Images from Day 5 of the 2021 US Open in New York on Friday.
On the anniversary of the day he first walked on to the Roland Garros court 20 years ago, Rafael Nadal returned as a hero to be celebrated by a crowd that has always embraced him as one of their own.
World number one Carlos Alcaraz retired injured against Holger Rune at the Paris Masters on Friday, sending his fellow 19-year-old through to the semi-finals, while Novak Djokovic and Felix Auger-Aliassime also sealed places in the last four.
18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz entered the top 10 at the same age, on the same date and after a triumph in the same tournament as compatriot and 21-times major winner Rafael Nadal did in 2005.
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.
13 of the men's seeds fell at the first hurdle -- a Wimbledon record since 32 seeds were introduced in 2001.
The two cases shocked the tennis world with many fuming at how they were handled by the authorities.
Alexander Zverev won the first set 7-6, but Novak Djokovic has been forced to withdraw from the match due to injury from the Australian Open semi-final on Friday.
Carlos Alcaraz is the first man to defend a championship in the California desert since Novak Djokovic won three straight between 2014-2016.
A summary of Saturday's action at the US Open.
As Rafael Nadal prepares to ride off into the sunset after a stellar career, his fellow professionals from eras old and new agree on one thing - the Spaniard remains an inspirational role model whose legacy has shaped tennis over the last 23 years.
Defending champion Iga Swiatek crushed Dayana Yastremska 6-0, 6-2 and 2023 champion Elena Rybakina powered past Britain's Katie Boulter 6-0, 7-5 to reach the fourth round of Indian Wells on Sunday in displays of dominance.
Rafael Nadal says he will decide when to retire following the Paris Olympics after losing in straight sets to 24-times Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic in the second round of the singles.
Rafael Nadal has decided not to participate in the US Open due to concerns about his fitness
Images from Day 5 of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships on Friday.
A US Open full of upsets and hungry, young contenders offered the latest sign that men's tennis has entered a new era
Djokovic says young rivals have awoken his inner 'beast'
Images from Saturday's action in the Premier League.
Jevans also announced that wheelchair competitions would have a prize pot of one million pounds to reflect their growing popularity, with singles and doubles draws expanding to 16 players and eight teams.
IMAGES from Day 8 of the French Open at Roland Garros on Sunday.
Rafael Nadal reached his first final in two years on Saturday, beating qualifier Duje Ajdukovic
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz expect Rafael Nadal to be at his competitive best at the Australian Open next month despite a hip injury that wiped out the veteran Spaniard's 2023 season.
Rafa Nadal suffered a setback in his Paris 2024 Olympics preparations on Sunday as he was beaten 6-3 6-2 in the Swedish Open final by Portuguese seventh seed Nuno Borges.
Rafael Nadal teamed up with Norwegian Casper Ruud to register a 6-1, 6-4 win over second seeds Guido Andreozzi and Miguel Reyes-Varela on the Swedish clay.
Jannik Sinner made it two wins out of two at the ATP Finals as he fought off Taylor Fritz in a high-octane clash inside the Inalpi Arena on Tuesday.
Novak Djokovic's latest triumph at the US Open saw him equal Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles.
Nadal will team up with newly-crowned French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz to play in the doubles at the Olympics.
Nadal was much more than a claycourt bully, though. He spent more than 900 successive weeks from 2005 in the ATP's top 10, 209 of them at number one and at the age of 24 became the youngest player to complete the career Grand Slam.
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek of Poland faces Irina-Camella Begu of Romania in the opening round of the women's draw with second-seeded American Coco Gauff taking on Australian Ajla Tomljanovic.
The five top contenders for the men's title at the US Open.
Novak Djokovic kept his bid alive for Grand Slam No. 23 as he entered the semifinals of the French Open.
A true legend of the game who paved the way and taught so many of us how to be as a player and as a person.
World number one Carlos Alcaraz is the new big thing in men's tennis but says Novak Djokovic remains the favourite.
Images from Day 7 of the 2024 Australian Open in Melbourne on Saturday.
Here is a quick glance of all the highs and lows from Nadal's stupendous career:
Novak Djokovic will prepare for a tilt at an 11th Australian Open title by representing Serbia at the United Cup mixed team tournament while old rival Rafael Nadal and former women's world number one Naomi Osaka return at Brisbane after time away.
Wild card Caroline Wozniacki, another former champion and returning mother, will play 20th seed Magda Linette.
With Novak Djokovic having overtaken his impressive haul of most major titles in men's tennis, Rafael Nadal conceded the Serbian is the best player in history.
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.
