 qualifier between Serbia and Albania was abandoned on Tuesday following a brawl between players from both sides after a flag stunt.
World No 1 Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams advanced safely to the next round of the US Open on Saturday but the women's draw saw yet another big upset as Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova was sent packing by a 145th-ranked qualifier.
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