China's Li Na declined to pass judgement on Victoria Azarenka's controversial medical time-out during her Australian Open semi-final match, but said she would not do it herself when match points were at stake.
World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova stayed on track for a mouth-watering showdown in the final of the Indian Wells WTA tournament while defending champion Caroline Wozniacki was beaten by Ana Ivanovic on Tuesday.
It has been 14 years since Serena Williams won her first US Open but there was no hint of decline as the 31-year-old American outlasted Victoria Azarenka to claim her fifth US Open singles title on Sunday.
Former World No. 1 Serena Williams gave the United States a commanding 2-0 lead over Belarus in their Fed Cup tie on Saturday after top ranked Victoria Azarenka was unable to compete for the eastern Europeans because of a sore lower back.
Serena Williams, through sheer force of will as much as her unquestionable skill, beat world number one Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 in a dramatic US Open final on Sunday to win her fourth title at Flushing Meadows and her 15th career Grand Slam.
Russia's Nadia Petrova muscled her way into the final of the Stuttgart Grand Prix with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Victoria Azarenka of Belarus on Saturday.
A big puff of pizzazz seeped out of the Cincinnati Open on Thursday as its top seed Caroline Wozniacki slipped out and star attraction Serena Williams quit the tournament, along with third seed Victoria Azarenka.
Defending champion Petra Kvitova was upset by qualifier and Czech compatriot Lucie Hradecka 6-4, 6-3 in the second round of the Madrid Open on Wednesday.
Australia's gruelling summer conditions claimed three more victims on Monday when Vera Zvonareva, Victoria Azarenka and Marion Bartoli all pulled out of the Sydney International because of injury and illness.
Top seed Caroline Wozniacki advanced to the semi-finals in Indian Wells on Thursday when her opponent Victoria Azarenka of Belarus retired because of a hip injury when trailing 3-0.
Images from Day 7 of the 2024 Australian Open in Melbourne on Saturday.
Aryna Sabalenka beat China's Zheng Qinwen 6-3 6-2 to retain the Australian Open women's singles title on Saturday.
France's Pauline Parmentier, playing her first WTA Tour final, stunned top seed Victoria Azarenka in the final of the Tashkent Open.
Belarus pair Max Mirnyi and Victoria Azarenka seized the US Open mixed doubles title with a 6-4, 7-6 victory.
In-form Victoria Azarenka battled past an ailing but determined second seed Angelique Kerber to set up a Miami Open final showdown against Svetlana Kuznetsova with a 6-2, 7-5 victory on Thursday.
Top seed Caroline Wozniacki out-muscled Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 to reach the final of the Pan Pacific Open on Friday.
Victoria Azarenka refuses to accept that Maria Sharapova's greater experience could be the defining factor when they meet in the Australian Open women's final on Saturday.
India's world No. 32 should have it easy when she takes on Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the first round of the Australian Open.
Caroline Wozniacki said she felt 'cursed' at Melbourne Park after losing in straight sets to a resurgent Victoria Azarenka in the Australian Open second round on Thursday.
A pumped up Maria Sharapova overcame Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 6-7, 6-4, 6-2 to advance to the third round of the LA Championships on Wednesday.
Local favourite Thompson saved three match points before prevailing 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-3 against Nadal, who was playing his first tournament after nearly a year out with a hip injury.
Sania Mirza and her partner Chia-Jung Chuang advanced to the semifinals of the USD 4,500,000 Madrid Open after Russian-Belarussian duo of Victoria Azarenka and Elena Vesnina conceded their quarterfinal match in Madrid.
Sania Mirza and her partner Chia-Jung Chuang of Chinese Taipei have upset second seeded Spanish pair of Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual to enter the women's doubles quarterfinal of the Madrid Open event.
BNP Paribas Open chief executive and tournament director Raymond Moore provoked outrage with controversial comments he made before the women's and men's finals at Indian Wells, and later issued an official apology.
China's Li Na celebrated her comeback from injury with a 4-6 6-3 6-4 triumph over Victoria Azarenka of Belarus to win the Australian Hardcourt Championships in Gold Coast on Saturday.
Britain's Andy Murray produced a masterful performance against Tomas Berdych to book his place in the US Open final on Saturday, but will have to wait to discover his opponent after foul weather wreaked havoc. Murray won 5-7, 6-2, 6-1, 7-6.
Factbox on Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka, who beat China's Zheng Qinwen in the Australian Open final on Saturday
The third seeded Indian ace got the better of Hana Sromova in a second round match.
Serena Williams remains on course for a record sixth win at the Sony Ericsson Open after beating sister Venus 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to set up a final meeting with 19-year-old Belarusian Victoria Azarenka. Azarenka defeated Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in Thursday's other semi-final to book her place in a top tier final for the first time.
Djokovic continues to lead ATP Rankings
China's Li Na advanced to her second successive Australian Open final with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Canadian teenager Eugenie Bouchard on Thursday.
The American world number one extended her winning streak over the Russian to 14 matches.
American teenager Sloane Stephens caused the biggest upset at this year's Australian Open when the 29th seed rallied to overcome an injury-hampered Serena Williams in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Maria Sharapova's biggest challenge to achieving her second Australian Open title, apart from Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams, could actually be between her ears.
Italian Camila Giorgi has now beaten the Australian Open champion in each of their three hardcourt meetings.
Russian Maria Sharapova will focus on trying to win Wimbledon next year rather than attempting to regain the World No 1 ranking.
An improbable scenario that would have prompted a polite chuckle among tennis fans two weeks ago is set to play out on Thursday when Marion Bartoli, Kirsten Flipkens, Sabine Lisicki and Agnieska Radwanska do battle in the Wimbledon semi-finals.
Wimbledon champions Roger Federer and Serena Williams were on course for further success at the All-England Club after booking their places in the Olympic singles semi-finals on Thursday.
Leander Paes and Sania Mirza entered the quarter-finals of the mixed doubles of the tennis event, beating the Serbian pair of Nenad Zimonjic and Ana Ivanovic in staright sets. The Indian pair won 6-2, 6-4 in only 64 minutes and set up a last eight meeting with top seeds Max Mirnyi and Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.
Thanks to rain, Victoria Azarenka, Venus Williams and 20 other women at the Olympics who have yet to complete a singles match could end up on court six consecutive days if they reach the gold medal round.
