Australian Open holder Djokovic will make his ATP Cup debut for Serbia against South Africa in Brisbane on Saturday while Nadal will lead Spain into action against Georgia in Perth on the same day.
Serbian Djokovic, 31, needed elbow surgery in February to cure a problem that surfaced in 2017, but after some jarring defeats he returned to the kind of domination he achieved in 2015, winning Wimbledon and the US Open.
Serena Williams crushed Romanian qualifier Simona Halep 6-3, 6-0 to book her place in the Italian Open final and extend her winning streak to 23 matches on Saturday.
On the men's side, the fields have already been divided into two ATP 250 tournaments.
Images from Day 3 of the French Open in Paris on Tuesday
Fourth seed Angelique Kerber's bid for consecutive Grand Slam titles ended when 29th seed Dominika Cibulkova defeated the German 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the US Open third round on Saturday.
IMAGES of the all the action from Day 2 of the Australian Open played at Melbourne Park on Tuesday
Tennis legend Chris Evert believes an inability to dominate on serve is preventing the current crop of female players from usurping Serena Williams at the top of the rankings with the American world number one using her main weapon to great effect.
World No 55 Haase improved to a 2-2 career record against Zverev, including victories in their last two meetings.
Tennis already sets the bar with equal prize money paid to women and men at Grand Slam tournaments
World No 1s Andy Murray and Angelique Kerber have been named top seeds for the first major of the season, Australian Open, which will commences on January 16.
Venus Williams said she was 'overjoyed' that Wimbledon organisers gave women the spotlight on the tournament's main showcourts on Wednesday.
Defending doubles gold medallists Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka were stretched by Japanese pairing Kei Nishikoir and Go Saeda on Monday, with the Swiss only winning the thrilling match 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 as darkness fell.
Iron-willed Czech Tomas Berdych ended eight years of tyranny under nemesis Rafa Nadal to storm into the Australian Open semi-finals on Tuesday before his next opponent Andy Murray restored British colonial rule to the floodlit centre court.
World number one Serena Williams was at her lethal best as she crushed Romanian Simona Halep 6-0, 6-4 to romp into the semi-finals of the Western and Southern Open on Friday.
Images from matches played on Day 4 of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Thursday
Croatian ninth seed Marin Cilic reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the third year running after Kei Nishikori quit with a rib injury midway through their fourth round match on Monday.
Images from Day 2 of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, on Tuesday.
Angelique Kerber showed more passion in the media centre than on the court when she crashed out of last year's WTA Finals, the German angered by the format and frustrated by her inability to win the set off an eliminated opponent she needed to advance.
Rafael Nadal rallied from a set down to ease past Fabio Fognini 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the Italian Open quarter-finals on Friday and set up a mouth-watering clash against long-time adversary Novak Djokovic for a place in Sunday's final. Djokovic plotted a similar path to the Spanish clay-court king when the Serb lost the first set against Japan's Kei Nishikori before recovering to win 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 and seal an open-era record 51st career meeting against Nadal.
Osaka, 21, said she lacked maturity when as a relative unknown player she won the tournament last year to kick off her meteoric rise through the rankings.
Maria Sharapova will be back in the US Open spotlight on Wednesday hoping she can come up with a winning encore to her electrifying first round victory over second seed Simona Halep.
Novak Djokovic and Rogerer Federer loom over Melbourne Park for the year's opening Grand Slam as favourites for the Australian Open as questions remain as to whether one of Generation Next could finally end their stranglehold.
Perry said she had been in touch with the local organising team on a daily basis as they prepare to start the tournament on October 19, pending government approval and confirmation that players will be able to travel.
American veteran Venus Williams was sharpening her reactions for the barrage of big serves she can expect in her Wimbledon semi-final against British favourite Johanna Konta on Thursday, going through a relentless practise routine on the eve of battle.
Britain's Johanna Konta faces an anxious 24-hour wait before discovering whether she will make her debut at the WTA Finals in Singapore.
US Open champion Sam Stosur made a premature exit at the Indian Wells WTA tournament on Monday while second seed Maria Sharapova advanced in straight sets.
Second seed Garbine Muguruza, bidding to add the Wimbledon crown to her French Open title, was sensationally beaten in the second round on Thursday by Slovakian qualifier Jana Cepelova 6-3, 6-2 in the shock of the tournament so far.
Agnieszka Radwanska has added 18 time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova to her coach staff.
It would be hard to bet against the Williams sisters meeting in their first Wimbledon final since 2009, but Angelique Kerber and Elena Vesnina won't just be making up the numbers in the last four on Thursday. While unseeded Vesnina has described her semi-final against world number one Serena Williams as a dream, she is playing inspired tennis, bringing the guile from two doubles slams to deliver baseline power and a deft touch at the net.
Melbourne final feels 'bit unreal' for Japan's Osaka
The Dane could be the dangerwoman at this year's French Open, according to former champion Mats Wilander.
Five months before the Olympics opening ceremony in Tokyo, health authorities around the world are scrambling to contain outbreaks of the flu-like virus which has infected about 80,000 and killed more than 2,700 people, the vast majority in China.
Jelena Ostapenko, the youngest French Open finalist since Ana Ivanovic 10 years ago, takes a riskier approach, striking every ball as if she is trying to separate it from its fluffy coat.
That is Murray's 46th ATP title.
France's Marion Bartoli and Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova suffered shock first-round exits from the Rogers Cup as the two seeded players were eliminated on Monday by a pair of gritty qualifiers.
French Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka has moved up five places to number four in the official ATP world rankings released on Monday.
Kei Nishikori swept aside Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals of the Rogers Cup.
Maria Sharapova's outfit sparkled even if her play sometimes didn't during her grand slam return at the US Open but the former world number one's run to the fourth round showed she is back in business on and off the court.
Maria Sharapova withdrew from the Rogers Cup with a sore left arm on Thursday, putting the five-time grand slam champion's US Open participation in doubt.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances