Rafael Nadal d&nbsp;Diego Schwartzman,&nbsp;16,&nbsp;6-3, 6-7 (4/7)

Rafael Nadal saw off&nbsp;Argentine Diego Schwartzman to win in the fourth round,&nbsp;6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-3&nbsp;on Rod Laver Arena.

To showcase the abilities of a world&nbsp;number one, he&nbsp;broke in the eighth game on the way to taking the opening set.

He encountered stiff resistance in the second set but fought back to take one more step towards the title.

With this win, he ensured that he will be&nbsp;world number one&nbsp;when the new rankings will release.

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Relief. 
 
After almost four hours on court, that&#39;s the best way to describe <a href="https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RafaelNadal</a>&#39;s feeling right now...<a href="https://twitter.com/Kia_Motors?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Kia_Motors</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KiaTennis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KiaTennis</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ex6ixCMGvw">pic.twitter.com/Ex6ixCMGvw</a>
&mdash; #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/954994941331058688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Of course, I feel&nbsp;little&nbsp;bit tired, but yeah good. I was able to keep fighting until the end,&quot; he said.

&quot;It is the first big match I played in 2018. I started later than usual so a match like this probably helps because you know that helps confidence in myself.

&ldquo;That&rsquo;s confidence for myself - knowing that I can resist almost four hours on court at a good intensity so quarterfinals already... I&rsquo;m very happy for that,&rdquo; he added.

This is his 10th Australian Open quarter-final appearance and he will face Croatia&#39;s sixth seed Marin Cilic.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-caroline-wozniacki-books-quarter-finals-berth-30206">&nbsp;Australian Open: Caroline Wozniacki books quarter-finals berth</a>

&nbsp;

Rafa was taken to four gruelling sets in almost four hours before winning 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena

Rafael Nadal d Diego Schwartzman, 16, 6-3, 6-7 (4/7) Rafael Nadal saw off Argentine Diego Schwartzman to win in the fourth round, 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena. To showcase the abilities of a world number one, he broke in the eighth game on the way to taking the opening set. He encountered stiff resistance in the second set but fought back to take one more step towards the title. With this win, he ensured that he will be world number one when the new rankings will release. Relief. After almost four hours on court, that's the best way to describe @RafaelNadal's feeling right now...@Kia_Motors #KiaTennis #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/Ex6ixCMGvw — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 21, 2018 × "Of course, I feel little bit tired, but yeah good. I was able to keep fighting until the end," he said. "It is the first big match I played in 2018. I started later than usual so a match like this probably helps because you know that helps confidence in myself. “That’s confidence for myself - knowing that I can resist almost four hours on court at a good intensity so quarterfinals already... I’m very happy for that,” he added. This is his 10th Australian Open quarter-final appearance and he will face Croatia's sixth seed Marin Cilic. Australian Open: Caroline Wozniacki books quarter-finals berth

Australian Open: Rafael Nadal through to quarterfinals

Veteran Indian doubles legend Leander Paes and Purav Raja have crashed out of the Australian Open after losing to Juan Cabal and Robert Farah in Men`s Double third round on January 21 at Court 8.

The Indian pair lost to the 11th seeded Colombian duo 1-6, 2-6, in an hour-and-nine-minute-long match.

Paes and Raja, who won two Challenger-level titles to close the 2017 season, were playing their second Grand Slam together. At the 2017 US Open, they had fallen in the second round.

The last time 44-year-old Paes played a quarterfinal at a Grand Slam was in 2016 at French Open.

He recently posted on social media, &quot;Thank you to all of you for your consistent&nbsp;support !&nbsp;We&rsquo;re still improving as a team &amp; I just want to say always work hard towards your goals. Don&rsquo;t rest on past laurels or get bowed down by what critics say. Take it in your stride and keep going. Age is just a number&quot;

Now, Rohan Bopanna, along with Hungarian tennis player Timea Babos, will play the Australian duo of Ellen Perez and Andrew Whittington in the first round of Mixed Doubles later today.

The Indian pair lost to the 11th seeded Colombian duo 1-6, 2-6, in an hour-and-nine-minute-long match

Veteran Indian doubles legend Leander Paes and Purav Raja have crashed out of the Australian Open after losing to Juan Cabal and Robert Farah in Men`s Double third round on January 21 at Court 8. The Indian pair lost to the 11th seeded Colombian duo 1-6, 2-6, in an hour-and-nine-minute-long match. Paes and Raja, who won two Challenger-level titles to close the 2017 season, were playing their second Grand Slam together. At the 2017 US Open, they had fallen in the second round. The last time 44-year-old Paes played a quarterfinal at a Grand Slam was in 2016 at French Open. He recently posted on social media, "Thank you to all of you for your consistent support ! We’re still improving as a team & I just want to say always work hard towards your goals. Don’t rest on past laurels or get bowed down by what critics say. Take it in your stride and keep going. Age is just a number" Now, Rohan Bopanna, along with Hungarian tennis player Timea Babos, will play the Australian duo of Ellen Perez and Andrew Whittington in the first round of Mixed Doubles later today.

Australian Open: Indian duo Leander Paes Purav Raja crash out

Novak Djokovic returned after six months with a bang. He defeated&nbsp;Dominic Thiem 6-1, 6-4 in straight sets. He was suffering from an elbow injury and has not played since Wimbledon in July, where he was ruled out by&nbsp;Tomas Berdych&nbsp;in the quarterfinals.

The exhibition match at Kooyong was his first match of the year. His performance showed no signs of injury. He&nbsp;was in good form and full of optimism&nbsp;as he played exceptionally well.

The Serbian 12-time Grand Slam winner&nbsp;could not control his smile after the winning the match and in the post-match presentation, said that&nbsp;he felt &quot;great&quot; after defeating world number five Dominic Thiem.

Djokovic has dropped to number 14 in the world ranking but seemed fit enough to chase his&nbsp;record seventh Australian Open crown next week.

&quot;I feel great, I was eager to get onto the court,&quot; he said after playing with a flesh-coloured sleeve on his right arm.

&quot;I had a great opponent, it was a test for me to see where I am, how the work we did pays off on the court. It worked pretty well.&quot;

&quot;There was a doubt, especially after I pulled out of the first week of the year,&quot; he admitted.&nbsp;

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Really looking forward to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TieBreakTens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TieBreakTens</a> Melbourne Jan 10. Excited to try out this new fast paced format. It&rsquo;s a great line up and I can&rsquo;t wait to get out on court! Are you ready? <a href="https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RafaelNadal</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/stanwawrinka?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@stanwawrinka</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/tomasberdych?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tomasberdych</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ThiemDomi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ThiemDomi</a>.. ???? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryPointCounts?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryPointCounts</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZSc3bUkICA">pic.twitter.com/ZSc3bUkICA</a>
&mdash; Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) <a href="https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/950599664923037701?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;I personally didn&#39;t know what&#39;s going to happen. We did some treatment and obviously gave it a lot of thought. Luckily for me, I&#39;m here and so I&#39;m hoping in the next four, five days everything will go well and I&#39;ll be ready for the Open.&quot;

&quot;I don&#39;t want to be over-confident, but I&#39;m very, very happy with how it went today,&quot; added the 30-year-old.

&quot;I don&#39;t say I&#39;m at 100 percent, I can only say that when I get the feel of a tournament. Ideally, I would have had another tournament before the start of the Open,&nbsp;&nbsp;but it was not meant to be.

&quot;I&#39;ll take whatever I can -- one or two matches here will be good preparation.&quot;

&quot;Especially the serve &ndash; that was the biggest question mark because of the elbow, that shot in my game was compromised.&quot;

Thiem, who only arrived in Melbourne on Monday night from Doha after four days in bed with a virus, presented only a minimal challenge to the recharged Serb.

&quot;I&#39;m free of fever and healthy again,&quot; the Austrian said. &quot;I&#39;m still jet-lagged and was slow at the beginning of the match. I&#39;ll sleep, eat and train and not do too much. I&#39;ll be fine for the Open.&quot;

&quot;The most important thing is to feel the conditions, to get comfortable,&quot; he said. &quot;It&#39;s important to find a good rhythm.

&quot;Overall, I&#39;m quite happy with my level. I was feeling the ball well and hitting cleanly from both sides.&quot;

&quot;I&#39;m hoping in the next four or five days everything will go well and I&rsquo;ll be ready for the Open.&quot;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Djokovic has not played since Wimbledon 2017 due to an elbow injury, now he will chase a record 7th Australian Open crown next week

Novak Djokovic returned after six months with a bang. He defeated Dominic Thiem 6-1, 6-4 in straight sets. He was suffering from an elbow injury and has not played since Wimbledon in July, where he was ruled out by Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals. The exhibition match at Kooyong was his first match of the year. His performance showed no signs of injury. He was in good form and full of optimism as he played exceptionally well. The Serbian 12-time Grand Slam winner could not control his smile after the winning the match and in the post-match presentation, said that he felt "great" after defeating world number five Dominic Thiem. Djokovic has dropped to number 14 in the world ranking but seemed fit enough to chase his record seventh Australian Open crown next week. "I feel great, I was eager to get onto the court," he said after playing with a flesh-coloured sleeve on his right arm. "I had a great opponent, it was a test for me to see where I am, how the work we did pays off on the court. It worked pretty well." "There was a doubt, especially after I pulled out of the first week of the year," he admitted. Really looking forward to #TieBreakTens Melbourne Jan 10. Excited to try out this new fast paced format. It’s a great line up and I can’t wait to get out on court! Are you ready? @RafaelNadal @stanwawrinka @tomasberdych @ThiemDomi.. ???? #EveryPointCounts pic.twitter.com/ZSc3bUkICA — Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) January 9, 2018 × "I personally didn't know what's going to happen. We did some treatment and obviously gave it a lot of thought. Luckily for me, I'm here and so I'm hoping in the next four, five days everything will go well and I'll be ready for the Open." "I don't want to be over-confident, but I'm very, very happy with how it went today," added the 30-year-old. "I don't say I'm at 100 percent, I can only say that when I get the feel of a tournament. Ideally, I would have had another tournament before the start of the Open, but it was not meant to be. "I'll take whatever I can -- one or two matches here will be good preparation." "Especially the serve – that was the biggest question mark because of the elbow, that shot in my game was compromised." Thiem, who only arrived in Melbourne on Monday night from Doha after four days in bed with a virus, presented only a minimal challenge to the recharged Serb. "I'm free of fever and healthy again," the Austrian said. "I'm still jet-lagged and was slow at the beginning of the match. I'll sleep, eat and train and not do too much. I'll be fine for the Open." "The most important thing is to feel the conditions, to get comfortable," he said. "It's important to find a good rhythm. "Overall, I'm quite happy with my level. I was feeling the ball well and hitting cleanly from both sides." "I'm hoping in the next four or five days everything will go well and I’ll be ready for the Open."

Very happy with return ahead of Australian Open: Djokovic

&quot;If Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are still winning I think there&rsquo;s something wrong,&quot; said former World No. 1 Marat Safin. Throwing light on the domination these two legends have had in the history of tennis. Let&#39;s roll back to the start of the 2017 season, where both Federer and Nadal were written off, forget getting to a Grand Slam final.

&nbsp;

The Swiss maestro had taken a break in the mid of the 2016 season to give his body some rest and allow enough time to recover for the 2017 season. And Nadal&#39;s never-ending knee injuries saw him have an abysmal 2016. But the two bounced back and bounced back how!

&nbsp;

Federer and Nadal split the Grand Slam titles, winning two each. The 37-year-old won as many as seven titles despite missing the whole of the clay court season. And it was a good decision by Federer to skip the clay season as the &#39;King of clay&#39; was in sublime form, winning all the clay court tournaments -- but one-- in the calendar season.

&nbsp;

It all began in the month of January where Federer, who started the year as World No. 16, went on to defeat Nadal at the Melbourne Park, his first Australian Open title since 2010. It was as if the evergreen Federer came out of his hiatus rolling back the years. His moments on the court was swift, agile and he was moving pain-free. Federer even defeated his biggest nemesis Nadal in all the finals they played in the 2017 season.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;I&rsquo;m out of words and Rafa said so many great things. I&rsquo;d like to congratulate Rafa on an amazing comeback. I don&rsquo;t think either of us thought we&rsquo;d be in the finals when we were at your academy four or five years ago. I&rsquo;d just like to thank my team. It&rsquo;s been a different last six months. I didn&rsquo;t think I was going to make it here,&rdquo; said Federer.

There it was, Federer won his 18th Grand Slam title, aged 35.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The stage then moved to Wimbledon. Considered as one the most prestigious of the Grand Slams, the stage was set for Federer to add to his tally of his 18 Grand Slam titles. Everyone tipped Federer to lift the Wimbledon, even the promos suggested the same. The road was not easy for the Swiss. But the wizard that he is, he streamed past a teary-eyed Marin Cilic, to be on seventh heaven, winning the 2017 edition of Wimbledon.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

And then there was another Grand Slam title added to Federer, making it his 19th overall.

&nbsp;

Then came the season of clay. And the &#39;King of clay&#39; stood up and stamped his authority, instilling fears in his counterparts. So much so that, Federer opted to skip the whole of the clay season, including the French Open. The Spaniard went on to win all the clay titles, barring the Rome Masters.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Then came the French Open. A Grand Slam, that the southpaw had won for nine times before 2017. Going into the French Open, the 31-year-old was tipped to win the clay Grand Slam. Having won the event nine times, Nadal knew the courts and the conditions like the back of his palm. The beast came out roaring. He went on to win the French Open for an unprecedented 10th time, making him the only player ever to win a Grand Slam 10 times!

&nbsp;

&quot;I play my best in all events but the feeling I have here is impossible to describe and you can&#39;t compare it. The nerves and adrenaline I feel on this court is impossible to compare. It&#39;s the most important event in my career,&quot; said Nadal after lifting the La Coupe des Mousquetaires (The Musketeers&#39; Trophy).

&nbsp;

Nadal stamped the authority over the world as to who the true &#39;King of clay&#39; really is.

&nbsp;

Then came the US Open. The last Grand Slam of the season. Federer went down in the quarterfinal stage, losing to Juan Martin del Potro in a pulsating four-setter. While, Nadal defeated the&nbsp; Argentine, in four-setter to make the final of the 2017 edition of US Open. Nadal broke no sweat in defeating South Africa&#39;s Kevin Anderson to take his 16th Grand Slam title. With Federer winning two and Nadal just one, it was only poetic justice that Nadal won the fourth.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

And there it was. Federer-2, Nadal-2.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Entering 2017, Federer had not won a Grand Slam in almost five years while Nadal had not won a Grand Slam in three years. &#39;Fedal&#39; were considered essentially done as title contenders. And yet! And yet! As we come to the end of 2017, both roared back in style to redefine the prowess, the greatness that &#39;Fedal&#39; are!

&nbsp;

For all those who say, &quot;Wine ages better with time.&quot; For once, just once, watch Federer-Nadal play. Watch them roll back the years, the rivalry and the drama. You will know for sure, &quot;Nothing ages better than &#39;Fedal&#39;! Not even wine!

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

For once, just once, watch Federer-Nadal play. Watch them roll back the years, the rivalry and the drama. You will know for sure, "Nothing ages better than 'Fedal'! Not even wine!

"If Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are still winning I think there’s something wrong," said former World No. 1 Marat Safin. Throwing light on the domination these two legends have had in the history of tennis. Let's roll back to the start of the 2017 season, where both Federer and Nadal were written off, forget getting to a Grand Slam final. The Swiss maestro had taken a break in the mid of the 2016 season to give his body some rest and allow enough time to recover for the 2017 season. And Nadal's never-ending knee injuries saw him have an abysmal 2016. But the two bounced back and bounced back how! Federer and Nadal split the Grand Slam titles, winning two each. The 37-year-old won as many as seven titles despite missing the whole of the clay court season. And it was a good decision by Federer to skip the clay season as the 'King of clay' was in sublime form, winning all the clay court tournaments -- but one-- in the calendar season. It all began in the month of January where Federer, who started the year as World No. 16, went on to defeat Nadal at the Melbourne Park, his first Australian Open title since 2010. It was as if the evergreen Federer came out of his hiatus rolling back the years. His moments on the court was swift, agile and he was moving pain-free. Federer even defeated his biggest nemesis Nadal in all the finals they played in the 2017 season. "I’m out of words and Rafa said so many great things. I’d like to congratulate Rafa on an amazing comeback. I don’t think either of us thought we’d be in the finals when we were at your academy four or five years ago. I’d just like to thank my team. It’s been a different last six months. I didn’t think I was going to make it here,” said Federer. There it was, Federer won his 18th Grand Slam title, aged 35. The stage then moved to Wimbledon. Considered as one the most prestigious of the Grand Slams, the stage was set for Federer to add to his tally of his 18 Grand Slam titles. Everyone tipped Federer to lift the Wimbledon, even the promos suggested the same. The road was not easy for the Swiss. But the wizard that he is, he streamed past a teary-eyed Marin Cilic, to be on seventh heaven, winning the 2017 edition of Wimbledon. And then there was another Grand Slam title added to Federer, making it his 19th overall. Then came the season of clay. And the 'King of clay' stood up and stamped his authority, instilling fears in his counterparts. So much so that, Federer opted to skip the whole of the clay season, including the French Open. The Spaniard went on to win all the clay titles, barring the Rome Masters. Then came the French Open. A Grand Slam, that the southpaw had won for nine times before 2017. Going into the French Open, the 31-year-old was tipped to win the clay Grand Slam. Having won the event nine times, Nadal knew the courts and the conditions like the back of his palm. The beast came out roaring. He went on to win the French Open for an unprecedented 10th time, making him the only player ever to win a Grand Slam 10 times! "I play my best in all events but the feeling I have here is impossible to describe and you can't compare it. The nerves and adrenaline I feel on this court is impossible to compare. It's the most important event in my career," said Nadal after lifting the La Coupe des Mousquetaires (The Musketeers' Trophy). Nadal stamped the authority over the world as to who the true 'King of clay' really is. Then came the US Open. The last Grand Slam of the season. Federer went down in the quarterfinal stage, losing to Juan Martin del Potro in a pulsating four-setter. While, Nadal defeated the Argentine, in four-setter to make the final of the 2017 edition of US Open. Nadal broke no sweat in defeating South Africa's Kevin Anderson to take his 16th Grand Slam title. With Federer winning two and Nadal just one, it was only poetic justice that Nadal won the fourth. And there it was. Federer-2, Nadal-2. Entering 2017, Federer had not won a Grand Slam in almost five years while Nadal had not won a Grand Slam in three years. 'Fedal' were considered essentially done as title contenders. And yet! And yet! As we come to the end of 2017, both roared back in style to redefine the prowess, the greatness that 'Fedal' are! For all those who say, "Wine ages better with time." For once, just once, watch Federer-Nadal play. Watch them roll back the years, the rivalry and the drama. You will know for sure, "Nothing ages better than 'Fedal'! Not even wine! (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: 'Fedal' age better than wine

&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/nadal-to-play-for-atp-finals-while-recovering-from-knee-injury-23928">Rafael Nadal</a>&rsquo;s unforgettable season came to a painful end when he withdrew from the ATP Finals with a knee injury after defeat in his opening round-robin match against David Goffin on Monday. 
The Spaniard, already assured of ending the year as world number one having won a 10th French Open title and the U.S. Open, was clearly hobbling as he went down 7-6(5) 6-7(4) 6-4.

&ldquo;No, I&lsquo;m off,&rdquo; the 31-year-old Nadal told reporters when asked if he would be fit enough to play his remaining round-robin matches against Dominic Thiem and Grigor Dimitrov.

&rdquo;My season is finished. I had the commitment with the event, with the city, with myself. I tried hard.

&rdquo;I did the thing that I had to do to try to be ready to play. But I am really not ready to play.

&ldquo;I fought a lot during the match, but knowing that probably ...(it was going to be) the last match of the season.&rdquo; 
Spain&rsquo;s Pablo Carreno Busta will now step in to complete Nadal&rsquo;s round-robin matches.

Nadal, whose 75 career titles include only one indoors, said it had been &ldquo;no fun&rdquo; to play on Monday and he would have withdrawn even if he had beaten Goffin.

&rdquo;Win or lose I was going to pull out because I was not enjoying on court at all,&ldquo; he said. &rdquo;Was not fun to play like this. I don&rsquo;t deserve (this) after this great season to spend two more days on court with this terrible feelings.

&ldquo;I am, of course, disappointed. But I am not going to cry. I had a great season... (an) unforgettable one.&rdquo; 
Two weeks ago Nadal had withdrawn from<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/world-no-1-nadal-withdraws-from-paris-masters-23474"> the Paris Masters</a> before his quarter-final match after experiencing pain in his right knee.

He had hoped to recover in time to attempt to claim the only major title to elude him -- having twice lost in the final.

There was no questioning his fighting spirit as he still managed to push world number eight Goffin all the way, saving four match points in the second set, but his movement was hampered in the final set. 
He will now begin the process of recovering full fitness in time for the start of next year.

&ldquo;I tried, but seriously it was a miracle to be very close in the score during the match,&rdquo; Nadal, who missed the end of last season to fully recover from a wrist injury, said.

Nadal has been plagued by knee injuries throughout a career which has earned him 16 <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-cool-chung-wins-inaugural-nextgen-finals-24010">grand slam titles</a>. 
&ldquo;I know what I have to do. I know all the things that happened in the past when I had these things, and I know the treatment that I had to do,&rdquo; he said.

&rdquo;I know the periods of time that I need to work. Then if the treatment works or not, we will see.

&ldquo;The good thing is (this is) nothing new. Everybody in my team, we have the right experience (to deal with) this thing. We hope to manage it well, to have the right rest, the right work, and try to be ready for the beginning of the next season.&rdquo;

Rafael Nadal?s unforgettable season came to a painful end when he withdrew from the ATP Finals with a knee injury after defeat in his opening round-robin match against David Goffin on Monday

Rafael Nadal’s unforgettable season came to a painful end when he withdrew from the ATP Finals with a knee injury after defeat in his opening round-robin match against David Goffin on Monday. The Spaniard, already assured of ending the year as world number one having won a 10th French Open title and the U.S. Open, was clearly hobbling as he went down 7-6(5) 6-7(4) 6-4. “No, I‘m off,” the 31-year-old Nadal told reporters when asked if he would be fit enough to play his remaining round-robin matches against Dominic Thiem and Grigor Dimitrov. ”My season is finished. I had the commitment with the event, with the city, with myself. I tried hard. ”I did the thing that I had to do to try to be ready to play. But I am really not ready to play. “I fought a lot during the match, but knowing that probably ...(it was going to be) the last match of the season.” Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta will now step in to complete Nadal’s round-robin matches. Nadal, whose 75 career titles include only one indoors, said it had been “no fun” to play on Monday and he would have withdrawn even if he had beaten Goffin. ”Win or lose I was going to pull out because I was not enjoying on court at all,“ he said. ”Was not fun to play like this. I don’t deserve (this) after this great season to spend two more days on court with this terrible feelings. “I am, of course, disappointed. But I am not going to cry. I had a great season... (an) unforgettable one.” Two weeks ago Nadal had withdrawn from the Paris Masters before his quarter-final match after experiencing pain in his right knee. He had hoped to recover in time to attempt to claim the only major title to elude him -- having twice lost in the final. There was no questioning his fighting spirit as he still managed to push world number eight Goffin all the way, saving four match points in the second set, but his movement was hampered in the final set. He will now begin the process of recovering full fitness in time for the start of next year. “I tried, but seriously it was a miracle to be very close in the score during the match,” Nadal, who missed the end of last season to fully recover from a wrist injury, said. Nadal has been plagued by knee injuries throughout a career which has earned him 16 grand slam titles. “I know what I have to do. I know all the things that happened in the past when I had these things, and I know the treatment that I had to do,” he said. ”I know the periods of time that I need to work. Then if the treatment works or not, we will see. “The good thing is (this is) nothing new. Everybody in my team, we have the right experience (to deal with) this thing. We hope to manage it well, to have the right rest, the right work, and try to be ready for the beginning of the next season.”

Nadal's season ends in painful defeat

Roger Federer made a winning return to competitive tennis after six months out of the game, thrilling a packed Rod Laver Arena as he beat Austrian qualifier Juergen Melzer 7-5 3-6 6-2 6-2 to reach the Australian Open second round.

The 35-year-old Swiss had to battle hard throughout the two-hour contest and only really eased clear of his dogged opponent when the Austrian tired in the final set. Federer who has returned after a long&nbsp;absence due to a knee injury, made 36 unforced errors but there were also plenty of reminders of the brilliant skills that have won him 17 grand slam titles, four at Melbourne Park.

Seeded 17th, Federer has tougher battles ahead if he makes it through to the second week of the tournament but will next pit his skills against American qualifier Noah Rubin in the next round.

In another match, Rafael Nadal avoided the embarrassment of another back-to-back first-round exit&nbsp;at the Australian Open ramping up his serve and rattling off 39 winners to beat Florian Mayer 6-3 6-4 6-1 at the Rod Laver Arena. The 2009 champion, seeded ninth after a disappointing injury-disrupted 2016 season, grasped his chances ruthlessly to overcome the German in a little over two hours in the afternoon heat at Melbourne Park.

A single break in each of the first two sets followed by some dominant serving was enough to give him a comfortable lead going into the third, which the Spaniard wrapped up with a 25th sizzling forehand winner.

The 14-times Grand Slam champion, who was watched by new coach Carlos Moya, moves on to the&nbsp;second round where he is set to clash against Cyprusfinalist Marcos Baghdatis.

In the women&#39;s draw defending champion and top seed Angelique Kerber battled her nerves and faltered badly with victory in sight before finally overcoming Lesia Tsurenko 6-2 5-7 6-2 to reach the second round. 
The 28-year-old German was starting the defence of a Grand Slam title for the first time and initially struggled with her serve and the accuracy of her groundstrokes on Rod Laver Arena.

Once she found her range, however, Kerber proved more than a match for world number 51 Tsurenko, who was reduced to scrapping to save her serve and the odd pearl of a consolation point off her rasping backhand.

(Reuters)

Roger Federer made a winning start beating Austrian qualifier Juergen Melzer in the first round

Roger Federer made a winning return to competitive tennis after six months out of the game, thrilling a packed Rod Laver Arena as he beat Austrian qualifier Juergen Melzer 7-5 3-6 6-2 6-2 to reach the Australian Open second round. The 35-year-old Swiss had to battle hard throughout the two-hour contest and only really eased clear of his dogged opponent when the Austrian tired in the final set. Federer who has returned after a long absence due to a knee injury, made 36 unforced errors but there were also plenty of reminders of the brilliant skills that have won him 17 grand slam titles, four at Melbourne Park. Seeded 17th, Federer has tougher battles ahead if he makes it through to the second week of the tournament but will next pit his skills against American qualifier Noah Rubin in the next round. In another match, Rafael Nadal avoided the embarrassment of another back-to-back first-round exit at the Australian Open ramping up his serve and rattling off 39 winners to beat Florian Mayer 6-3 6-4 6-1 at the Rod Laver Arena. The 2009 champion, seeded ninth after a disappointing injury-disrupted 2016 season, grasped his chances ruthlessly to overcome the German in a little over two hours in the afternoon heat at Melbourne Park. A single break in each of the first two sets followed by some dominant serving was enough to give him a comfortable lead going into the third, which the Spaniard wrapped up with a 25th sizzling forehand winner. The 14-times Grand Slam champion, who was watched by new coach Carlos Moya, moves on to the second round where he is set to clash against Cyprusfinalist Marcos Baghdatis. In the women's draw defending champion and top seed Angelique Kerber battled her nerves and faltered badly with victory in sight before finally overcoming Lesia Tsurenko 6-2 5-7 6-2 to reach the second round. The 28-year-old German was starting the defence of a Grand Slam title for the first time and initially struggled with her serve and the accuracy of her groundstrokes on Rod Laver Arena. Once she found her range, however, Kerber proved more than a match for world number 51 Tsurenko, who was reduced to scrapping to save her serve and the odd pearl of a consolation point off her rasping backhand. (Reuters)

Australian Open: Federer, Nadal enter second round

Reigning champion Andy Murray, fresh from capturing his second Wimbledon title earlier this month, has withdrawn from next week&#39;s Toronto Masters, Tennis Canada announced today. 
 
Murray, the world number two, said his body simply needs more rest after his grass-court championship run. 
 
&quot;My body needs some recovery time after reaching the latter stages of tournaments over the past few months,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m sorry to my fans in Toronto but I look forward to being back in Canada next year.&quot; 
 
The three-time Toronto winner, who also won Grand Slam titles in 2012 at the US Open and 2013 at Wimbledon, had not missed the event since his 2006 debut. 
 
&quot;Certainly we are disappointed,&quot; tournament director Karl Hale said. &quot;Andy is one of the very top players in the world and a fan favourite. He will be missed but we wish him continued success.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The Scottish tennis star said his body needs rest after reaching the latter stages of tournaments over the past few months

Reigning champion Andy Murray, fresh from capturing his second Wimbledon title earlier this month, has withdrawn from next week's Toronto Masters, Tennis Canada announced today. Murray, the world number two, said his body simply needs more rest after his grass-court championship run. "My body needs some recovery time after reaching the latter stages of tournaments over the past few months," he said. "I'm sorry to my fans in Toronto but I look forward to being back in Canada next year." The three-time Toronto winner, who also won Grand Slam titles in 2012 at the US Open and 2013 at Wimbledon, had not missed the event since his 2006 debut. "Certainly we are disappointed," tournament director Karl Hale said. "Andy is one of the very top players in the world and a fan favourite. He will be missed but we wish him continued success." (AFP)

Andy Murray pulls out of Toronto masters

Cometh the hour, cometh the man -- Andy Murray proved himself the bastion of British tennis once again as he outclassed Canadian powerhouse Milos Raonic to claim a second Wimbledon title in masterful fashion on Sunday. 
 
Three years after a nation held its breath, more in hope than expectation, as Murray took on and defeated ironman Novak Djokovic to end 77 years of pain, the 29-year-old delivered another command performance, winning 6-4 7-6(3) 7-6(2). 
 
It was more comfortable than the scoreline suggested as a razor-sharp Murray dictated play from start to finish. 
 
He committed a miserly 12 unforced errors, blunted the 140mph first serves whizzing his way and even reduced the normally Zen-like Raonic to venting his frustration. 
 
The near hysteria of 2013 turned to expectation this time as defending champion Djokovic, Murray`s bogeyman who beat him in this year`s Australian and French Open finals, lost early. 
 
It left the door open for Murray and when sixth seed Raonic knocked out seven-times champion Roger Federer to scupper hopes of a dream finale, many appeared to take for granted that the Scot would be hugging the Challenge Cup again before he walked on Centre Court to contest his 11th grand slam final. 
 
Understandably so, seeing as he had started the previous 10, all against Djokovic and Federer, as underdog. 
 
That created its own pressure but Murray hid it well in a near-faultless two hours 48 minutes in the Centre Court sunshine as he added a second Wimbledon crown to his 2012 U.S. Open title and gold medal from the London Olympics. 
 
He is expected to head to Serbia next week for a Davis Cup quarter-final, having almost single-handedly won the trophy for Britain last year. Then it`s on to Rio to defend his Olympic crown. 
 
No wonder the player once regarded as a surly teenager with bad hair is now a British sporting icon. 
 
Delirious Murray 
When Raonic shoved a backhand into the net to end the contest, a delirious Murray roared to the sky before bursting into tears as his latest achievement sunk in. 
 
&quot;I feel happier this time. I feel like this was sort of more for myself,&quot; Murray, who became a father in February with wife Kim, who watched from the front row of his box, told reporters. 
 
&quot;The last time it was just pure relief and I didn`t really enjoy the moment as much. 
 
&quot;I`m going to make sure I enjoy this one more.&quot; 
 
For Raonic, who had been hoping to become Canada`s first grand slam singles champion, there were no regrets. 
 
He knew he had been beaten by the better player, although there was much in his grand slam final debut to admire. 
 
&quot;This one is going to sting so I`m going to make sure that as long as these courts are green I`ll do everything I can to be back here for another chance,&quot; the 25-year-old said on court. 
 
&quot;Andy has been playing great and he deserves to be winning here for the second time. 
 
&quot;I was keeping up with him. But when it counted, I wasn`t able to get on top.&quot; 
 
Final showdown 
The final was billed as a showdown between one of the world`s biggest servers and arguably the best returner. 
 
Raonic did blast one down at 147mph, the fastest delivery of the tournament, but the free points he usually enjoys were missing as Murray sent the ball hurtling back time and again. 
 
Murray only broke serve once but always seemed in control as the Canadian struggled to apply any sustained pressure. 
 
The first chink in Raonic`s armour came in the seventh game when Murray went 15-40 ahead. The Scot just missed with one attempted pass but converted his second break point when a powerful forehand forced a Raonic volley error. 
 
Murray had break points in the first, seventh and ninth games of the second set as he tightened his grip, but Raonic was cool under pressure and took it to a tiebreak. 
 
Upping the ante, Murray found another gear to move two sets clear and within sight of victory. 
 
The match was more than two hours old when Raonic finally had two break points at 2-2 in the third set, but Murray saved both to hold -- gesticulating wildly towards his coach Ivan Lendl who sat impassively throughout the match. 
 
Raonic held to stay alive at 4-5 and 5-6 but rock solid Murray was relentless, winning the first five points of the day`s second tiebreak and wrapping it up without any drama. 
 
(Reuters)

He delivers another command performance, beats the big-serving Canadian Milos Ranonic with a clinical 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(2)

Cometh the hour, cometh the man -- Andy Murray proved himself the bastion of British tennis once again as he outclassed Canadian powerhouse Milos Raonic to claim a second Wimbledon title in masterful fashion on Sunday. Three years after a nation held its breath, more in hope than expectation, as Murray took on and defeated ironman Novak Djokovic to end 77 years of pain, the 29-year-old delivered another command performance, winning 6-4 7-6(3) 7-6(2). It was more comfortable than the scoreline suggested as a razor-sharp Murray dictated play from start to finish. He committed a miserly 12 unforced errors, blunted the 140mph first serves whizzing his way and even reduced the normally Zen-like Raonic to venting his frustration. The near hysteria of 2013 turned to expectation this time as defending champion Djokovic, Murray`s bogeyman who beat him in this year`s Australian and French Open finals, lost early. It left the door open for Murray and when sixth seed Raonic knocked out seven-times champion Roger Federer to scupper hopes of a dream finale, many appeared to take for granted that the Scot would be hugging the Challenge Cup again before he walked on Centre Court to contest his 11th grand slam final. Understandably so, seeing as he had started the previous 10, all against Djokovic and Federer, as underdog. That created its own pressure but Murray hid it well in a near-faultless two hours 48 minutes in the Centre Court sunshine as he added a second Wimbledon crown to his 2012 U.S. Open title and gold medal from the London Olympics. He is expected to head to Serbia next week for a Davis Cup quarter-final, having almost single-handedly won the trophy for Britain last year. Then it`s on to Rio to defend his Olympic crown. No wonder the player once regarded as a surly teenager with bad hair is now a British sporting icon. Delirious Murray When Raonic shoved a backhand into the net to end the contest, a delirious Murray roared to the sky before bursting into tears as his latest achievement sunk in. "I feel happier this time. I feel like this was sort of more for myself," Murray, who became a father in February with wife Kim, who watched from the front row of his box, told reporters. "The last time it was just pure relief and I didn`t really enjoy the moment as much. "I`m going to make sure I enjoy this one more." For Raonic, who had been hoping to become Canada`s first grand slam singles champion, there were no regrets. He knew he had been beaten by the better player, although there was much in his grand slam final debut to admire. "This one is going to sting so I`m going to make sure that as long as these courts are green I`ll do everything I can to be back here for another chance," the 25-year-old said on court. "Andy has been playing great and he deserves to be winning here for the second time. "I was keeping up with him. But when it counted, I wasn`t able to get on top." Final showdown The final was billed as a showdown between one of the world`s biggest servers and arguably the best returner. Raonic did blast one down at 147mph, the fastest delivery of the tournament, but the free points he usually enjoys were missing as Murray sent the ball hurtling back time and again. Murray only broke serve once but always seemed in control as the Canadian struggled to apply any sustained pressure. The first chink in Raonic`s armour came in the seventh game when Murray went 15-40 ahead. The Scot just missed with one attempted pass but converted his second break point when a powerful forehand forced a Raonic volley error. Murray had break points in the first, seventh and ninth games of the second set as he tightened his grip, but Raonic was cool under pressure and took it to a tiebreak. Upping the ante, Murray found another gear to move two sets clear and within sight of victory. The match was more than two hours old when Raonic finally had two break points at 2-2 in the third set, but Murray saved both to hold -- gesticulating wildly towards his coach Ivan Lendl who sat impassively throughout the match. Raonic held to stay alive at 4-5 and 5-6 but rock solid Murray was relentless, winning the first five points of the day`s second tiebreak and wrapping it up without any drama. (Reuters)

Andy does it again, wins Wimbledon a second time

Novak Djokovic made tennis history at Wimbledon on Wednesday when he notched up the most consecutive grand slam match victories in the Open Era, and said he aimed to continue his assault on the record books. 
 
The defending champion brushed past France&#39;s Adrian Mannarino 6-4 6-3 7-6(5) to book his place in the third round. It was his 30th consecutive grand slam match win, beating Rod Laver&#39;s record of 29 set in 1969-70. 
 
&quot;I have to be very grateful to have the opportunity to make the history of the sport,&quot; the world number one told reporters. &quot;Knowing that I won 30 in a row, it&#39;s very pleasing. I want to keep on going. Let&#39;s see where it takes me.&nbsp;Every single record that I managed to achieve in the last couple of years is important,&quot; he added. &quot;Every next one that I have a possibility to achieve is more motivation.&quot; 
 
Djokovic last lost a slam match when he was defeated by Stan Wawrinka in the 2015 French Open final. He now holds all four major titles, and has another historic mark in his sights. 
 
The 29-year-old Serb is aiming to become the first man since Laver in 1969 to achieve the calendar Grand Slam - winning the four major titles in a single season. 
 
Djokovic, seeking his third consecutive Wimbledon crown, played well within himself during the second-round match against Mannarino and was rarely troubled. 
 
The Frenchman, ranked 55, put up spirited resistance in the third set to force a tiebreak but was ultimately swept off Centre Court by his opponent&#39;s laser-guided groundstrokes. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

He has his eyes set on the calendar Grand Slam--winning the four major titles in a single season, last achieved by Laver in 1969

Novak Djokovic made tennis history at Wimbledon on Wednesday when he notched up the most consecutive grand slam match victories in the Open Era, and said he aimed to continue his assault on the record books. The defending champion brushed past France's Adrian Mannarino 6-4 6-3 7-6(5) to book his place in the third round. It was his 30th consecutive grand slam match win, beating Rod Laver's record of 29 set in 1969-70. "I have to be very grateful to have the opportunity to make the history of the sport," the world number one told reporters. "Knowing that I won 30 in a row, it's very pleasing. I want to keep on going. Let's see where it takes me. Every single record that I managed to achieve in the last couple of years is important," he added. "Every next one that I have a possibility to achieve is more motivation." Djokovic last lost a slam match when he was defeated by Stan Wawrinka in the 2015 French Open final. He now holds all four major titles, and has another historic mark in his sights. The 29-year-old Serb is aiming to become the first man since Laver in 1969 to achieve the calendar Grand Slam - winning the four major titles in a single season. Djokovic, seeking his third consecutive Wimbledon crown, played well within himself during the second-round match against Mannarino and was rarely troubled. The Frenchman, ranked 55, put up spirited resistance in the third set to force a tiebreak but was ultimately swept off Centre Court by his opponent's laser-guided groundstrokes. (Reuters)

Djokovic aims to keep breaking records

Controversial Australian Bernard Tomic was ordered to apologise today after he used the word &quot;retard&quot; in a Wimbledon press conference. 
 
Tomic&#39;s comments were branded as &quot;damaging and offensive&quot; by a learning disability charity as the world number 19 once again found himself in trouble. 
 
The Australian made the comments after being asked how he felt being made to wait for his first round opponent Fernando Verdasco to arrive on court for a match on Wednesday. 
 
&quot;I think he was up in the locker getting something taped. When I left, I thought he was leaving, so I just happened to walk out,&quot; said the 23-year-old. 
 
&quot;I did get to the court prior to him very early, and unfortunately I had to stand on court like a retard.&quot; 
 
The learning disability charity Mencap asked Tomic to say sorry. 
 
&quot;I&#39;d like the player to apologise and would encourage him to meet people with a learning disability so he can understand why the word is so damaging and offensive,&quot; Ciara Lawrence, who has a learning disability and is a campaigns support officer at Mencap, told the Press Association. 
 
&quot;Time and time again I hear this word used as if it has no effect. People clearly don&#39;t understand how upsetting and offensive this is to people with a learning disability like me. 
 
&quot;I am sick and tired of people in high-profile positions who are respected by the public using this word. It can make the public and people who look up to sports stars think it is okay to use words like this when it&#39;s not. 
 
&quot;It makes people with a learning disability seen not as people but as second-class citizens, and is no different to discriminating against someone who is gay or black.&quot; 
 
Tomic has been plagued by off-court controversies during his career. 
 
Most recently, he made headlines in Madrid when he turned his racquet the wrong way to face a match point against Fabio Fognini. 
 
Tomic later told his post-match news conference: &quot;I don&#39;t care about that match point. Would you care if you were 23 and worth over $10 million?&quot; 
 
In July last year, he was arrested in Miami after a wild party in a hotel penthouse suite. 
 
He was dropped from the Davis Cup team and has since opted out of the Olympics. 
 
(AFP)

The player made the offensive comment on being asked how he felt about waiting for his opponent Fernando Verdasco to arrive on court

Controversial Australian Bernard Tomic was ordered to apologise today after he used the word "retard" in a Wimbledon press conference. Tomic's comments were branded as "damaging and offensive" by a learning disability charity as the world number 19 once again found himself in trouble. The Australian made the comments after being asked how he felt being made to wait for his first round opponent Fernando Verdasco to arrive on court for a match on Wednesday. "I think he was up in the locker getting something taped. When I left, I thought he was leaving, so I just happened to walk out," said the 23-year-old. "I did get to the court prior to him very early, and unfortunately I had to stand on court like a retard." The learning disability charity Mencap asked Tomic to say sorry. "I'd like the player to apologise and would encourage him to meet people with a learning disability so he can understand why the word is so damaging and offensive," Ciara Lawrence, who has a learning disability and is a campaigns support officer at Mencap, told the Press Association. "Time and time again I hear this word used as if it has no effect. People clearly don't understand how upsetting and offensive this is to people with a learning disability like me. "I am sick and tired of people in high-profile positions who are respected by the public using this word. It can make the public and people who look up to sports stars think it is okay to use words like this when it's not. "It makes people with a learning disability seen not as people but as second-class citizens, and is no different to discriminating against someone who is gay or black." Tomic has been plagued by off-court controversies during his career. Most recently, he made headlines in Madrid when he turned his racquet the wrong way to face a match point against Fabio Fognini. Tomic later told his post-match news conference: "I don't care about that match point. Would you care if you were 23 and worth over $10 million?" In July last year, he was arrested in Miami after a wild party in a hotel penthouse suite. He was dropped from the Davis Cup team and has since opted out of the Olympics. (AFP)

Tomic told to apologise for 'retard' comment

Seven-times Wimbledon champion Roger Federer has been warned - take 772nd-ranked British qualifier Marcus Willis lightly at your peril. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t think Roger is going to have played anyone like Marcus. I know that for a fact. It will be tricky,&quot; Liam Broady, Willis&#39; fellow Britain, said on Tuesday. 
 
&quot;That&#39;s what Marcus always is. He makes opponents win matches. He serves well, serves big, puts pressure on. 
 
&quot;Obviously, Roger&#39;s the greatest player of all time. But personally, I think it will be a really interesting match-up.&quot; 
 
Willis, who almost quit to take up coaching and had to battle through six rounds of qualifying, stunned Lithuania&#39;s Ricardas Berankis, ranked 718 places above him, on Monday. 
 
Some of his play, including rarely seen sliced forehands, bamboozled Berankis. 
 
It set Wimbledon abuzz, but a repeat against 34-year-old 17-times grand slam champion Federer would seem barely credible even for the most far-fetched Hollywood plot. 
 
Or would it? 
 
&quot;Stranger things have happened, I know that,&quot; Broady, beaten 6-2 6-3 6-4 by world number two Andy Murray, said. 
 
&quot;He&#39;s so tricky, he&#39;s so talented. He&#39;s very aware of what he&#39;s doing on the court, how to make it awkward for people.&quot; 
 
Murray was also asked about Willis&#39; chances. 
 
&quot;Amazing things do happen in sport sometimes,&quot; Murray, who pointed to England&#39;s defeat by Iceland at Euro 2016, said. 
 
&quot;Obviously, Roger&#39;s a massive, massive favourite going into the match. I would expect him to win fairly comfortably. 
 
&quot;But Marcus&#39; game style, it&#39;s pretty old-school. He serve-and-volleys a lot. Uses a lot of slice. Hits the ball fairly flat. Has great hands. Great feel. 
 
&quot;Very few guys play like that now. It&#39;s just amazing, an amazing opportunity for him.&quot; 
 
Perhaps the best advice came from Broady though after his own Centre Court debut against Murray. 
 
&quot;By the end of the second set, most of the third, it was just kind of a match against another guy,&quot; the 22-year-old said. 
 
&quot;Sometimes you watch on TV. You think that the top players in the world are superhuman. They&#39;re so good at what they do that you forget they&#39;re just men. Obviously they&#39;re spectacular at tennis, but they are just men.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Marcus Willis had to battle through six rounds of qualifying and stunned Lithuania's Ricardas Berankis, ranked 718 places above him

Seven-times Wimbledon champion Roger Federer has been warned - take 772nd-ranked British qualifier Marcus Willis lightly at your peril. "I don't think Roger is going to have played anyone like Marcus. I know that for a fact. It will be tricky," Liam Broady, Willis' fellow Britain, said on Tuesday. "That's what Marcus always is. He makes opponents win matches. He serves well, serves big, puts pressure on. "Obviously, Roger's the greatest player of all time. But personally, I think it will be a really interesting match-up." Willis, who almost quit to take up coaching and had to battle through six rounds of qualifying, stunned Lithuania's Ricardas Berankis, ranked 718 places above him, on Monday. Some of his play, including rarely seen sliced forehands, bamboozled Berankis. It set Wimbledon abuzz, but a repeat against 34-year-old 17-times grand slam champion Federer would seem barely credible even for the most far-fetched Hollywood plot. Or would it? "Stranger things have happened, I know that," Broady, beaten 6-2 6-3 6-4 by world number two Andy Murray, said. "He's so tricky, he's so talented. He's very aware of what he's doing on the court, how to make it awkward for people." Murray was also asked about Willis' chances. "Amazing things do happen in sport sometimes," Murray, who pointed to England's defeat by Iceland at Euro 2016, said. "Obviously, Roger's a massive, massive favourite going into the match. I would expect him to win fairly comfortably. "But Marcus' game style, it's pretty old-school. He serve-and-volleys a lot. Uses a lot of slice. Hits the ball fairly flat. Has great hands. Great feel. "Very few guys play like that now. It's just amazing, an amazing opportunity for him." Perhaps the best advice came from Broady though after his own Centre Court debut against Murray. "By the end of the second set, most of the third, it was just kind of a match against another guy," the 22-year-old said. "Sometimes you watch on TV. You think that the top players in the world are superhuman. They're so good at what they do that you forget they're just men. Obviously they're spectacular at tennis, but they are just men." (Reuters)

Roger Federer warned to expect the unexpected from Willis

Tara Moore praised the influence of her mind trainer Tony Lekic after the Briton registered a first ever singles victory at a grand slam tournament when she beat Alison Van Uytvanck in the opening round at Wimbledon on Tuesday. 
 
Coming into the grasscourt tournament ranked 227th in the world, the wildcard overcame the Belgian ranked 100 places above her 6-3 6-2 to set up a second round encounter against Russian 13th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s been a great benefit. He doesn&#39;t just help me with on-court stuff. There&#39;s a lot of off-court stuff that people don&#39;t see, a lot of behind the scenes things that are tough to handle for a tennis player,&quot; Moore told British media. 
 
&quot;We travel a lot. We&#39;re away from loved ones and friends a lot. That&#39;s really difficult. Tennis is so difficult without all the little things. He&#39;s definitely there to help with the little things. That&#39;s been monumental for me.&quot; 
 
Moore said she also drew inspiration from 772nd-ranked British qualifier Marcus Willis&#39; win over Lithuanian world number 54 Ricardas Berankis, which set up a second round encounter against seven-time champion Roger Federer. 
 
&quot;I was watching, cheering and screaming at the screen. Willis has done so great. For sure it was an inspiration,&quot; Moore said. 
 
&quot;The British players are very supportive of each other and push each other on. I definitely think (British) tennis is on the up.&quot; 
 
The 23-year-old will also team up with Switzerland&#39;s Conny Perrin for a women&#39;s doubles first round clash against Colombian Mariana Duque-Marino and Puerto Rican Monica Puig today. 
 
(Reuters) 
 
&nbsp;

Tara Moore is the first British woman to reach the second round at Wimbeldon

Tara Moore praised the influence of her mind trainer Tony Lekic after the Briton registered a first ever singles victory at a grand slam tournament when she beat Alison Van Uytvanck in the opening round at Wimbledon on Tuesday. Coming into the grasscourt tournament ranked 227th in the world, the wildcard overcame the Belgian ranked 100 places above her 6-3 6-2 to set up a second round encounter against Russian 13th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova. "It's been a great benefit. He doesn't just help me with on-court stuff. There's a lot of off-court stuff that people don't see, a lot of behind the scenes things that are tough to handle for a tennis player," Moore told British media. "We travel a lot. We're away from loved ones and friends a lot. That's really difficult. Tennis is so difficult without all the little things. He's definitely there to help with the little things. That's been monumental for me." Moore said she also drew inspiration from 772nd-ranked British qualifier Marcus Willis' win over Lithuanian world number 54 Ricardas Berankis, which set up a second round encounter against seven-time champion Roger Federer. "I was watching, cheering and screaming at the screen. Willis has done so great. For sure it was an inspiration," Moore said. "The British players are very supportive of each other and push each other on. I definitely think (British) tennis is on the up." The 23-year-old will also team up with Switzerland's Conny Perrin for a women's doubles first round clash against Colombian Mariana Duque-Marino and Puerto Rican Monica Puig today. (Reuters)

Moore hails mind trainer after Wimbledon breakthrough

&nbsp;As she has done for most of the past 18 summers, Venus Williams on Monday took a large, languid stride into the second round of Wimbledon. 
 
The oldest woman in the main singles draw, five-times champion Williams was at times sublime as she beat Croatian Donna Vekic 7-6(3) 6-4 on a sunny Court One. 
 
While the full Williams armoury had been on display, it was her mental strength which stood out -- perhaps no surprise given she is playing her 71st grand slam singles tournament, a record among current female players. 
 
Vekic produced startling groundstrokes at times, but eighth seed Williams maintained her composure, increasing the pressure when things got tight as her opponent wilted in the spotlight. 
 
There cannot be too many grand slam years left for Williams, who celebrated her 36th birthday this month, but she showed more than enough on Day One to suggest she could again go deep in her favourite major. 
 
(Reuters)

Donna Vekic produced startling groundstrokes, but eighth seed Williams beat her by 7-6(3) 6-4

As she has done for most of the past 18 summers, Venus Williams on Monday took a large, languid stride into the second round of Wimbledon. The oldest woman in the main singles draw, five-times champion Williams was at times sublime as she beat Croatian Donna Vekic 7-6(3) 6-4 on a sunny Court One. While the full Williams armoury had been on display, it was her mental strength which stood out -- perhaps no surprise given she is playing her 71st grand slam singles tournament, a record among current female players. Vekic produced startling groundstrokes at times, but eighth seed Williams maintained her composure, increasing the pressure when things got tight as her opponent wilted in the spotlight. There cannot be too many grand slam years left for Williams, who celebrated her 36th birthday this month, but she showed more than enough on Day One to suggest she could again go deep in her favourite major. (Reuters)

Venus vaults Vekic at Wimbledon

World number one Novak Djokovic and 17-time major winner Roger Federer get Wimbledon under way today with history beckoning for the two Grand Slam A-listers. 
 
Top seed Djokovic is halfway to the first calendar Grand Slam since 1969 after ending his agonising wait for a maiden French Open crown earlier this month. 
 
The 29-year-old defending champion currently holds all four majors and if he wins a third successive Wimbledon title and fourth in all, he will become just the second man in history to win five successive Slams. 
 
Only Don Budge, who won six straight from 1937 Wimbledon to the 1938 US Championships, has achieved the feat. 
 
Djokovic is such a hot favourite to triumph on July 10 that women&#39;s champion Serena Williams is already tipping the Serb for more greatness. 
 
&quot;I think he&#39;ll get it easy,&quot; said the American who will begin her bid for an Open era record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam on Tuesday. 
 
Djokovic has won six of the last eight Grand Slams, taking him to a career tally of 12 - within two of Rafael Nadal`s mark and five behind Federer`s record. 
 
Djokovic takes on British wild card James Ward in the opening match on Centre Court. 
 
Ward, the 29-year-old son of a London taxi driver, is ranked at 177 in the world and made the third round last year with Australian coach Darren Tandy. 
 
But Tandy was diagnosed with cancer of the colon later in the year and died on Christmas Eve. 
 
&quot;It`s been a tough time. Obviously the end of last year was very difficult,&quot; Ward told the Press Association. 
 
&quot;He was my tennis coach so every time I play tennis it reminds me of him.&quot; 
 
Federer, whose last major triumph was at Wimbledon in 2012 when he won his seventh title at the All England Club, against Argentina`s world number 51 Guido Pella. 
 
Federer, 34, has been runner-up to Djokovic for the last two years and is attempting to become the oldest ever Wimbledon champion in modern times. 
 
But the Swiss has been dogged by knee and back problems this year and his injury-enforced withdrawal from the French Open ended his streak of 65 successive Grand Slam appearances stretching back to 1999. 
 
He has since suffered semi-final losses on grass at Stuttgart and Halle, the last of which against Alexander Zverev was his first against a teenager in 10 years. 
 
Federer`s failure to win a title in 2016 means he will enter Wimbledon on his longest trophy drought since 2000.&quot;Clearly I`m not thinking of the title right away,&quot; said the Swiss when asked to assess his chances. 
 
&quot;Novak or Andy (Murray) are the big favourites.&quot; 
 
Pella, 26, was forced to retire from his first round match on his Wimbledon debut in 2013 while he fell in qualifying last year. 
 
The Centre Court programme also sees women`s second seed and French Open champion Garbine Muguruza taking on Camila Giorgi, the world number 68 from Italy. 
 
Muguruza was runner-up to Williams last year. Giorgi reached the fourth round in 2012. 
 
On Court One, 36-year-old Venus Williams, seeded eighth and a five-time champion, takes on Croatia`s Donna Vekic. 
 
Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori, who has yet to get beyond the fourth round, takes on big-serving Australian Sam Groth. 
 
Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber faces Britain`s Laura Robson in the same arena. 
 
Canadian sixth seed Milos Raonic, with John McEnroe in his corner, meets Spain`s Pablo Carreno Busta as he looks to improve on his 2014 semi-final showing. 
 
Meanwhile, armed police will patrol the tournament, both inside and outside the grounds while organisers have also increased the numbers of their private security staff. 
 
Armed officers were also used at Wimbledon last year but on a lower scale on the 10th anniversary of the 7/7 attacks in London. 
 
&quot;(There will be) significant numbers of officers patrolling the local area, firearms officers and a highly mobile reserve that can respond to emerging incidents,&quot; said a police spokesman. 
 
&quot;Officers will be working in uniform and in plain clothes during the event.&quot; 
 
Rain is also expected in the first week but forecasters are confident showers will pass by the time play gets under way. 
 
(AFP)

Roger Federer has been runner-up to Djokovic for the Past two years and is attempting to become the oldest ever Wimbledon champion

World number one Novak Djokovic and 17-time major winner Roger Federer get Wimbledon under way today with history beckoning for the two Grand Slam A-listers. Top seed Djokovic is halfway to the first calendar Grand Slam since 1969 after ending his agonising wait for a maiden French Open crown earlier this month. The 29-year-old defending champion currently holds all four majors and if he wins a third successive Wimbledon title and fourth in all, he will become just the second man in history to win five successive Slams. Only Don Budge, who won six straight from 1937 Wimbledon to the 1938 US Championships, has achieved the feat. Djokovic is such a hot favourite to triumph on July 10 that women's champion Serena Williams is already tipping the Serb for more greatness. "I think he'll get it easy," said the American who will begin her bid for an Open era record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam on Tuesday. Djokovic has won six of the last eight Grand Slams, taking him to a career tally of 12 - within two of Rafael Nadal`s mark and five behind Federer`s record. Djokovic takes on British wild card James Ward in the opening match on Centre Court. Ward, the 29-year-old son of a London taxi driver, is ranked at 177 in the world and made the third round last year with Australian coach Darren Tandy. But Tandy was diagnosed with cancer of the colon later in the year and died on Christmas Eve. "It`s been a tough time. Obviously the end of last year was very difficult," Ward told the Press Association. "He was my tennis coach so every time I play tennis it reminds me of him." Federer, whose last major triumph was at Wimbledon in 2012 when he won his seventh title at the All England Club, against Argentina`s world number 51 Guido Pella. Federer, 34, has been runner-up to Djokovic for the last two years and is attempting to become the oldest ever Wimbledon champion in modern times. But the Swiss has been dogged by knee and back problems this year and his injury-enforced withdrawal from the French Open ended his streak of 65 successive Grand Slam appearances stretching back to 1999. He has since suffered semi-final losses on grass at Stuttgart and Halle, the last of which against Alexander Zverev was his first against a teenager in 10 years. Federer`s failure to win a title in 2016 means he will enter Wimbledon on his longest trophy drought since 2000."Clearly I`m not thinking of the title right away," said the Swiss when asked to assess his chances. "Novak or Andy (Murray) are the big favourites." Pella, 26, was forced to retire from his first round match on his Wimbledon debut in 2013 while he fell in qualifying last year. The Centre Court programme also sees women`s second seed and French Open champion Garbine Muguruza taking on Camila Giorgi, the world number 68 from Italy. Muguruza was runner-up to Williams last year. Giorgi reached the fourth round in 2012. On Court One, 36-year-old Venus Williams, seeded eighth and a five-time champion, takes on Croatia`s Donna Vekic. Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori, who has yet to get beyond the fourth round, takes on big-serving Australian Sam Groth. Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber faces Britain`s Laura Robson in the same arena. Canadian sixth seed Milos Raonic, with John McEnroe in his corner, meets Spain`s Pablo Carreno Busta as he looks to improve on his 2014 semi-final showing. Meanwhile, armed police will patrol the tournament, both inside and outside the grounds while organisers have also increased the numbers of their private security staff. Armed officers were also used at Wimbledon last year but on a lower scale on the 10th anniversary of the 7/7 attacks in London. "(There will be) significant numbers of officers patrolling the local area, firearms officers and a highly mobile reserve that can respond to emerging incidents," said a police spokesman. "Officers will be working in uniform and in plain clothes during the event." Rain is also expected in the first week but forecasters are confident showers will pass by the time play gets under way. (AFP)

History on line as Djokovic, Federer get Wimbledon under way

It was not quite the triple bagel that Novak Djokovic was aiming for during the opening 41 minutes of his first-round match, but the Serbian is unlikely to be too disappointed after he beat Britain&#39;s James Ward 6-0 7-6(3) 6-4 at Wimbledon today. 
 
The holder of all four grand slam titles appeared to be hurtling towards his 29th successive win at a major when he opened his Wimbledon defence by jumping out to a 6-0 3-0 lead. 
 
But Ward, the son of a London black cab driver, did not want to make a quick getaway on his Centre Court debut and held both arms aloft after finally getting a game against his name on the scoreboard. 
 
The 177th-ranked wildcard went on a roll as he won three games on the trot but despite his fightback, he simply did not have enough weapons to stop Djokovic from setting up a second- round showdown with Frenchman Adrian Mannarino. 
 
(Reuters)

Britain's James Ward, despite his fightback, did not have enough weapons to stop Djokovic from setting up a second-round showdown

It was not quite the triple bagel that Novak Djokovic was aiming for during the opening 41 minutes of his first-round match, but the Serbian is unlikely to be too disappointed after he beat Britain's James Ward 6-0 7-6(3) 6-4 at Wimbledon today. The holder of all four grand slam titles appeared to be hurtling towards his 29th successive win at a major when he opened his Wimbledon defence by jumping out to a 6-0 3-0 lead. But Ward, the son of a London black cab driver, did not want to make a quick getaway on his Centre Court debut and held both arms aloft after finally getting a game against his name on the scoreboard. The 177th-ranked wildcard went on a roll as he won three games on the trot but despite his fightback, he simply did not have enough weapons to stop Djokovic from setting up a second- round showdown with Frenchman Adrian Mannarino. (Reuters)

Djokovic beats Ward by 6-0 7-6 6-4, makes solid start to Wimbledon title defence

On court Novak Djokovic is taking tennis to extraordinary new levels with his single-minded obsession with winning. Off it the Serbian is more than happy to share power. 
 
The 29-year-old will begin his attempt to win a fourth Wimbledon title on Monday when he plays British wildcard James Ward on Centre Court,12 months after claiming a second successive title by beating Roger Federer. 
 
While nothing will distract him from that goal, the dominant Serbian also knows that however big the gap is between himself and his rivals and it is a yawning chasm that no player is bigger than the sport. 
 
At his pre-tournament news conference at Wimbledon today, the world number one confirmed he had re-joined the 12-man ATP Players Council, along with chief rival Andy Murray and Murray&#39;s brother Jamie, the world&#39;s top doubles player. 
 
It is a responsibility Djokovic will apply himself to with the same devotion as his career for the next two years as tennis wrestles with the kind of doping and corruption scandals that have afflicted world sport. 
 
&quot;I&#39;ve been very flattered and humbled to be elected by my colleagues,&quot; Djokovic told reporters. 
 
&quot;The way I see it is that I managed to gain trust from players, which is very important to me. I have been part of the Player Council for three years earlier in my career. I`ve been familiar with the way the system works. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m hoping I can contribute to the evolution and to the betterment of our sport in every aspect.&quot; 
 
There is little argument that he has taken tennis to new levels of perfection since losing to Murray in the 2013 final here. 
 
Since then he has won six of the 11 grand slam titles on offer, taking his tally to 12 overall. 
 
In beating Murray at Roland Garros earlier this month he became the first man in 47 years to hold all four majors. 
 
He also won the ATP World Tour Finals in November and will have his eye on Olympic gold in August and probably the Davis Cup too. 
 
His immediate focus though is on a smooth opening to his Wimbledon campaign having chosen again not to play any grasscourt tournaments in the run-up. 
 
&quot;This year is quite different from previous years because I`m coming in with a Roland Garros title,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;That gives me, obviously, a lot of confidence. I&#39;ve played a lot of points in the practice sessions these four or five days, trying to be on the grass as much as I can. So I`m really keen on getting on the court.&quot; 
 
Djokovic, who beat Federer in the last two Wimbledon finals, could face a tough path to a hat-trick. 
 
Big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic is a potential quarter-final opponent with Federer possible in the semis. 
 
Ward is unlikely to pose too many problems, although Djokovic is well aware that the crowd will be rooting for his opponent when play begins on Monday. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s going to be the first match on the untouched grass,&quot; he said. &quot; That&#39;s probably one of the most special tennis matches that you get to experience as a tennis player. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m looking forward to that. Obviously I know that he doesn`t have much to lose.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

The 29-year-old will begin his attempt to win a fourth Wimbledon title on Monday when he plays British wildcard James Ward on Centre Court

On court Novak Djokovic is taking tennis to extraordinary new levels with his single-minded obsession with winning. Off it the Serbian is more than happy to share power. The 29-year-old will begin his attempt to win a fourth Wimbledon title on Monday when he plays British wildcard James Ward on Centre Court,12 months after claiming a second successive title by beating Roger Federer. While nothing will distract him from that goal, the dominant Serbian also knows that however big the gap is between himself and his rivals and it is a yawning chasm that no player is bigger than the sport. At his pre-tournament news conference at Wimbledon today, the world number one confirmed he had re-joined the 12-man ATP Players Council, along with chief rival Andy Murray and Murray's brother Jamie, the world's top doubles player. It is a responsibility Djokovic will apply himself to with the same devotion as his career for the next two years as tennis wrestles with the kind of doping and corruption scandals that have afflicted world sport. "I've been very flattered and humbled to be elected by my colleagues," Djokovic told reporters. "The way I see it is that I managed to gain trust from players, which is very important to me. I have been part of the Player Council for three years earlier in my career. I`ve been familiar with the way the system works. "I'm hoping I can contribute to the evolution and to the betterment of our sport in every aspect." There is little argument that he has taken tennis to new levels of perfection since losing to Murray in the 2013 final here. Since then he has won six of the 11 grand slam titles on offer, taking his tally to 12 overall. In beating Murray at Roland Garros earlier this month he became the first man in 47 years to hold all four majors. He also won the ATP World Tour Finals in November and will have his eye on Olympic gold in August and probably the Davis Cup too. His immediate focus though is on a smooth opening to his Wimbledon campaign having chosen again not to play any grasscourt tournaments in the run-up. "This year is quite different from previous years because I`m coming in with a Roland Garros title," he said. "That gives me, obviously, a lot of confidence. I've played a lot of points in the practice sessions these four or five days, trying to be on the grass as much as I can. So I`m really keen on getting on the court." Djokovic, who beat Federer in the last two Wimbledon finals, could face a tough path to a hat-trick. Big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic is a potential quarter-final opponent with Federer possible in the semis. Ward is unlikely to pose too many problems, although Djokovic is well aware that the crowd will be rooting for his opponent when play begins on Monday. "It's going to be the first match on the untouched grass," he said. " That's probably one of the most special tennis matches that you get to experience as a tennis player. "I'm looking forward to that. Obviously I know that he doesn`t have much to lose." (Reuters)

Djokovic focused on Wimbledon but sees bigger picture

Australia&#39;s Bernard Tomic thinks he is playing some of the best grasscourt tennis of his career, and is in a good place off the court, as he heads into the Wimbledon championships main draw for the seventh time. 
 
The 23-year-old&#39;s campaign at the All England Club ended in the third round last year and was followed by a very public and bitter row with Tennis Australia over what he said was their lack of backing for him. 
 
Since then, there have been rows over his suitability to be part of Australia&#39;s Olympic team, which he defused by withdrawing his name from consideration, and the now traditional woes of his claycourt season. 
 
After a second-round departure at the French Open that surprised few given his dislike of the Roland Garros surface, however, Tomic has rediscovered his form on grass at &#39;s-Hertogenbosch and Queen&#39;s Club. 
 
&quot;I&#39;d say probably it&#39;s the best it&#39;s been leading into Wimbledon,&quot; the 19th seed told Australia&#39;s Fox Sports TV. 
 
&quot;I managed to play two grasscourt tournaments, played really well, making the quarters in the Netherlands and the semis at Queen&#39;s.&nbsp;I feel like I&#39;m playing some of my best tennis on grass and now we&#39;re here at the famous Wimbledon tournament and I&#39;m ready to go.&quot; 
 
Tomic made his grand slam breakthrough when he reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals as a qualifier in 2011, and it remains his favourite of the sport&#39;s four majors. 
 
&quot;It was a huge moment for my career that turned everything around and I always look back on that leading into any grasscourt tournament,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;I take back that memory and I&#39;m always in a position to play my best tennis on grass. On grass, I always seem to be intense and on my feet and I always seem to play really well.&quot; 
 
Lapses of concentration and intensity have been a problem for Tomic throughout a career that promised so much when he won two junior grand slam titles. 
 
Allegations of giving up, or tanking, have dogged him in recent years and reached fever pitch when he faced match point at the Madrid Open in May with his racket upside down. 
 
He knows, however, that he will have to be on his toes for his first round match against tricky Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco, who he beat at Queen&#39;s Club to take a 4-1 lead in their career head-to-head. 
 
&quot;Last week was an incredible match,&quot; Tomic said. 
 
&quot;He&#39;s going to come out swinging, doing some different things, he knows he&#39;s down in the record against me but that&#39;s not going to stop him playing well.&quot; 
 
Off court, the presence of Lleyton Hewitt in London should also ensure no repeat of the rows with Tennis Australia. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m happy now, I&#39;ve got a good team around me, and I&#39;m at my favourite tournament as well,&quot; he added. 
 
(Reuters)

After a second-round departure at the French Open, Bernard Tomic rediscovered his form on grass at 's-Hertogenbosch and Queen's Club

Australia's Bernard Tomic thinks he is playing some of the best grasscourt tennis of his career, and is in a good place off the court, as he heads into the Wimbledon championships main draw for the seventh time. The 23-year-old's campaign at the All England Club ended in the third round last year and was followed by a very public and bitter row with Tennis Australia over what he said was their lack of backing for him. Since then, there have been rows over his suitability to be part of Australia's Olympic team, which he defused by withdrawing his name from consideration, and the now traditional woes of his claycourt season. After a second-round departure at the French Open that surprised few given his dislike of the Roland Garros surface, however, Tomic has rediscovered his form on grass at 's-Hertogenbosch and Queen's Club. "I'd say probably it's the best it's been leading into Wimbledon," the 19th seed told Australia's Fox Sports TV. "I managed to play two grasscourt tournaments, played really well, making the quarters in the Netherlands and the semis at Queen's. I feel like I'm playing some of my best tennis on grass and now we're here at the famous Wimbledon tournament and I'm ready to go." Tomic made his grand slam breakthrough when he reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals as a qualifier in 2011, and it remains his favourite of the sport's four majors. "It was a huge moment for my career that turned everything around and I always look back on that leading into any grasscourt tournament," he said. "I take back that memory and I'm always in a position to play my best tennis on grass. On grass, I always seem to be intense and on my feet and I always seem to play really well." Lapses of concentration and intensity have been a problem for Tomic throughout a career that promised so much when he won two junior grand slam titles. Allegations of giving up, or tanking, have dogged him in recent years and reached fever pitch when he faced match point at the Madrid Open in May with his racket upside down. He knows, however, that he will have to be on his toes for his first round match against tricky Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco, who he beat at Queen's Club to take a 4-1 lead in their career head-to-head. "Last week was an incredible match," Tomic said. "He's going to come out swinging, doing some different things, he knows he's down in the record against me but that's not going to stop him playing well." Off court, the presence of Lleyton Hewitt in London should also ensure no repeat of the rows with Tennis Australia. "I'm happy now, I've got a good team around me, and I'm at my favourite tournament as well," he added. (Reuters)

All England grass a tonic for Tomic

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