India's two top women's singles shuttlers, Saina Nehwal and P V Sindhu, have decided to skip the upcoming China Masters Super Series to be held from September 10-15.
Australian Nick Kyrgios has pulled out of the Rotterdam Open in February to play in basketball's NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, tournament director Richard Krajicek was quoted as saying on Wednesday.
Indian challenge ended at the $275,000 French Open Super Series badminton tournament after top seed Saina Nehwal suffered a straight game defeat to Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon in the quarter-finals in Paris.
Former world number one Garbine Muguruza was beaten 7-5, 6-4 by Aryna Sabalenka in the China Open second round on Tuesday while an ailing Jelena Ostapenko lost 6-0, 6-0 to Wang Qiang.
World number three Andy Murray has withdrawn from next week's inaugural $5.25 million Shanghai Masters because of a wrist injury, organisers said on Thursday.
Ash Barty beat eighth seed Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(7) in Beijing to seal her spot in the final of the China Open on Saturday.
Belarusian ninth seed Aryna Sabalenka held off a spirited challenge from American Alison Riske to win 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 and successfully defend her Wuhan Open title on Saturday.
Commonwealth Games champion Parupalli Kashyap advanced to the quarter-finals of the Singapore Open, but it was H S Prannoy, who hogged the limelight on Thursday with a straight games demolition of world No. 2 Jan O Jorgensen in the men's singles.
The camaraderie with doubles partner Shahar Peer did not come in the way as Sania Mirza overcame the fifth seeded Israeli in three sets to reach the second round of the Japan Open tennis tournament in Osaka on Monday. With the two players fully aware of each other's game, it was an intense one hour 52 minutes' battle, at the end of which the Indian ace finished with a hard-earned 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory.
Early exits at Japan Open and Denmark Open proved costly for ace India shuttler Saina Nehwal as she lost her World No.1 crown to All England and World champion Carolina Marin of Spain.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Thursday
Take a look at six of the up-and-comers who could upset the top names at the year's first Grand Slam.
World number one Roger Federer has withdrawn from next month's Japan Open and Shanghai Masters in order to get some rest, the Swiss confirmed on Friday.
Back on the court after a month, Saina Nehwal will battle it out against a tough field while the mixed doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and V Diju will aim for a second title at the Japan Open Super Series.
In women's singles, both Saina Nehwal and P V Sindhu climbed up the ladder despite not playing in any recent tournaments.
US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro fell to a shock 6-4, 6-4 defeat by world number 189 Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the first round of the Japan Open on Tuesday.
World No. 1 Saina Nehwal survived a scare before prevailing over Thailand's Busanan Ongbumrungphan in the opening round of the Denmark Open Super Series Premier badminton tournament on Wednesday.
Defending champion P V Sindhu stood just one step away from retaining her title after defeating Thailand's Ratchanok Inthanon in a lop-sided semi-final at the $ 350,000 India Open Super 500 tournament in New Delhi on Saturday.
He is known to be a demanding coach but Pullela Gopichand is of the opinion that Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu's odd defeats can't be termed as her failure, not even by a single per cent.
Olympic silver-medallist P V Sindhu advanced to the semi-finals of the China Open after defeating local favourite He Bingjiao in straight games at the $700,000 Super Series Premier event, in Fuzhou, China, on Friday.
Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro ended top seed David Ferrer's reign as Japan Open champion with a 6-1, 7-5 quarter-final victory.
Top seed David Ferrer survived a scare before beating local favourite Takao Suzuki 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the Japan Open quarter-finals in Tokyo on Thursday. Second seed Andy Roddick joined him in the last eight, the big-serving American overpowering Austrian Juergen Melzer 7-6, 6-2 under floodlights.
Saina Nehwal shrugged off the disappointment of last week's Japan Open debacle and spanked Japanese Ai Goto in straight games to cruise into the quarter-finals of the China Masters Super Series in Changzhou, China, on Thursday. India's 18-year-old national champion won a lop-sided contest, that lasted just 21 minutes, 21-12, 21-10.
- Czech Tomas Berdych stunned second seed Andy Roddick 6-7 7-5 7-6 on Saturday to set up a Japan Open final against Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro. Fifth seed Del Potro, who has won 29 of his previous 30 matches, beat Frenchman Richard Gasquet 6-3 4-6 7-5 to book his spot in Sunday's final.
Top seed David Ferrer began the defence of his Japan Open title with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 victory over American Jesse Levine.
Seasoned shuttler Ashwini Ponnappa is impressed with the progress made by India's doubles players on the Pro circuit but says they will take some time to develop into world beaters.
It was day of mixed results for India at the US$750,000 Denmark Open Super Series in in Odense on Friday, as Kidambi Srikanth fought back brilliantly to shock World No 1 Victor Axelsen and enter the semis after Saina Nehwal crashed out of the event following her quarter-final loss to Japan's Akane Yamaguchi.
David Ferrer beat Frenchman Richard Gasquet 6-1, 6-2 to win the Japan Open title.
Venus Williams suffered a shock 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 defeat by France's Virginie Razzano in the Japan Open final.
Venus Williams survived a scare before beating Danish teenager Caroline Wozniacki while Virginie Razzano got the better of Italian Flavia Pennetta in the semi-finals of the Japan Open.
Caroline Wozniacki overcame a mid-match wobble and withstood a barrage of big hitting to get her WTA Finals title defence back on track with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Petra Kvitova at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Australia's tempestuous talent Nick Kyrgios has the potential to be a future grand slam champion but could just as easily be lost to the sport if he fails to get the support he needs, according to former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash.
Trading in other derivative products in currency, commodities expected to begin soon.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Friday.
The Indian ace was beaten by Argentina's Gisela Dulko 3-6, 4-6 in the $1,340,000 Kremlin Cup in Moscow.
The Indian tennis ace was beaten by Japan's Aiko Nakamura 3-6, 2-6 in the second round at the Australian Open.
The Indian went down 4-6, 4-6 to eighth-seeded Flavia Pennetta in the Japan Open quarter-final.
Australia's Paul Sheehan won the Japan Open with a final round of even-par 71.
The Indian ace battled the effects of a bout of severe food poisoning and was placed behind defending champion and tour leader Shingo Katayama.
Roger Federer overpowered Britain's Tim Henman 6-3, 6-3 to win the Japan Open.
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