The Serb easily beat the Spaniard 6-3, 6-4 at the O2 Arena.
Two-times champion Rafa Nadal crashed out in the second round of Wimbledon on Thursday after being out-muscled and out-thought in four sets by an inspired Dustin Brown of Germany.
The Czech Republic further established themselves as the dominant force in women's team tennis as they claimed a 3-2 comeback win against hosts France to capture their fifth Fed Cup title in six years on Sunday, and 10th overall. Karolina Pliskova and Barbora Strycova downed Kristina Mladenovic and Caroline Garcia 7-5 7-5 in the doubles to hand the visitors the decisive point. The nation won five titles as Czechoslovakia in the 1970s and 80s before dominating the women's team competition in recent years.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Wednesday
The golden girls of world tennis, Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis continued their dominance in the WTA doubles circuit, as they clinched their second title of 2016 by winning the Sydney International. The Indo-Swiss pair, who had won in Brisbane last week, edged out Kristina Mladenovic and Caroline Garcia 1-6, 7-5, 10-5 in the final, which was also their 30th victory in a row. However, it wasn't an easy win for the top seeds, as they showed some character to make a comeback from the verge of losing the game. "At 6-1, 5-2 the only thing we could say to each other was that it was only one break," Sania said. "That's the only positive you can find from a situation like that. We tried to hold our serve for 5-3 to give ourselves another chance, then we had a huge game at 5-3 and the momentum went in our favor," World No.1 Sania said after the win.
Looking back, the Indians had rubbed their hands in delight at the variety of marquee events at home the sporting calendar of 2017 offered, and they now look forward, with optimism and anticipation, to a challenging 2018.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Wednesday
A relieved Rafael Nadal felt the confidence come flooding back in a first-round romp at the Australian Open on Monday.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the US Open in New York on Wednesday.
Novak Djokovic joined the tennis greats on Sunday when he downed British second seed Andy Murray 3-6 6-1 6-2 6-4 to claim his maiden French Open title and hold all four grand slams at the same time. The world number one recovered from a nervous start to impose his pace on Court Philippe Chatrier and clinch his 12th grand slam crown after three previous failures in a Roland Garros final. Djokovic is only the third man after Don Budge and Rod Laver to hold the four majors at the same time, and the eighth man to triumph at Wimbledon and the French, U.S. and Australian Opens.
Former champion Stan Wawrinka battled past Russian fourth seed Daniil Medvedev in five sets to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals with a 6-2, 2-6, 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-2 victory. Fifth seed Dominic Thiem kept his flawless record against Gael Monfils intact with a trouble-free 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 victory on Monday to reach his maiden Australian Open quarter-final.
World No 1 Rafael Nadal thinks Melbourne Park's resurfaced hardcourts are playing faster than ever and may not provide a good show for fans when the Australian Open begins on Monday.
Roger Federer glided to victory on another hot, steamy day at the US Open, the envy of a clutch of men's players made to work overtime on Tuesday at the season's final Grand Slam.
Indonesia's Taufik Hidayat said the game was only about Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan at the moment.
Rishabh Pant may be the flavour this domestic cricket season but chief coach Anil Kumble feels that Parthiv Patel's experience as well as better "keeping skills" have enabled him to make a comeback into Indian Test side after eight long years. "Parthiv has been really consistent both with his keeping as well as his batting. That's why Parthiv was chosen. Rishabh has certainly shown the exuberance a young cricketer can bring in. He has shown a lot of batting skills. He has obviously got a lot of runs in domestic cricket. But Parthiv was chosen for his keeping skills and his experience," Kumble said on Thursday, giving a peek into his thought process on Patel's selection.
Defending champion Stan Wawrinka avoided a repeat on Wednesday of his first-round scare, though he was still made to work hard in a straight-sets win over Japan's Taro Daniel. The Swiss third seed won 7-6(7) 6-3 6-4 and is now on a six-match winning streak on clay, having warmed-up for Roland Garros by winning the title in Geneva last week. Progress was by no means straightforward against a skilful opponent ranked 93rd in the world and Wawrinka has yet to switch to his A game. But he says it's there when he needs it. "If you look at the first two matches, for sure I'm not playing my best tennis, but I know I have my best tennis in me," the 31-year-old Wawrinka, playing in his 45th consecutive grand slam tournament, told reporters.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Thursday.
Rafael Nadal weathered an early serving storm from Kevin Anderson before dismantling the South African giant with a 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 masterclass to reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Sunday.
Wozniacki battles past Kerber into Eastbourne final
'Six of us were not talking during the World T20 in 2009 but we still managed to win the title.'
Maria Sharapova's contentious and captivating US Open run came to an end on Sunday when Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova beat her 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the Flushing Meadows quarter-finals.
Images from Day 4 of the US Open in New York on Thursday.
A mischievous Michael Phelps hinted the Rio Games may not be his last. The most decorated Olympian of all-time said on Wednesday he is excited his infant son Boomer would be in the stands to watch "the potential" last races of his career.
Images from Day 5 of the US Open in New York on Friday
The Australian Open has seen many unheralded players punching above their weight. Rediff.com takes a look at a few such unseeded players who went the distance in the new millennium.
Gunning for yet another Grand Slam title, India's old war horse Leander Paes and his Czech partner Radek Stepanek have been seeded fifth at the Australian Open and they will open their campaign against Czech pair of Lukas Dlouhy and Lukas Rosol.
Former champion Stanislas Wawrinka lived up to his top billing by cruising into the summit clash of the ATP Chennai Open here, where he will take on seventh seed Edouard Roger Vasselin of France.
It's French Open time! The tennis world's only clay court Grand Slam begins on Sunday and the best of the best will battle it out.
Under scanner left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha today found a surprise visitor in legendary Bishan Singh Bedi, who dropped in at the Feroz Shah Kotla on the final day of the Duleep Trophy final to have an interactive session with him and three others.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Sunday.
IMAGES from matches played on Day 7 of the French Open at the Roland Garros in Paris on Saturday
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday.
Following badminton World No 1 Lee Chong Wei's provisional ban, Rediff.com brings you ten top sports persons who gave in to drugs - one of the mighty perils that has affected modern sporting culture.
Images from Day 8 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Monday.
Conor McGregor said on Tuesday he was retiring from the sport, five months after losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov in a controversial title fight
Images from matches played on Day 5 at the Australian Open in Melbourne Park on Friday
Rafael Nadal celebrated his 1,000th tour level match with a come-from-behind victory over German veteran Philipp Kohlschreiber to reach the fourth round of the Miami Open.
India face one of the most ferocious Davis Cup challenges at home as nothing less than their best would be required to challenge world number two Serbia, who will test skill and strength of the hosts even without world number one Novak Djokovic in Bangalore from Friday.
A summary of Friday's play at Wimbledon.
'I make him play very easy. So you cannot expect to win matches in quarter-finals of Grand Slams helping the opponent to play well. That's what I did' 'It's not a bad result at all for me arriving here the way I arrived: only with one match, only with five matches in seven months. So taking the positive part, that's the thing that I have to take'
