Tennis legend Serena Williams' highly anticipated return to competitive action at Wimbledon after a four-year hiatus concluded with a 6-3 6-7(6) 6-3 defeat to Australian qualifier Maya Joint in the first round. Despite flashes of brilliance and fighting back from a match point, Williams was unable to overcome the 20-year-old, who secured the most significant victory of her career.
Wimbledon organisers said the return of 23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams to the sport was "exciting" as speculation mounts that the American could be given a wildcard for this year's championships.
Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova has been banned for four years after missing a doping test, leading the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) to demand a greater say for athletes in anti-doping regulations. Vondrousova cited safety concerns for not opening her door to a doping control officer late at night, while the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) maintains that unpredictable testing is crucial for clean sport.
Wimbledon has announced a record 64.2 million prize money pot for this year's championships, a 20% increase from last year, marking the biggest annual rise in its history. This significant boost comes amidst growing demands from players for a larger share of Grand Slam revenues, with increases across all rounds and a substantial rise for singles champions and first-round losers.
Former Wimbledon women's champion Marketa Vondrousova has been suspended for four years by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) for refusing an out-of-competition anti-doping test in December.
Tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams have been awarded a wild card to compete in the Cincinnati Open doubles this month, marking their first doubles appearance since the 2022 U.S. Open.
Taylor Fritz continued his smooth progress at Wimbledon by mowing down fellow American Patrick Kypson 6-2, 6-2, 7-5 to make the third round on Thursday.
Carlos Alcaraz has announced his withdrawal from Wimbledon due to a right wrist injury, also sidelining him from the Queen's Club Championships.
Carlos Alcaraz has pulled out of the Cincinnati Open due to an ongoing wrist injury, casting fresh doubts over the Spaniard's fitness ahead of his US Open title defence this month.
World number one Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open due to a right knee injury, impacting his preparations for the upcoming U.S. Open. This follows his earlier withdrawal from the Canadian Open and raises concerns about his fitness for the final Grand Slam of the year.
Elena Rybakina mounted a stunning comeback from a set and a break down to defeat Naomi Osaka in a hard-fought Canadian Open quarter-final, setting up a semi-final clash with Coco Gauff.
The era of 'randomly' scheduling bilateral series is over, but the ODI format can continue to survive and thrive with its place 'inextricably' linked to the World Cup, said ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta in an interview to PTI.
Novak Djokovic suffered a surprising defeat at the Cincinnati Open, losing to Thiago Agustin Tirante in a match where the Serbian star struggled with the heat and required a medical timeout.
Iga Swiatek fought back from a break down in the deciding set to defeat Elina Svitolina 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 at the Canadian Open.
Cruz Hewitt, son of former world number one Lleyton Hewitt, earned his first ATP Tour-level win at the Washington Open at the age of 17, defeating Marcos Giron.
Ben Shelton successfully defended his Canadian Open title, defeating fellow American Brandon Nakashima in an all-American final.
India cricket captain Shubman Gill attended the Wimbledon Championships, where he met tennis legend Roger Federer. Gill also watched matches from the Royal Box alongside Sachin Tendulkar, marking his entry into an exclusive group of Indian captains to receive this honour.
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz has entered next month's Cincinnati Open as he targets a return from a wrist injury, tournament organisers said.
Novak Djokovic is set to compete in the Cincinnati Open, a crucial tune-up event, as he aims to build match sharpness and preserve his body in pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title at the upcoming US Open.
Yuvraj Singh used a 'Terminator' analogy to describe the evolution of fearless Indian batters, comparing himself, Abhishek Sharma, and teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to different versions of the iconic character. He expressed his desire to mentor Sooryavanshi, highlighting the youngster's potential and the changing landscape of cricket.
Alexander Zverev, after reaching the Wimbledon final and losing to Jannik Sinner, believes his new attacking strategy will help him challenge the dominance of Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Despite the loss, Zverev's improved performance and first Grand Slam win at the French Open indicate a significant shift in his game, aiming for consistent success against the sport's top players.
Indian cricketer Shubman Gill draws parallels between Carlos Alcaraz's deceptive drop shot and his own short-arm jab, expressing admiration for Roger Federer and revealing his dream dinner guests.
Novak Djokovic pranked an unsuspecting ball girl by crying out in pain as she followed his orders to cut off some black tape from his right shoulder with a pair of scissors.
Between cheering at Wimbledon and attending the FIFA final, Ananya Panday took to the runway as Gaurav Gupta's showstopper.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka was defeated by American Jessica Pegula in the Berlin Open semi-finals. Sabalenka struggled with her rhythm
India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson drew parallels between cricket and tennis legends, comparing MS Dhoni to Roger Federer and Virat Kohli to Carlos Alcaraz. He also reflected on India's recent T20 World Cup victory, crediting the women's team for inspiring the men, and discussed the challenge posed by Australia. Former tennis player Rohan Bopanna shared his Wimbledon predictions and memories.
The Canadian Open has voiced its disappointment over the withdrawals of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, highlighting a 'broader issue' of top players missing ATP 1000 events due to demanding schedules, prompting calls for adjustments to protect tournament integrity.
Tennis legend Novak Djokovic expressed his desire to meet Indian cricket star Virat Kohli during a planned visit to India, revealing their long-standing connection through messages and social media.
Wimbledon will introduce video review technology this year that will allow players to challenge judgement calls made by the chair umpire, the Grand Slam's organisers said on Saturday.
Indian tennis legend Leander Paes has been appointed Player Ambassador of the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF). In this role, Paes will work to promote tennis across Asia, mentor young players, support grassroots development, and represent the federation at international events, aiming to inspire the next generation of athletes.
Asian Games medallist Vishal Uppal has advised against creating excessive hype around young Indian tennis sensation Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi, urging the fraternity to let her develop naturally rather than pressuring her to emulate Sania Mirza. Uppal believes Maaya, a top 20 junior player, has the potential to break into the top 100 in professional tennis if she maintains her hard work and hunger. He also highlighted the challenges of professional tennis and praised another prospect, Dakshineshwar Suresh.
Frances Tiafoe is the first American since 1993 to lift the ATP 500 grass-court trophy.
Serena Williams' highly anticipated comeback in doubles at the Queen's Club WTA event has been temporarily halted after her partner, Victoria Mboko, withdrew due to a knee injury sustained during a singles match. Williams, who had won her first match with Mboko, is expected to continue her return to tennis in Berlin next week and might seek a Wimbledon wildcard.
Novak Djokovic suggested that Serena Williams could see Wimbledon as the ideal venue to return to tennis.
Croatia's Donna Vekic resisted a gutsy fightback by Emma Raducanu in front of a partisan crowd to claim the Queen's Club title with a 6-0, 7-6(6) win in a high-quality final on Sunday.
England manager Thomas Tuchel believes they are in good shape heading into the FIFA World Cup and can "dare to dream" about lifting the trophy.
Gael Monfils is determined to emulate the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James by playing into his 40s and hopes to play at Wimbledon, Montreal and the U.S. Open before bringing down the curtain on his career on home soil at the Paris Masters.
Seventh seed Francisco Cerundolo out-lasted American Tommy Paul in a gruelling Queen's Club final to claim the biggest title of his career on Sunday, winning 6-7(4). 6-4. 6-3.
Serena Williams stole the show at Queen's Club on Tuesday as the American icon made her eagerly awaited return to competitive action nearly four years after her last match.
