'When it's easy it's going to be no problem. When it gets tough that's when you know what's going to hold up and what's not'
Serena Williams reluctantly pulled out of this year's Australian Open on Friday, the American saying that while she was close to regaining full fitness after giving birth to her first child in September, she was not fully ready to defend her title.
Andy Murray has been the standout performer on clay for the past 12 months but world number one Novak Djokovic will be favourite to complete his set of grand slams at this year's French Open. Murray, according to the ATP Performance Zone stats, has won 85 percent of his matches on the red dust this year and last, more than any other player. Having been at 70 percent for the first 10 years of his career, the improvement demonstrates just how at home the Briton now feels on a surface he once treated with suspicion. His victory over Djokovic in Sunday's Italian Open final may have been aided by his opponent's energy levels being drained after a gruelling semi-final win over Kei Nishikori the night before. But it also was a timely statement of intent from the world number two, who recently split with coach Amelie Mauresmo.
India's top tennis players Mahesh Bhupathi, Saketh Myneni, Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Sriram Balaji have been granted wild card entries into the doubles draw of Chennai Open, the organisers announced on Monday.
'The governing bodies, especially Grand Slams, need to allocate enough funds to support lower-ranked players, low-level tournaments, futures, challengers and I believe there is enough funds for those too.'
Serena faces hard-hitting Giorgi in first round while former World No Hewitt play his final grand slam
Two-time champion Andy Murray withdrew from Wimbledon with a 'heavy heart' on Sunday after saying his right hip was still not ready for the demands of a Grand Slam.
A summary of the action on Day 3 at the US Open.
The top-seeded Serb, who had not dropped a set in four matches since the round of 16 at the Australian Open in January, looked out-of-sorts throughout the 98-minute contest.
Roger Federer is no longer chasing the top ranking and would rather be a contender at Grand Slams than battling Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal to be world number one, the Swiss tennis great said.
Australia's new Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt has backed the country's bad boy of tennis Nick Kyrgios to "control" the image he projects and break through for a grand slam trophy in the next year or two.
'007, Why not? Maybe this is the year. Seven in 17. I'm not a numerologist but it sounds good'
Next up for the 35-year-old will be another American in 39th-ranked Tommy Paul with a potential semi-final clash against top-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev, who he defeated in the Australian Open final from a two-sets deficit.
Persistent drizzle and a chill wind sweeping the almost-empty Roland Garros grounds.
Verdasco questions French Open COVID-19 testing protocols after withdrawal
The cool days of late September, with damp courts expected, will level the playing field and for the first time, other than when Rafael Nadal has been injured, he looks vulnerable on his beloved clay.
Two-time champion Novak Djokovic thumped Spain's David Ferrer 6-4, 6-2 to march into the last four of the Shanghai Masters on Friday and set up a semi-final showdown with third seed Roger Federer.
List of US Open men's singles champions since the Open Era began in 1968:
Britain's Andy Murray overcame a blistering start from Tomas Berdych to advance to his fourth Australian Open final with a 6-7(6), 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 victory on Thursday.
A break-out 2014 season and a career-high ranking of five has added extra weight to Kei Nishikori's shoulders, with the US Open finalist already bearing the burden of huge expectations in his home country Japan.
Sixth seed Andy Murray may feel the most aggrieved of the top contenders in the men's draw.
World number one Novak Djokovic continued his dominant form in Tokyo to storm past Frenchman Lucas Pouille 6-1, 6-2 and into the semi-finals of the Japan Open.
Australian Nick Kyrgios did his best to enliven a damp and dismal Parisian day with some eye-catching play and colourful language as the French Open began without part of the usual furniture on Sunday.
Factbox on Rafael Nadal's French Open final wins
The tough part starts now for Andy Murray, the 22-year-old Scot who is four victories away from giving Britain its first men's singles champion at Wimbledon since the days when they played in long trousers.
Serbian former world number one Novak Djokovic will be in action at his home club, working under old coach Marian Vajda -- desperately searching for some spark after tumbling down to 13th in the rankings.
Konta, Sharapova fall at Rogers Cup in Toronto
The 35-year-old Swiss, showing no sign of losing his edge, improved to 19-1 this year, winning the Australian Open in five sets over Nadal, and BNP Paribas Open in straight sets over fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka.
Images from Day 1 of the Wimbledon Championships.
Under the lights on the stadium court, Williams smashed 39 winners to defeat Azarenka 7-5, 6-3 in a rematch of the 2016 final, which the Belarusian won.
Novak Djokovic beat Casper Ruud in the French Open final to win a men's record-extending 23rd Grand Slam title.
Novak Djokovic has admitted that Andy Murray's attempt to surge to the top of the rankings has rejuvenated an otherwise mediocre season for the World No. 1.
Coco Gauff rallied from a break down in the final set to beat Swede Rebecca Peterson and reach the Indian Wells quarter-finals for the first time
A struggling and edgy Rafael Nadal crashed out of the Miami Open.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Monday.
Here is a timeline of Djokovic's decline since the last of his 12 Grand Slam titles.
'Just six months ago, you would've been labelled mad for even suggesting the possibility of Djokovic relinquishing the top spot in men's tennis.'
The latest tennis rankings have been announced by the ATP and WTA
Top seed Serena Williams made short work of Kazakhstan's Zarina Diyas in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open.
Images from Day 3 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Wednesday.
