Austria&#39;s Dominic Thiem sent Rafael&nbsp;Nadal&nbsp;crashing out of the Rome Masters on Friday with a 6-4, 6-3 quarter-final victory, ending the Spaniard&#39;s 17-match winning run.

Nadal, a former seven-time champion in the Italian capital, had dominated Thiem to win the Madrid Masters final last week.

But the 30-year-old, seeded fourth in Rome and building up for an assault on a 10th French Open title, was outplayed throughout a thrilling encounter on centre court.

Thiem, the eighth seed, will now meet the winner of the quarter-final clash between four-time winner Novak Djokovic, seeded second, and unseeded Argentinian Juan Martin del Potro.

That tie was suspended for the night after torrential rain swept the city. Four-time Djokovic was leading 6-1, 1-2 when play was halted.

Nadal, meanwhile, said he intends to have a free weekend before ramping up his preparations for Roland Garros from Monday.

&quot;Tomorrow I&#39;ll be in Mallorca fishing or playing golf, or another thing. I&#39;m going to rest a little bit, I think I deserve it,&quot; said&nbsp;Nadal.

&quot;Then from Monday and Tuesday I will start to prepare for Roland Garros. It&#39;s an important event for me.

&quot;If you do things well, you have more chances in Roland Garros. I hope to play my best tennis in Roland Garros.&quot;

Nadal, given a first round bye, played only three games of his second round match with Nicolas Almagro before his unseeded compatriot retired injured on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old made amends for his comparative lack of playing time with a 6-3, 6-4 win over American Jack Sock on Thursday.

But from the outset against Thiem, who had also lost to the Spanish star in Barcelona,&nbsp;Nadal&nbsp;looked in trouble.

The Austrian&#39;s serve, precision and movement were near flawless and soon had&nbsp;Nadal&nbsp;hitting shots wide of the mark.

As the centre court crowd steadily got behind the 23-year-old upstart,&nbsp;Nadal&#39;s confidence waned.&nbsp;

Thiem, who has a 17-3 record on clay this year, will now look to reach his fourth final of 2017.

However, he is 0-4 in career meetings with Djokovic and 0-2 against del Potro.

&quot;It&#39;s a very tough situation in tennis. I mean, you have a big win, and the next day there is Djokovic or Del Potro waiting,&quot; said Thiem after his second victory in six meetings against&nbsp;Nadal, adding to his 2016 Argentina Open semi-final win.

&quot;It remains very, very difficult. But they are both unbelievable, big players. I think it&#39;s going to be a tough match between them today. Whoever wins, I have to take on tomorrow.&quot;

German 20-year-old Alexander Zverev reached his first Masters semi-final with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 victory over Canadian fifth seed Milos Raonic.

Zverev will face unseeded John Isner, 12 years his senior, after the giant American clinched a 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 7-6 (7/2) win over Croatian sixth seed Marin Cilic.

&quot;It&#39;s another stepping stone in my career,&quot; said Zverev.&nbsp;

In the WTA event, Romanian sixth seed Simona Halep and Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens will face off in the semi-finals on Saturday.

Halep, the champion in Madrid last week, surged into the last four for the third time after a 6-2, 6-4 win over Estonian qualifier Anett Kontaveit.

Halep, who reached the French Open final in 2014, now meets Bertens after the 15th seed, ranked 20th in the world, ousted Australian qualifier Daria Gavrilova 6-3, 6-3.

In the other semi-final French Open champion Garbine Muguruza of Spain meets Elina Svitolina, who stunned Czech second seed Karolina Pliskova 6-2, 7-6 (11/9).

Muguruza overcame a second-set fightback from Venus Williams to prevail 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 against the American, seeded ninth.

(AFP)

The Austrian beat nine-time French Open champion in two tough sets

Austria's Dominic Thiem sent Rafael Nadal crashing out of the Rome Masters on Friday with a 6-4, 6-3 quarter-final victory, ending the Spaniard's 17-match winning run. Nadal, a former seven-time champion in the Italian capital, had dominated Thiem to win the Madrid Masters final last week. But the 30-year-old, seeded fourth in Rome and building up for an assault on a 10th French Open title, was outplayed throughout a thrilling encounter on centre court. Thiem, the eighth seed, will now meet the winner of the quarter-final clash between four-time winner Novak Djokovic, seeded second, and unseeded Argentinian Juan Martin del Potro. That tie was suspended for the night after torrential rain swept the city. Four-time Djokovic was leading 6-1, 1-2 when play was halted. Nadal, meanwhile, said he intends to have a free weekend before ramping up his preparations for Roland Garros from Monday. "Tomorrow I'll be in Mallorca fishing or playing golf, or another thing. I'm going to rest a little bit, I think I deserve it," said Nadal. "Then from Monday and Tuesday I will start to prepare for Roland Garros. It's an important event for me. "If you do things well, you have more chances in Roland Garros. I hope to play my best tennis in Roland Garros." Nadal, given a first round bye, played only three games of his second round match with Nicolas Almagro before his unseeded compatriot retired injured on Wednesday. The 30-year-old made amends for his comparative lack of playing time with a 6-3, 6-4 win over American Jack Sock on Thursday. But from the outset against Thiem, who had also lost to the Spanish star in Barcelona, Nadal looked in trouble. The Austrian's serve, precision and movement were near flawless and soon had Nadal hitting shots wide of the mark. As the centre court crowd steadily got behind the 23-year-old upstart, Nadal's confidence waned. Thiem, who has a 17-3 record on clay this year, will now look to reach his fourth final of 2017. However, he is 0-4 in career meetings with Djokovic and 0-2 against del Potro. "It's a very tough situation in tennis. I mean, you have a big win, and the next day there is Djokovic or Del Potro waiting," said Thiem after his second victory in six meetings against Nadal, adding to his 2016 Argentina Open semi-final win. "It remains very, very difficult. But they are both unbelievable, big players. I think it's going to be a tough match between them today. Whoever wins, I have to take on tomorrow." German 20-year-old Alexander Zverev reached his first Masters semi-final with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 victory over Canadian fifth seed Milos Raonic. Zverev will face unseeded John Isner, 12 years his senior, after the giant American clinched a 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 7-6 (7/2) win over Croatian sixth seed Marin Cilic. "It's another stepping stone in my career," said Zverev. In the WTA event, Romanian sixth seed Simona Halep and Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens will face off in the semi-finals on Saturday. Halep, the champion in Madrid last week, surged into the last four for the third time after a 6-2, 6-4 win over Estonian qualifier Anett Kontaveit. Halep, who reached the French Open final in 2014, now meets Bertens after the 15th seed, ranked 20th in the world, ousted Australian qualifier Daria Gavrilova 6-3, 6-3. In the other semi-final French Open champion Garbine Muguruza of Spain meets Elina Svitolina, who stunned Czech second seed Karolina Pliskova 6-2, 7-6 (11/9). Muguruza overcame a second-set fightback from Venus Williams to prevail 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 against the American, seeded ninth. (AFP)

Rome Masters: Red-hot Thiem hands Nadal first defeat on clay this year

Rafael&nbsp;Nadal&nbsp;beat David Goffin 6-3, 6-1 on Saturday in a controversial semi-final at the Monte Carlo Masters to put himself on the brink of a 10th title at the clay court showpiece.

The 30-year-old defending champion will face Spanish compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas, who defeated Lucas Pouille 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, in Sunday&#39;s final.

Nadal&nbsp;is also chasing his first ATP title since last April in Barcelona and the 70th of his career.

&quot;It&#39;s tough to believe that I am again in a final here, it is unbelievable news for me,&quot;&nbsp;Nadal&nbsp;said. &quot;It&#39;s another great event.&nbsp;

&quot;I&#39;m be able to start the clay court season playing a final in one of the most important events of the year. Personally, it&#39;s a very special place for me. It&#39;s something that makes me feel very happy. Very excited about it.&quot;

Nadal&nbsp;has beaten 29-year-old Ramos-Vinolas in their two previous clashes, both times on clay in Barcelona.

&quot;He&#39;s playing better than ever, he&#39;s winning huge matches during the whole week,&quot; said&nbsp;Nadal&nbsp;of his next opponent.&nbsp;

&quot;He&#39;s playing with big confidence, with great spirit of fight, overcoming tough situations in every match, and playing a high level of tennis all the time.

&quot;I know that I need to be at my best to keep having chances, to fight for another title here. That&#39;s what I am looking for.&quot;

However, Saturday&#39;s semi-final turned on a controversial incident in the first set, when the chair umpire may have missed a ball mark and ended up awarding&nbsp;Nadal&nbsp;a point which denied Goffin a 4-2 lead in the opener.

The crowd turning against him,&nbsp;Nadal&nbsp;was the subject of whistles and jeers while the heart went out of Goffin who had made the semi-finals by seeing off world number two Novak Djokovic on Friday.

&quot;When the umpire goes down and says the ball is good, what I can say? No, the ball is out?&quot;&nbsp;Nadal&nbsp;said. &quot;That&#39;s why there is an umpire there.&nbsp;

&quot;If the ball is on my side, I see the ball is in, I give the ball to the other side? This (booing) for me is sometimes sad, especially in a place that I had a lot of success, in a place that I love. Sometimes that happens.&quot;

Ramos-Vinolas, the 15th seed who had knocked out number one Andy Murray and Marin Cilic, had never before even reached a Masters 1000 semi-final.

&quot;To play Rafa, you never know. If he plays unbelievable, he&#39;s going to beat you,&quot; Ramos-Vinolas said.&nbsp;

&quot;I have more confidence. It&#39;s impossible to negate that. Since Roland Garros (2016) maybe, I&#39;m playing better. In South America (February) I did a final, two semi-finals, one quarter-final.&nbsp;

&quot;The results are going better.&quot;

The Spaniard, who saved seven of nine break points, had come to the principality with only three previous victories from 29 matches against top 10 opponents.&nbsp;

(AFP)

Nadal, aiming for his tenth title in the principality, will face giant-slayer Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the summit clash

Rafael Nadal beat David Goffin 6-3, 6-1 on Saturday in a controversial semi-final at the Monte Carlo Masters to put himself on the brink of a 10th title at the clay court showpiece. The 30-year-old defending champion will face Spanish compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas, who defeated Lucas Pouille 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, in Sunday's final. Nadal is also chasing his first ATP title since last April in Barcelona and the 70th of his career. "It's tough to believe that I am again in a final here, it is unbelievable news for me," Nadal said. "It's another great event. "I'm be able to start the clay court season playing a final in one of the most important events of the year. Personally, it's a very special place for me. It's something that makes me feel very happy. Very excited about it." Nadal has beaten 29-year-old Ramos-Vinolas in their two previous clashes, both times on clay in Barcelona. "He's playing better than ever, he's winning huge matches during the whole week," said Nadal of his next opponent. "He's playing with big confidence, with great spirit of fight, overcoming tough situations in every match, and playing a high level of tennis all the time. "I know that I need to be at my best to keep having chances, to fight for another title here. That's what I am looking for." However, Saturday's semi-final turned on a controversial incident in the first set, when the chair umpire may have missed a ball mark and ended up awarding Nadal a point which denied Goffin a 4-2 lead in the opener. The crowd turning against him, Nadal was the subject of whistles and jeers while the heart went out of Goffin who had made the semi-finals by seeing off world number two Novak Djokovic on Friday. "When the umpire goes down and says the ball is good, what I can say? No, the ball is out?" Nadal said. "That's why there is an umpire there. "If the ball is on my side, I see the ball is in, I give the ball to the other side? This (booing) for me is sometimes sad, especially in a place that I had a lot of success, in a place that I love. Sometimes that happens." Ramos-Vinolas, the 15th seed who had knocked out number one Andy Murray and Marin Cilic, had never before even reached a Masters 1000 semi-final. "To play Rafa, you never know. If he plays unbelievable, he's going to beat you," Ramos-Vinolas said. "I have more confidence. It's impossible to negate that. Since Roland Garros (2016) maybe, I'm playing better. In South America (February) I did a final, two semi-finals, one quarter-final. "The results are going better." The Spaniard, who saved seven of nine break points, had come to the principality with only three previous victories from 29 matches against top 10 opponents. (AFP)

Monte Carlo: Nadal battles boos and Goffin to enter final

Rafael Nadal won the Monte Carlo Masters for a record-breaking 10th time with a dominant 6-1, 6-3 defeat of Spanish compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas on Sunday.

The 30-year-old Nadal, who now has 50 clay court titles and 70 in all, will be aiming for a 10th French Open title as well next month.

It was Nadal&#39;s first title in almost a year and further cemented his place in history as he became the first man in the Open era to win the same event 10 times.

He won eight Monte Carlo titles in a row from 2005 to 2012 but then lost to Novak Djokovic in the 2013 final.

He won the title again last year and then added the Barcelona crown a week later, yet had not lifted a trophy since, losing three finals already this year, including January&#39;s Australian Open against Roger Federer.

Nadal&#39;s 50 clay titles breaks the record he shared with Guillermo Vilas since April last year when he lifted his ninth trophy in Barcelona.

&quot;I cannot explain the feelings that I have,&quot; Nadal said.&nbsp;

&quot;I had a tough start to the season. When I first played here in 2003 as a qualifier I reached the third round.

&quot;Now, a lot of years later, this is something I could have never dreamt. Thanks to life for giving me this opportunity.&quot;

The great Spaniard needed just 76 minutes and three match points to see off his compatriot on Sunday.

The left-hander now has 29 Masters titles, one behind the all-time record of 30 held by Novak Djokovic.

He has now won an ATP event for the 14th consecutive year after losing his first three finals of 2017.

Nadal was hardly challenged by his 29-year-old countryman, who was playing the best tennis of his career after seeing off world number one Andy Murray on his way to the final.&nbsp;

Nadal took victory as Ramos-Vinolas double-faulted.

&quot;What can you say about Nadal,&quot; said the losing finalist.&nbsp;

&quot;I never expected anything like this week to happen to me (wins over Andy Murray and Marin Cilic).&nbsp;

&quot;Rafa winning here 10 times is unbelievable, he&#39;s the best for sure on clay. For me, I still had a fantastic finish to the week.&quot;

Nadal will now move on to his home event in Barcelona next week where he will be eyeing another magical 10th title.

Nadal and Ramos-Vinolas played the fourth all-Spanish championship in the Open Era in Monte Carlo, with Nadal winning the 2010 edition against Fernando Verdasco and beating David Ferrer a year later.

Nadal now stand 3-0 versus Ramos-Vinolas and has never lost to a countryman in an ATP final, now standing 15-0 in that category.

(AFP)

The 30-year-old Nadal, who now has 50 clay court titles and 70 in all, will be aiming for a 10th French Open title as well next month

Rafael Nadal won the Monte Carlo Masters for a record-breaking 10th time with a dominant 6-1, 6-3 defeat of Spanish compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas on Sunday. The 30-year-old Nadal, who now has 50 clay court titles and 70 in all, will be aiming for a 10th French Open title as well next month. It was Nadal's first title in almost a year and further cemented his place in history as he became the first man in the Open era to win the same event 10 times. He won eight Monte Carlo titles in a row from 2005 to 2012 but then lost to Novak Djokovic in the 2013 final. He won the title again last year and then added the Barcelona crown a week later, yet had not lifted a trophy since, losing three finals already this year, including January's Australian Open against Roger Federer. Nadal's 50 clay titles breaks the record he shared with Guillermo Vilas since April last year when he lifted his ninth trophy in Barcelona. "I cannot explain the feelings that I have," Nadal said. "I had a tough start to the season. When I first played here in 2003 as a qualifier I reached the third round. "Now, a lot of years later, this is something I could have never dreamt. Thanks to life for giving me this opportunity." The great Spaniard needed just 76 minutes and three match points to see off his compatriot on Sunday. The left-hander now has 29 Masters titles, one behind the all-time record of 30 held by Novak Djokovic. He has now won an ATP event for the 14th consecutive year after losing his first three finals of 2017. Nadal was hardly challenged by his 29-year-old countryman, who was playing the best tennis of his career after seeing off world number one Andy Murray on his way to the final. Nadal took victory as Ramos-Vinolas double-faulted. "What can you say about Nadal," said the losing finalist. "I never expected anything like this week to happen to me (wins over Andy Murray and Marin Cilic). "Rafa winning here 10 times is unbelievable, he's the best for sure on clay. For me, I still had a fantastic finish to the week." Nadal will now move on to his home event in Barcelona next week where he will be eyeing another magical 10th title. Nadal and Ramos-Vinolas played the fourth all-Spanish championship in the Open Era in Monte Carlo, with Nadal winning the 2010 edition against Fernando Verdasco and beating David Ferrer a year later. Nadal now stand 3-0 versus Ramos-Vinolas and has never lost to a countryman in an ATP final, now standing 15-0 in that category. (AFP)

Rafael Nadal beats Albert Ramos-Vinolas to win historic 10th Monte Carlo title

Rafael Nadal cruised past Israeli Dudi Sela in the second round of the Miami Open on Friday while Kei Nishikori and Milos Raonic also enjoyed comfortable victories as the top seeds got underway.

But there was an upset for ninth-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, who was beaten by 158th ranked Argentine Guido Pella, and for France&rsquo;s 11th seeded Lucas Pouille who was defeated by American Donald Young, ranked 51st in the world.

With plenty of backing from the South Florida crowd, Nadal never looked in trouble against the 83rd ranked Sela as he ran out 6-3, 6-4 winner in one hour and 20 minutes.

Rain delays earlier in the day pushed back Nadal&#39;s appearance on court and gusty conditions also made it tricky for the former world number one.

&quot;It has been very tough and long day for everyone I think. Rain delay a couple of times and then the wind was very, very high,&quot; he said. &quot;So it was difficult to find the right feelings but on these kind of days what you have to do is try to win. That&#39;s what I did, and I am very happy with that.&quot;

The Spaniard is looking to win his first Miami title after losing in the final four times in his career.

&quot;I was close enough four times in my career. I am going to try to give myself more chances during this year and during the next couple years. But this tournament is a tough tournament and anything can happen,&quot; he added.

Japanese second seed Nishikori beat big-serving South African Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-3 on center court and will face Fernando Verdasco of Spain.

Nishikori eyes breakthrough&nbsp;

Nishikori, beaten by Novak Djokovic in last year&#39;s Miami final, didn&#39;t face a break point in the contest and won 88 per cent of his first-serve points.

The 27-year-old said he was looking to make a breakthrough in one of the slams this year and believes a win in Miami could give him the boost in belief that he needs.

&quot;I think if I can win big tournaments like this or some Masters, that&#39;s going to give me a lot of confidence for sure. That&#39;s my next goal, to win the big tournaments,&quot; he said.

&quot;But I think I&#39;m on the right track. I think last year was very solid year. I fought through the whole year without too much injury ... I learned many things from last year,&quot; Nishikori added.

Canada&#39;s Raonic was returning from almost a month on the sidelines due to a right leg injury and enjoyed a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Serbia&rsquo;s Viktor Troicki. The Canadian was in charge of the opening set and at 3-1 up in the second, it looked all over but Troicki forced things back to level at 5-5 before Raonic got the crucial break.

Intermittent rain and high winds made it tough at times for both players but Raonic said he was glad to get back on court.

&quot;Conditions obviously weren&#39;t ideal but I have to be very happy with just the outcome,&quot; he said adding he was still not in the best shape physically.

&quot;But I&#39;ve put in the work that I can, I have prepared the best I can for this tournament and while I&#39;m not necessarily in the best position right now, fortunately it is a long tournament,&quot; he said.

Dimitrov made 38 unforced errors in his loss to Pella, who showed some great flair from the baseline. Although the Argentine wobbled with a double fault on his first match point up 6-3 in the second-set tie-break, Dimitrov&#39;s backhand on the next point was wide and handed the 26-year-old the win.

Young continued his excellent form with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Pouille. The American, who reached the round of 16 at Indian Wells, where he also beat the Frenchman, is now &nbsp;12-5 in 2017. He&#39;ll play another Frenchman, Benoit Paire, who beat 21st seed Pablo Cuevas, in the next round.

(AFP)

France?s 11th seeded Lucas Pouille was the other big casualty after he lost to Donald Young

Rafael Nadal cruised past Israeli Dudi Sela in the second round of the Miami Open on Friday while Kei Nishikori and Milos Raonic also enjoyed comfortable victories as the top seeds got underway. But there was an upset for ninth-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, who was beaten by 158th ranked Argentine Guido Pella, and for France’s 11th seeded Lucas Pouille who was defeated by American Donald Young, ranked 51st in the world. With plenty of backing from the South Florida crowd, Nadal never looked in trouble against the 83rd ranked Sela as he ran out 6-3, 6-4 winner in one hour and 20 minutes. Rain delays earlier in the day pushed back Nadal's appearance on court and gusty conditions also made it tricky for the former world number one. "It has been very tough and long day for everyone I think. Rain delay a couple of times and then the wind was very, very high," he said. "So it was difficult to find the right feelings but on these kind of days what you have to do is try to win. That's what I did, and I am very happy with that." The Spaniard is looking to win his first Miami title after losing in the final four times in his career. "I was close enough four times in my career. I am going to try to give myself more chances during this year and during the next couple years. But this tournament is a tough tournament and anything can happen," he added. Japanese second seed Nishikori beat big-serving South African Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-3 on center court and will face Fernando Verdasco of Spain. Nishikori eyes breakthrough Nishikori, beaten by Novak Djokovic in last year's Miami final, didn't face a break point in the contest and won 88 per cent of his first-serve points. The 27-year-old said he was looking to make a breakthrough in one of the slams this year and believes a win in Miami could give him the boost in belief that he needs. "I think if I can win big tournaments like this or some Masters, that's going to give me a lot of confidence for sure. That's my next goal, to win the big tournaments," he said. "But I think I'm on the right track. I think last year was very solid year. I fought through the whole year without too much injury ... I learned many things from last year," Nishikori added. Canada's Raonic was returning from almost a month on the sidelines due to a right leg injury and enjoyed a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Serbia’s Viktor Troicki. The Canadian was in charge of the opening set and at 3-1 up in the second, it looked all over but Troicki forced things back to level at 5-5 before Raonic got the crucial break. Intermittent rain and high winds made it tough at times for both players but Raonic said he was glad to get back on court. "Conditions obviously weren't ideal but I have to be very happy with just the outcome," he said adding he was still not in the best shape physically. "But I've put in the work that I can, I have prepared the best I can for this tournament and while I'm not necessarily in the best position right now, fortunately it is a long tournament," he said. Dimitrov made 38 unforced errors in his loss to Pella, who showed some great flair from the baseline. Although the Argentine wobbled with a double fault on his first match point up 6-3 in the second-set tie-break, Dimitrov's backhand on the next point was wide and handed the 26-year-old the win. Young continued his excellent form with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Pouille. The American, who reached the round of 16 at Indian Wells, where he also beat the Frenchman, is now 12-5 in 2017. He'll play another Frenchman, Benoit Paire, who beat 21st seed Pablo Cuevas, in the next round. (AFP)

Miami Masters: Nadal, Nishikori through to next round; Dimitrov loses

Rafael Nadal did his part to set up a fourth-round clash with Roger Federer at the ATP Indian Wells Masters on Tuesday, powering past Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 7-5.

Nadal&#39;s victory marked the second straight year he has vanquished his fellow Spaniard in the third round at Indian Wells.

Federer, who beat Nadal in a five-set thriller to lift his 18th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open six weeks ago, faced American Steve Johnson later Tuesday for a chance to set up the rematch.

He and Nadal have faced each other 35 times in a celebrated rivalry, but they haven&#39;t met before the quarter-finals of a tournament since their first meeting in the round of 32 at Miami in 2004.

Their star-studded quarter of the draw also features five-time Indian Wells champion Novak Djokovic, the second seed who faced a tough third-round clash with Argentine Juan Martin del Potro under the Stadium Court lights.

While Djokovic has won 12 of their 16 career meetings, del Potro has produced some big wins in the series, including a first-round triumph en route to a silver medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics last year.

Djokovic avenged that defeat with a three-round victory in Acapulco this month.

&quot;I have to give it my all,&quot; said Djokovic of the task ahead. &quot;That&#39;s what it takes to beat this guy. Even though he is not ranked as high and he hasn&#39;t played that many tournaments (he was) definitely one of the best players in the world last year, especially in the second part of the year, winning Davis Cup, silver medal for his country &ndash; beating myself &ndash; and Wawrinka at Wimbledon.

With the loaded bottom quarter the focus of attention, fourth-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan quietly advanced to the fourth round with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Gilles Muller of Luxembourg.

Nishikori booked a date with unseeded American Donald Young, who ousted 14th-seeded Lucas Pouille of France 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.

Despite two &quot;horrible&quot; games, Nadal was pleased with his overall effort against Verdasco, a left-hander like himself who has pushed him in the past.

&quot;I played a good match -- very aggressive with my serve, serving well, hitting good forehands, good backhands.

&quot;I think I played much better today than the first day. I played two horrible games, terrible. That&#39;s it. For the rest of the match I think I played very well.&quot;

The blip came after Nadal had broken for a 2-1 lead in the second set. He was promptly broken to love himself, Then Verdasco held with a love game.

But Nadal gained the break he needed for a 6-5 lead in a game Verdasco book-ended with double faults, and served it out without a hitch. 
 
(AFP)

Nadal's victory marked the second straight year he has vanquished his fellow Spaniard in the third round at Indian Wells

Rafael Nadal did his part to set up a fourth-round clash with Roger Federer at the ATP Indian Wells Masters on Tuesday, powering past Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 7-5. Nadal's victory marked the second straight year he has vanquished his fellow Spaniard in the third round at Indian Wells. Federer, who beat Nadal in a five-set thriller to lift his 18th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open six weeks ago, faced American Steve Johnson later Tuesday for a chance to set up the rematch. He and Nadal have faced each other 35 times in a celebrated rivalry, but they haven't met before the quarter-finals of a tournament since their first meeting in the round of 32 at Miami in 2004. Their star-studded quarter of the draw also features five-time Indian Wells champion Novak Djokovic, the second seed who faced a tough third-round clash with Argentine Juan Martin del Potro under the Stadium Court lights. While Djokovic has won 12 of their 16 career meetings, del Potro has produced some big wins in the series, including a first-round triumph en route to a silver medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics last year. Djokovic avenged that defeat with a three-round victory in Acapulco this month. "I have to give it my all," said Djokovic of the task ahead. "That's what it takes to beat this guy. Even though he is not ranked as high and he hasn't played that many tournaments (he was) definitely one of the best players in the world last year, especially in the second part of the year, winning Davis Cup, silver medal for his country – beating myself – and Wawrinka at Wimbledon. With the loaded bottom quarter the focus of attention, fourth-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan quietly advanced to the fourth round with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Gilles Muller of Luxembourg. Nishikori booked a date with unseeded American Donald Young, who ousted 14th-seeded Lucas Pouille of France 6-4, 1-6, 6-3. Despite two "horrible" games, Nadal was pleased with his overall effort against Verdasco, a left-hander like himself who has pushed him in the past. "I played a good match -- very aggressive with my serve, serving well, hitting good forehands, good backhands. "I think I played much better today than the first day. I played two horrible games, terrible. That's it. For the rest of the match I think I played very well." The blip came after Nadal had broken for a 2-1 lead in the second set. He was promptly broken to love himself, Then Verdasco held with a love game. But Nadal gained the break he needed for a 6-5 lead in a game Verdasco book-ended with double faults, and served it out without a hitch. (AFP)

Rafael Nadal powers past Verdasco to reach last 16 at Indian Wells

A &quot;solid&quot; effort saw three-time champion Rafael Nadal safely through to the third round of the ATP Indian Wells Masters on Sunday with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Guido Pella.

French Open champion Garbine Muguruza battled past tenacious teenager Kayla Day 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 on Sunday to reach the fourth round of the Indian Wells WTA hard court tournament.

The seventh seed from Spain next faces Ukrainian 10th seed Elina Svitolina, a 6-2, 6-1 winner over Australian Daria Gavrilova.

Launching his campaign after a first-round bye, Nadal was happy to forego the fireworks on a blazing hot Stadium Court and secure a workmanlike win in one hour and 21 minutes.

&quot;It was a solid match,&quot; Nadal said of a contest made trickier by facing another left-hander in heat that had the balls flying.

&quot;I didn&#39;t try to do amazing things. I tried to play solid. I tried to find the rhythm, and I think I did. For moments I played well. For moments I played a little bit less well. Important thing, I won, and I won in straight sets.&quot;&nbsp;

Pella seized the early initiative, breaking Nadal in the third game. But Nadal won six of the next seven games to pocket the set and go up a break to open the second.

Pella recouped the break in the second game of the second set, but Nadal regained the advantage with a break for 5-2 and calmly served it out.

He knows he&#39;ll have to turn up the intensity if he wants to end a hard court title drought stretching back to 2014.

He&#39;s drawn in the so-called &quot;quarter of death&quot; that also features second-seeded Novak Djokovic, the three-time defending champion and five-time overall Indian Wells winner, along with four-time champion Roger Federer.

Federer cemented his return from a 2016 disrupted by injury with a triumph over Nadal in the Australian Open final in January, the Swiss star&#39;s 18th Grand Slam title.

Djokovic, rocked by a second-round exit at the Australian Open, was to launch his bid for a fourth straight Indian Wells title against Britain&#39;s Kyle Edmund on Sunday, while Federer took on France&#39;s Stephane Robert in the marquee match of the night session.

Only one of the star trio can make it to the semi-finals, where fourth-seeded Kei Nishikori or sixth-seeded Marin Cilic could await.

Japan&#39;s Nishikori, a two-time finalist this year still looking for a first title of the season, eased past Britain&#39;s Daniel Evans 6-3, 6-4.

Nishikori had reason to know how dangerous the Briton could be. Evans shocked him four years ago in the first round of the US Open.

&quot;I know he can play great tennis and when he was playing aggressively, he was very tough to play,&quot; Nishikori said. &quot;But I think I managed really well from the first point until the end. I think it was a good start.&quot;

&#39;That&#39;s sport&#39;

The jam-packed half of the draw is a contrast to the wide-open top half, which lost a lot of its lustre on Saturday when world number one Andy Murray was stunned by 129th-ranked Canadian qualifier Vasek Pospisil.

&quot;That&#39;s sport, no?&quot; Nadal said. &quot;Yesterday probably Andy didn&#39;t play his best match and Vasek served very well. So then you go to a tiebreak and anything can happen.&quot;

While Murray arrived in Indian Wells off a victory in Dubai, Nadal noted that the venue has not been kind to the Briton in the past and he expected Murray to be back at full strength for the fast-approaching Miami Masters.

&quot;Sometimes you don&#39;t feel comfortable in one event, and it&#39;s difficult to overcome that,&quot; Nadal said, recalling his string of disappointments in Cincinnati before he managed a victory there. &quot;When you have bad feelings in one event, sometimes it&#39;s difficult to overcome that.&quot;

(AFP)

'It was a solid match,' Nadal said of his 6-3, 6-2 victory over Guido Pella

A "solid" effort saw three-time champion Rafael Nadal safely through to the third round of the ATP Indian Wells Masters on Sunday with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Guido Pella. French Open champion Garbine Muguruza battled past tenacious teenager Kayla Day 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 on Sunday to reach the fourth round of the Indian Wells WTA hard court tournament. The seventh seed from Spain next faces Ukrainian 10th seed Elina Svitolina, a 6-2, 6-1 winner over Australian Daria Gavrilova. Launching his campaign after a first-round bye, Nadal was happy to forego the fireworks on a blazing hot Stadium Court and secure a workmanlike win in one hour and 21 minutes. "It was a solid match," Nadal said of a contest made trickier by facing another left-hander in heat that had the balls flying. "I didn't try to do amazing things. I tried to play solid. I tried to find the rhythm, and I think I did. For moments I played well. For moments I played a little bit less well. Important thing, I won, and I won in straight sets." Pella seized the early initiative, breaking Nadal in the third game. But Nadal won six of the next seven games to pocket the set and go up a break to open the second. Pella recouped the break in the second game of the second set, but Nadal regained the advantage with a break for 5-2 and calmly served it out. He knows he'll have to turn up the intensity if he wants to end a hard court title drought stretching back to 2014. He's drawn in the so-called "quarter of death" that also features second-seeded Novak Djokovic, the three-time defending champion and five-time overall Indian Wells winner, along with four-time champion Roger Federer. Federer cemented his return from a 2016 disrupted by injury with a triumph over Nadal in the Australian Open final in January, the Swiss star's 18th Grand Slam title. Djokovic, rocked by a second-round exit at the Australian Open, was to launch his bid for a fourth straight Indian Wells title against Britain's Kyle Edmund on Sunday, while Federer took on France's Stephane Robert in the marquee match of the night session. Only one of the star trio can make it to the semi-finals, where fourth-seeded Kei Nishikori or sixth-seeded Marin Cilic could await. Japan's Nishikori, a two-time finalist this year still looking for a first title of the season, eased past Britain's Daniel Evans 6-3, 6-4. Nishikori had reason to know how dangerous the Briton could be. Evans shocked him four years ago in the first round of the US Open. "I know he can play great tennis and when he was playing aggressively, he was very tough to play," Nishikori said. "But I think I managed really well from the first point until the end. I think it was a good start." 'That's sport' The jam-packed half of the draw is a contrast to the wide-open top half, which lost a lot of its lustre on Saturday when world number one Andy Murray was stunned by 129th-ranked Canadian qualifier Vasek Pospisil. "That's sport, no?" Nadal said. "Yesterday probably Andy didn't play his best match and Vasek served very well. So then you go to a tiebreak and anything can happen." While Murray arrived in Indian Wells off a victory in Dubai, Nadal noted that the venue has not been kind to the Briton in the past and he expected Murray to be back at full strength for the fast-approaching Miami Masters. "Sometimes you don't feel comfortable in one event, and it's difficult to overcome that," Nadal said, recalling his string of disappointments in Cincinnati before he managed a victory there. "When you have bad feelings in one event, sometimes it's difficult to overcome that." (AFP)

'Solid' Nadal powers ahead at Indian Wells

Rafael Nadal will not be coached by his uncle Toni from next year.

Nadal&#39;s uncle Toni, who has coached the 14-time grand slam champion since he was a teenager, told an Italian website Il Tennis Italiano that although he has no problems with his nephew, the inclusion of Carlos Moya in the coaching team has sidelined him.

The decision to part ways comes a fortnight after his nephew lost a classic five-set battle to Roger Federer in the Australian Open final.

&quot;From next year I will no longer follow Rafael on the circuit but will dedicate myself exclusively to our academy,&quot; he said, referring to the Rafa Nadal Academy which opened last October in Mallorca.

&quot;The relationship with my nephew has always been excellent, in all these years we have never had periods of crisis,&quot; he said, but added that he has felt increasingly sidelined since Carlos Costa became Nadal&#39;s manager and as the player&#39;s father has become more involved.

&quot;The truth is that every year I am making fewer decisions, to the point that I won&rsquo;t be deciding anything any more!&rdquo;

Moya, himself a former world number one, became a part of Nadal&#39;s entourage this season as the Mallorcan looks to revive his career.

2016 was annus horribilis for Nadal as he failed to go past the quarter-finals of a single grand slam.

Nadal hasn&#39;t won a grand slam since winning the French Open for a record ninth time in 2014.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

Toni Nadal said although he has no problems with his nephew, Carlos Moya's inclusion in the coaching team has sidelined him

Rafael Nadal will not be coached by his uncle Toni from next year. Nadal's uncle Toni, who has coached the 14-time grand slam champion since he was a teenager, told an Italian website Il Tennis Italiano that although he has no problems with his nephew, the inclusion of Carlos Moya in the coaching team has sidelined him. The decision to part ways comes a fortnight after his nephew lost a classic five-set battle to Roger Federer in the Australian Open final. "From next year I will no longer follow Rafael on the circuit but will dedicate myself exclusively to our academy," he said, referring to the Rafa Nadal Academy which opened last October in Mallorca. "The relationship with my nephew has always been excellent, in all these years we have never had periods of crisis," he said, but added that he has felt increasingly sidelined since Carlos Costa became Nadal's manager and as the player's father has become more involved. "The truth is that every year I am making fewer decisions, to the point that I won’t be deciding anything any more!” Moya, himself a former world number one, became a part of Nadal's entourage this season as the Mallorcan looks to revive his career. 2016 was annus horribilis for Nadal as he failed to go past the quarter-finals of a single grand slam. Nadal hasn't won a grand slam since winning the French Open for a record ninth time in 2014. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Rafael Nadal and uncle Toni to part ways after 2017 season

Roger Federer shrugged off a decade of grand slam heartbreak against Rafa Nadal, felling his great rival 6-4 3-6 6-1 3-6 6-3 in a classic Australian Open final to capture his 18th major title.

Roared on by a partisan Rod Laver Arena crowd, Federer roared back from 3-1 down in the nerve-shredding final set before closing it out on the second championship point with a forehand winner to seal his fifth crown at Melbourne Park.

Seeded 17th and playing his first tour tournament after six months out of the game, Federer capped his brilliant comeback from injury with his first grand slam title since Wimbledon in 2012.

The win made Federer the first player ever to win five titles at three different grand slams and at 35, the oldest grand slam winner since Ken Rosewall won the 1972 Australian Open at 37. 
 
(Reuters)

Roger Federer shrugged off a decade of grand slam heartbreak against Rafa Nadal, felling his great rival 6-4 3-6 6-1 3-6 6-3 in a classic Australian Open final to capture his 18th major title. Roared on by a partisan Rod Laver Arena crowd, Federer roared back from 3-1 down in the nerve-shredding final set before closing it out on the second championship point with a forehand winner to seal his fifth crown at Melbourne Park. Seeded 17th and playing his first tour tournament after six months out of the game, Federer capped his brilliant comeback from injury with his first grand slam title since Wimbledon in 2012. The win made Federer the first player ever to win five titles at three different grand slams and at 35, the oldest grand slam winner since Ken Rosewall won the 1972 Australian Open at 37. (Reuters)

Roger Federer beats Rafael Nadal in five-set thriller to win Australian Open

Rafael Nadal prevailed over Canadian Milos Raonic in straight sets to set up an Australian Open semi-final clash with 15th-seed Grigor Dimitrov.

The 14-time grand slam champion beat the injury-hit world number three Raonic&nbsp;6-4, 7-6 (9/7), 6-4 in two hours 44 minutes, to move just a step away from setting up another eagerly-awaited summit match with his old rival Roger Federer.

Dimitrov beat David Goffin in straight sets to advance to the semi-finals, continuing with his fine start to the season.

But Nadal, who enjoys a 7-1 head-to-head with Dimitrov, preferred to focus on his next match than think of playing Federer in the final.

&quot;Let me enjoy today, the victory, being in semi-final. For me is great news again. It&#39;s a good start of the season,&quot; he told reporters.

&quot;Now I have a very tough match against Dimitrov.

&quot;Whatever happens on the other side of the draw, I think it is great for tennis that Roger is there again after an injury, after a lot of people talked that probably he would never be back.

&quot;The real thing is that he&#39;s back and he&#39;s probably ready to win again, fighting again to win a major.

&quot;That&#39;s good for the fans because Roger is a legend of our sport. I am happy to be there, too. I am focused on my semi-final.&quot;

It was another accomplished performance from the 30-year-old Spaniard who reached his first Grand Slam semi-final since he won the 2014 French Open, and struggled with injury last year.

&quot;Great. It&#39;s good news. Especially winning against difficult players: (Gael) Monfils in quarter-finals, (Alexander) Zverev round of 16 and now Raonic,&quot;&nbsp;Nadal&nbsp;said.

&quot;All of them are top players. So that&#39;s very important for me because that means that I am competitive and playing well.

&quot;I&#39;m so just excited about being back in final rounds of the most important events.&quot;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

&nbsp;

Nadal beat an injured Milos Raonic while the 15th-seed Bulgarian beat David Goffin

Rafael Nadal prevailed over Canadian Milos Raonic in straight sets to set up an Australian Open semi-final clash with 15th-seed Grigor Dimitrov. The 14-time grand slam champion beat the injury-hit world number three Raonic 6-4, 7-6 (9/7), 6-4 in two hours 44 minutes, to move just a step away from setting up another eagerly-awaited summit match with his old rival Roger Federer. Dimitrov beat David Goffin in straight sets to advance to the semi-finals, continuing with his fine start to the season. But Nadal, who enjoys a 7-1 head-to-head with Dimitrov, preferred to focus on his next match than think of playing Federer in the final. "Let me enjoy today, the victory, being in semi-final. For me is great news again. It's a good start of the season," he told reporters. "Now I have a very tough match against Dimitrov. "Whatever happens on the other side of the draw, I think it is great for tennis that Roger is there again after an injury, after a lot of people talked that probably he would never be back. "The real thing is that he's back and he's probably ready to win again, fighting again to win a major. "That's good for the fans because Roger is a legend of our sport. I am happy to be there, too. I am focused on my semi-final." It was another accomplished performance from the 30-year-old Spaniard who reached his first Grand Slam semi-final since he won the 2014 French Open, and struggled with injury last year. "Great. It's good news. Especially winning against difficult players: (Gael) Monfils in quarter-finals, (Alexander) Zverev round of 16 and now Raonic," Nadal said. "All of them are top players. So that's very important for me because that means that I am competitive and playing well. "I'm so just excited about being back in final rounds of the most important events." (WION with inputs from AFP)

Australian Open: Nadal, Dimitrov set up semi-final clash

Rafa&nbsp;Nadal&nbsp;held off a fierce challenge from one of the hottest prospects in the game when he outlasted German teenager Alexander Zverev 4-6 6-3 6-7(5) 6-3 6-2 to reach the last 16 of the Australian Open on Saturday (January 21).

The Spaniard, champion here in 2009, needed to be at his resilient best to come out on top after more than four hours of top quality shot-making and thrilling rallies which earned both players a huge ovation from the Rod Laver Arena crowd.

The 19-year-old showed in spades why many consider him a future grand slam champion but was just unable to stay with&nbsp;Nadal&nbsp;in a gripping deciding set, which the 30-year-old sealed when the 24th seed netted a forehand.

Returning to Melbourne Park as ninth seed after curtailing his 2016 season because of injury,Nadal&nbsp;will next face Gael Monfils of France as he bids for a 15th grand slam title.

Milos Raonic&#39;s machine-like advance through the men&#39;s draw suffered a brief glitch against Gilles Simon but the Canadian re-booted to delete the dogged Frenchman 6-2 7-6(5) 3-6 6-3.

Third seed Raonic lost his first set of the tournament and his composure against the indefatigable Simon, whose hard running and passing shots threatened to turn the game on its head at a heaving Hisense Arena.

Raonic drowned out the Gallic cheers by capturing the decisive break in the sixth game of the final set and sealed the match with a big kicking serve that Simon could only parry into the net.

Raonic, a semi-finalist last year, next plays 13th seed Roberto Bautista Agut for a place in the quarter-finals.

(Reuters)

The Spaniard will face Gael Monfils in the fourth round, while Milos Raonic beat Simon to progress to the next round

Rafa Nadal held off a fierce challenge from one of the hottest prospects in the game when he outlasted German teenager Alexander Zverev 4-6 6-3 6-7(5) 6-3 6-2 to reach the last 16 of the Australian Open on Saturday (January 21). The Spaniard, champion here in 2009, needed to be at his resilient best to come out on top after more than four hours of top quality shot-making and thrilling rallies which earned both players a huge ovation from the Rod Laver Arena crowd. The 19-year-old showed in spades why many consider him a future grand slam champion but was just unable to stay with Nadal in a gripping deciding set, which the 30-year-old sealed when the 24th seed netted a forehand. Returning to Melbourne Park as ninth seed after curtailing his 2016 season because of injury,Nadal will next face Gael Monfils of France as he bids for a 15th grand slam title. Milos Raonic's machine-like advance through the men's draw suffered a brief glitch against Gilles Simon but the Canadian re-booted to delete the dogged Frenchman 6-2 7-6(5) 3-6 6-3. Third seed Raonic lost his first set of the tournament and his composure against the indefatigable Simon, whose hard running and passing shots threatened to turn the game on its head at a heaving Hisense Arena. Raonic drowned out the Gallic cheers by capturing the decisive break in the sixth game of the final set and sealed the match with a big kicking serve that Simon could only parry into the net. Raonic, a semi-finalist last year, next plays 13th seed Roberto Bautista Agut for a place in the quarter-finals. (Reuters)

Australian Open: Rafael Nadal staves off Zverev challenge

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

Tennis star Rafael Nadal said the emergence of a new generation is just what tennis needs, while welcoming back old foe Roger Federer to help him keep them at bay.

The Spanish great, a 14-time Grand Slam champion, is on the comeback trail after his 2016 season was ruined by a wrist problem which has seen him slip to nine in the world.&nbsp;Swiss great Federer is also easing his way back after six months out with a knee injury, with both of them keen to return to winning ways at the big tournaments.

They will have their work cut out at the opening Grand Slam of the year at Melbourne Park next week with not just Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic to contend with but an emerging new breed.&nbsp;Leading the pack are the likes of Austria&#39;s Dominic Thiem, Germany&#39;s Alex Zverev and Australia&#39;s Nick Kyrgios.

Nadal, 30, said it was good for the game to see younger players starting to make their mark.&nbsp;&quot;These guys are doing well,&quot; he said in The Australian newspaper.

&quot;It&#39;s great to have a new generation of fantastic players there and that&#39;s good for tennis. Tennis needs it. People sometimes get bored to see the same players all the time.&quot;

While excited by the young guns, Nadal is not yet ready to hand over the baton, believing he can still compete at the top level despite the last of his major titles coming at the French Open in 2014. The Spanish star&nbsp;he is pleased to see Federer, 35, also back in the fold and playing well.

&quot;The good thing is that Roger is back on tour after probably his first important injury,&quot; Nadal said.&nbsp;&quot;That`s tough but he looks great. He`s played some good matches there in Perth at the Hopman Cup&nbsp;so I&#39;m very happy for him.&quot;

After opening his season in Doha for seven of the past eight years, Nadal instead opted this year to begin at the Brisbane International in a bid to better adapt to Australian conditions.&nbsp;But he lost in the quarter-finals last week to big-serving Milos Raonic.

Nadal admitted he may not hit his best form until later in the year.&nbsp;&quot;I think that I had a great off-season so I am excited about these next few months,&quot; he said.

&quot;You cannot say something about how Roger is, how I am, in just two weeks.&nbsp;In Melbourne anything could happen, but I give myself a little bit more time, three months, and after Miami, let&#39;s see how I am,&quot; he added, referring to the Miami Open.

(AFP)

Tennis star Rafael Nadal said it was good for the game to see younger players starting to make their mark

Tennis star Rafael Nadal said the emergence of a new generation is just what tennis needs, while welcoming back old foe Roger Federer to help him keep them at bay. The Spanish great, a 14-time Grand Slam champion, is on the comeback trail after his 2016 season was ruined by a wrist problem which has seen him slip to nine in the world. Swiss great Federer is also easing his way back after six months out with a knee injury, with both of them keen to return to winning ways at the big tournaments. They will have their work cut out at the opening Grand Slam of the year at Melbourne Park next week with not just Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic to contend with but an emerging new breed. Leading the pack are the likes of Austria's Dominic Thiem, Germany's Alex Zverev and Australia's Nick Kyrgios. Nadal, 30, said it was good for the game to see younger players starting to make their mark. "These guys are doing well," he said in The Australian newspaper. "It's great to have a new generation of fantastic players there and that's good for tennis. Tennis needs it. People sometimes get bored to see the same players all the time." While excited by the young guns, Nadal is not yet ready to hand over the baton, believing he can still compete at the top level despite the last of his major titles coming at the French Open in 2014. The Spanish star he is pleased to see Federer, 35, also back in the fold and playing well. "The good thing is that Roger is back on tour after probably his first important injury," Nadal said. "That`s tough but he looks great. He`s played some good matches there in Perth at the Hopman Cup so I'm very happy for him." After opening his season in Doha for seven of the past eight years, Nadal instead opted this year to begin at the Brisbane International in a bid to better adapt to Australian conditions. But he lost in the quarter-finals last week to big-serving Milos Raonic. Nadal admitted he may not hit his best form until later in the year. "I think that I had a great off-season so I am excited about these next few months," he said. "You cannot say something about how Roger is, how I am, in just two weeks. In Melbourne anything could happen, but I give myself a little bit more time, three months, and after Miami, let's see how I am," he added, referring to the Miami Open. (AFP)

New generation players good for tennis: Nadal

Roger Federer whipping a forehand down-the-line off Pete Sampras&#39; famous serve during Wimbledon 2001 and sinking to the ground in jubilation will go down as a momentous occasion in tennis folklore for more reasons than one. Even though it took the Swiss a couple of years after that to consolidate his big arrival, the world knew only too well that the game&#39;s next grand daddy was here.

From 2004 to 2007, Federer showcased a type of dominance similar to the one achieved by the great Rod Laver in the 1960s. Notching up a staggering 11 Grand Slams through that period of four years, the genius from Basel was arguably the greatest active sportsperson at that time.

However, for all his success on grass and hard courts, Federer was never quite able to stamp his authority on clay. And the reason for that, of course, was tennis&#39; next big thing Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard&#39;s victories in nine out of the ten French Opens from 2005 to 2014 is testament to his supremacy on the slow, dusty surface. The passing of the baton from Federer to Nadal, though, happened after the latter&#39;s victory in the 2008 Wimbledon final, probably the greatest match in tennis history.

From that year on, through to 2010, the Mallorcan won six Majors and an Olympic singles Gold medal, along with ending Federer&#39;s record four-and-a-half year reign at the top of the rankings.

A physically brutal game, leading to a damning knee injury, spelt doom for Nadal&#39;s stay at the top of the rankings. And that paved the way for Novak Djokovic to take centre-stage. The Serbian had already made a mark by winning the Australian Open in 2008, but 2011 was the year when he truly came into his own. Winning all the Grand Slams, apart from the French Open, Djokovic stitched together an astonishing 41-match winning streak at the beginning of the season.

In the years to come, the Serb raced to the top of the rankings, stocking up a tally of 12 Majors, and opened up a sizable gap between him and the rest of the field. What he also did was establish himself as the single dominant force in the, now prevalent, &#39;Big Four&#39; of the men&#39;s game.

This was possible partly because of the fact that, up until then, the fourth wheel of this club hadn&#39;t really done much to stake his claim at the top in the first place.

Andy Murray, who was born a week before Djokovic, came on to the stage with the hopes of an entire nation riding on his shoulders. Great Britain hadn&#39;t seen a Grand Slam champion since Fred Perry in 1936, but had seen enough potential in Murray to pin all their hopes on him. But their expectations weren&#39;t matched until Murray&#39;s 100th career Grand Slam match, when he finally broke through the shackles and laid his hands on the US Open trophy in 2012. The Scot backed that up with a memorable Wimbledon triumph in 2013, followed by an Olympic Gold medal on the same hallowed grass the next month.

However, those victories proved to be a flash in the pan as Murray failed to win a single Major for the next three years. Having turned pro in 2005, he spent the better part of his career living in the shadows of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. No one ever doubted his abilities, but the results never matched up to the talent. Was it the simple case of Murray&#39;s peers being better than him, or was his infamous temperament getting the better of him?

The year 2016, though, has finally given real hope to his supporters. After bulldozing through the first half of the season, Djokovic&#39;s form took a sudden turn for the worst during Wimbledon where he was blasted off the court by American Sam Querry, paving the way for Murray to claim his second All England title. The Brit carried that form through to Rio, where he became the first tennis player, male of female, to win a second Olympic singles Gold medal. As of today, Murray is sitting on an unbeaten 24-match winning streak, after his victories in the Shanghai Masters, Paris Masters and the year-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London.

Murray&#39;s domination of Djokovic in Sunday&#39;s ATP Finals is hugely significant. The two right-handers, having grown up playing together in the junior circuit, share one of modern tennis&#39; biggest rivalries, albeit, one-sided. The duo have contested 35 times in their careers and the Serbian leads the head-to-head by 24-11. Be it the ATP 1000 Masters or the Grand Slams, Djokovic has largely had the measure of Murray. Sunday&#39;s lop-sided result, thus, could be an important mental victory for the Scot and a sign of things to come.

If one glances through the annals, one will find that most great players, including, Federer, have sustained sudden, inexplicable falls from sovereignty. Just when you start believing that they&#39;re untouchable, something snaps. Is it Djokovic&#39;s turn now?

&quot;If you had told me six months ago that this would even be an issue, I would have said you&#39;re crazy,&quot; American legend John McEnroe said of Djokovic&#39;s sudden vulnerability to BBC.

With Federer making a comeback in 2017 after sitting out the second half of this season with an injury, Nadal struggling to find lost form since returning from injury, young guns like Milos Raonic and Dominic Thiem not quite arriving yet, and Djokovic&#39;s career entering an uncharted territory, now is the time for Murray&#39;s era to finally arrive.

(This articlle first appeared on DNA)

A glance through the past decade-and-a-half of men's tennis' power game

Roger Federer whipping a forehand down-the-line off Pete Sampras' famous serve during Wimbledon 2001 and sinking to the ground in jubilation will go down as a momentous occasion in tennis folklore for more reasons than one. Even though it took the Swiss a couple of years after that to consolidate his big arrival, the world knew only too well that the game's next grand daddy was here. From 2004 to 2007, Federer showcased a type of dominance similar to the one achieved by the great Rod Laver in the 1960s. Notching up a staggering 11 Grand Slams through that period of four years, the genius from Basel was arguably the greatest active sportsperson at that time. However, for all his success on grass and hard courts, Federer was never quite able to stamp his authority on clay. And the reason for that, of course, was tennis' next big thing Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard's victories in nine out of the ten French Opens from 2005 to 2014 is testament to his supremacy on the slow, dusty surface. The passing of the baton from Federer to Nadal, though, happened after the latter's victory in the 2008 Wimbledon final, probably the greatest match in tennis history. From that year on, through to 2010, the Mallorcan won six Majors and an Olympic singles Gold medal, along with ending Federer's record four-and-a-half year reign at the top of the rankings. A physically brutal game, leading to a damning knee injury, spelt doom for Nadal's stay at the top of the rankings. And that paved the way for Novak Djokovic to take centre-stage. The Serbian had already made a mark by winning the Australian Open in 2008, but 2011 was the year when he truly came into his own. Winning all the Grand Slams, apart from the French Open, Djokovic stitched together an astonishing 41-match winning streak at the beginning of the season. In the years to come, the Serb raced to the top of the rankings, stocking up a tally of 12 Majors, and opened up a sizable gap between him and the rest of the field. What he also did was establish himself as the single dominant force in the, now prevalent, 'Big Four' of the men's game. This was possible partly because of the fact that, up until then, the fourth wheel of this club hadn't really done much to stake his claim at the top in the first place. Andy Murray, who was born a week before Djokovic, came on to the stage with the hopes of an entire nation riding on his shoulders. Great Britain hadn't seen a Grand Slam champion since Fred Perry in 1936, but had seen enough potential in Murray to pin all their hopes on him. But their expectations weren't matched until Murray's 100th career Grand Slam match, when he finally broke through the shackles and laid his hands on the US Open trophy in 2012. The Scot backed that up with a memorable Wimbledon triumph in 2013, followed by an Olympic Gold medal on the same hallowed grass the next month. However, those victories proved to be a flash in the pan as Murray failed to win a single Major for the next three years. Having turned pro in 2005, he spent the better part of his career living in the shadows of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. No one ever doubted his abilities, but the results never matched up to the talent. Was it the simple case of Murray's peers being better than him, or was his infamous temperament getting the better of him? The year 2016, though, has finally given real hope to his supporters. After bulldozing through the first half of the season, Djokovic's form took a sudden turn for the worst during Wimbledon where he was blasted off the court by American Sam Querry, paving the way for Murray to claim his second All England title. The Brit carried that form through to Rio, where he became the first tennis player, male of female, to win a second Olympic singles Gold medal. As of today, Murray is sitting on an unbeaten 24-match winning streak, after his victories in the Shanghai Masters, Paris Masters and the year-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London. Murray's domination of Djokovic in Sunday's ATP Finals is hugely significant. The two right-handers, having grown up playing together in the junior circuit, share one of modern tennis' biggest rivalries, albeit, one-sided. The duo have contested 35 times in their careers and the Serbian leads the head-to-head by 24-11. Be it the ATP 1000 Masters or the Grand Slams, Djokovic has largely had the measure of Murray. Sunday's lop-sided result, thus, could be an important mental victory for the Scot and a sign of things to come. If one glances through the annals, one will find that most great players, including, Federer, have sustained sudden, inexplicable falls from sovereignty. Just when you start believing that they're untouchable, something snaps. Is it Djokovic's turn now? "If you had told me six months ago that this would even be an issue, I would have said you're crazy," American legend John McEnroe said of Djokovic's sudden vulnerability to BBC. With Federer making a comeback in 2017 after sitting out the second half of this season with an injury, Nadal struggling to find lost form since returning from injury, young guns like Milos Raonic and Dominic Thiem not quite arriving yet, and Djokovic's career entering an uncharted territory, now is the time for Murray's era to finally arrive. (This articlle first appeared on DNA)

After Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, has Andy Murray's time finally come?

With his sight set on the world number one spot, Andy Murray moved fluently past America&#39;s Steve Johnson 6-3, 6-2 to reach the third round at the Shanghai Masters on Wednesday.&nbsp;

It was a&nbsp;different story for Spanish great Rafael Nadal who crashed to a shock defeat to Viktor Troicki in the first round. The 14-time Grand Slam champion lost 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) as he suffered his first ever defeat to the Serb.&nbsp;

Afterwards, Nadal, now 30 and with a catalogue of injuries to his name, vowed to return to top form in next season. &quot;I know what I have to do and I&#39;m going to do it,&quot; scowled the Spaniard, who has had little to smile about at the big tournaments this year.

&quot;I&#39;ve got two-and-a-half months until next season starts so I have got two-and-a-half months to put myself at the level I want to be. And I&#39;m confident I&#39;m going to do it.&quot;

Australia&#39;s Nick Kyrgios too melted down in spectacular fashion. The hot-headed world number 14 was slapped with a code violation after an altercation with the chair umpire and a heckler. He also got a warning to play properly after he patted a child-like serve into his opponent&#39;s court.

Booed off the court, Kyrgios admitted not trying after he lost 6-3, 6-1 to German qualifier Mischa Zverev, the world number 110. Kyrgios added: &quot;I&#39;m good at hitting a tennis ball at the net. Like, big deal. I don&#39;t owe them anything. It&#39;s my choice,&quot; he said. &quot;If you don&#39;t like it, I didn&#39;t ask you to come watch. Just leave. If you&#39;re so good at giving advice and so good at tennis, why aren&#39;t you as good as me? Why aren&#39;t you on the tour?&quot;

Known for his poor behaviour on court, Kyrgios had even received a one-month suspension last year for making a lewd and personal comment during a match with Stan Wawrinka.

(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Known for his poor behaviour on court, Australia's Nick Kyrgios was fined for an audible obscenity during an argument with the chair umpire

With his sight set on the world number one spot, Andy Murray moved fluently past America's Steve Johnson 6-3, 6-2 to reach the third round at the Shanghai Masters on Wednesday. It was a different story for Spanish great Rafael Nadal who crashed to a shock defeat to Viktor Troicki in the first round. The 14-time Grand Slam champion lost 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) as he suffered his first ever defeat to the Serb. Afterwards, Nadal, now 30 and with a catalogue of injuries to his name, vowed to return to top form in next season. "I know what I have to do and I'm going to do it," scowled the Spaniard, who has had little to smile about at the big tournaments this year. "I've got two-and-a-half months until next season starts so I have got two-and-a-half months to put myself at the level I want to be. And I'm confident I'm going to do it." Australia's Nick Kyrgios too melted down in spectacular fashion. The hot-headed world number 14 was slapped with a code violation after an altercation with the chair umpire and a heckler. He also got a warning to play properly after he patted a child-like serve into his opponent's court. Booed off the court, Kyrgios admitted not trying after he lost 6-3, 6-1 to German qualifier Mischa Zverev, the world number 110. Kyrgios added: "I'm good at hitting a tennis ball at the net. Like, big deal. I don't owe them anything. It's my choice," he said. "If you don't like it, I didn't ask you to come watch. Just leave. If you're so good at giving advice and so good at tennis, why aren't you as good as me? Why aren't you on the tour?" Known for his poor behaviour on court, Kyrgios had even received a one-month suspension last year for making a lewd and personal comment during a match with Stan Wawrinka. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Shanghai Masters: Nadal stunned, Kyrgios booed off court

World number two Andy Murray overwhelmed Italy&#39;s Andreas Seppi 6-2 7-5, while&nbsp;second seed Rafael Nadal crushed veteran Italian Paolo Lorenzi 6-1 6-1 to reach the second round of the China Open&nbsp;on Tuesday.

Britain&#39;s&nbsp;Murray, a three-time&nbsp;grand slam champion, showed no signs of fatigue having just recovered from a thigh injury. He&nbsp;wrapped up the match in under an hour and 30 minutes.

&quot;I thought I did okay considering I hadn&#39;t played much the past couple of weeks. I think I can do better,&quot; Murray told reporters.&nbsp;&quot;There was some good stuff in there. With each match, I&#39;ll play better hopefully. No injuries. Felt fine. Just need matches now,&quot; the top seed added.

Murray will play the winner of the all-Russian clash between Andrey Kuznetsov and Konstantin Kravchuk in the next round.

Nadal, who won the China Open in 2005, won 79 per cent of his first-serve points to breeze past the 34-year-old Lorenzi.

The 30-year-old Spaniard will next face compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas or French qualifier Adrian Mannarino.

Third seed Milos Raonic beat Germany&#39;s Florian Mayer 6-4 7-6(1) and the big-serving Canadian will meet either Argentina&#39;s Guido Pella or Tunisia&#39;s Malek Jaziri in the next round.

During a rain-hit day in Beijing, Germany&#39;s Alexander Zverev upset fourth seed Dominic Thiem 4-6 6-1 6-3 to advance to a second-round clash with American Jack Sock.

Defending champion and world number one Novak Djokovic withdrew from the tournament due to an elbow injury.

(Reuters)

Defending champion and world number one Novak Djokovic withdrew from the tournament due to an elbow injury

World number two Andy Murray overwhelmed Italy's Andreas Seppi 6-2 7-5, while second seed Rafael Nadal crushed veteran Italian Paolo Lorenzi 6-1 6-1 to reach the second round of the China Open on Tuesday. Britain's Murray, a three-time grand slam champion, showed no signs of fatigue having just recovered from a thigh injury. He wrapped up the match in under an hour and 30 minutes. "I thought I did okay considering I hadn't played much the past couple of weeks. I think I can do better," Murray told reporters. "There was some good stuff in there. With each match, I'll play better hopefully. No injuries. Felt fine. Just need matches now," the top seed added. Murray will play the winner of the all-Russian clash between Andrey Kuznetsov and Konstantin Kravchuk in the next round. Nadal, who won the China Open in 2005, won 79 per cent of his first-serve points to breeze past the 34-year-old Lorenzi. The 30-year-old Spaniard will next face compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas or French qualifier Adrian Mannarino. Third seed Milos Raonic beat Germany's Florian Mayer 6-4 7-6(1) and the big-serving Canadian will meet either Argentina's Guido Pella or Tunisia's Malek Jaziri in the next round. During a rain-hit day in Beijing, Germany's Alexander Zverev upset fourth seed Dominic Thiem 4-6 6-1 6-3 to advance to a second-round clash with American Jack Sock. Defending champion and world number one Novak Djokovic withdrew from the tournament due to an elbow injury. (Reuters)

Murray and Nadal ease into second round of China Open

Olympic champions Mo Farah, Rafael Nadal and Justin Rose were the latest targets of the recent cyber attack by a Russian espionage group.&nbsp; 
 
The Russian group called Fancy Bears, who hacked into World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) records, are publishing confidential medical documents.&nbsp; 
 
The hackers are believed to have gained access to WADA&#39;s anti-doping administration and management system (ADAMS) via an IOC-created account for the Rio Games. 
 
Spanish tennis ace Nadal and four-time Olympic champion distance runner Farah were among the 60 international athletes whose files were hacked.&nbsp; 
 
The athletes were shown to have used TUEs, therapeutic use exemptions, in the past to gain permission to take substances that figure on WADA&#39;s banned list. The athletes said they had nothing to hide, as they had never taken anything to enhance their performance.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;When you ask permission to take something for therapeutic reasons and they give it to you, you&#39;re not taking anything prohibited,&quot; Nadal, a 14-time Grand Slam winner, told Spanish media. 
 
Nadal said he would, in fact, support the publishing of all medical records as it would add transparency to the sport.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;It would be much more beneficial for sportsmen and women, spectators and media that every time a drug test is taken the news is made public and two weeks later there are the results,&quot; he added. 
 
&quot;This would end the problem. The sport has to take a step forward and be totally transparent. I have been saying this for years.&quot; 
 
TUEs can be issued to athletes who have an illness or condition that requires the use of normally prohibited medication. 
 
Documents relating to Farah showed he received intravenous infusions of saline solution, morphine sulphate and vicodin administered orally during a period in hospital between July 3-5, 2014 when he had collapsed after a training run. 
 
Nadal had received exemptions in 2009 and 2012 when he out with a wrist injury.&nbsp; 
 
WADA alleged that the attacks were only a smear campaign possibly carried out in retaliation for investigations into state-sponsored doping in Russia.&nbsp; 
 
The leaks have reopened a larger debate about TUEs and whether the system is open to abuse from competitors gaining an advantage by taking banned drugs. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Spanish tennis ace Rafael Nadal supported the release of medical reports saying it would bring transparency to the sport

Olympic champions Mo Farah, Rafael Nadal and Justin Rose were the latest targets of the recent cyber attack by a Russian espionage group. The Russian group called Fancy Bears, who hacked into World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) records, are publishing confidential medical documents. The hackers are believed to have gained access to WADA's anti-doping administration and management system (ADAMS) via an IOC-created account for the Rio Games. Spanish tennis ace Nadal and four-time Olympic champion distance runner Farah were among the 60 international athletes whose files were hacked. The athletes were shown to have used TUEs, therapeutic use exemptions, in the past to gain permission to take substances that figure on WADA's banned list. The athletes said they had nothing to hide, as they had never taken anything to enhance their performance. "When you ask permission to take something for therapeutic reasons and they give it to you, you're not taking anything prohibited," Nadal, a 14-time Grand Slam winner, told Spanish media. Nadal said he would, in fact, support the publishing of all medical records as it would add transparency to the sport. "It would be much more beneficial for sportsmen and women, spectators and media that every time a drug test is taken the news is made public and two weeks later there are the results," he added. "This would end the problem. The sport has to take a step forward and be totally transparent. I have been saying this for years." TUEs can be issued to athletes who have an illness or condition that requires the use of normally prohibited medication. Documents relating to Farah showed he received intravenous infusions of saline solution, morphine sulphate and vicodin administered orally during a period in hospital between July 3-5, 2014 when he had collapsed after a training run. Nadal had received exemptions in 2009 and 2012 when he out with a wrist injury. WADA alleged that the attacks were only a smear campaign possibly carried out in retaliation for investigations into state-sponsored doping in Russia. The leaks have reopened a larger debate about TUEs and whether the system is open to abuse from competitors gaining an advantage by taking banned drugs. (WION with inputs from agencies)

WADA data leak: Cyber hackers publish medical records of Olympic champions Nadal, Farah

Spain capped their return to the Davis Cup world group by completing a 5-0 whitewash against India. 
 
Marc Lopez and David Ferrer maintained Spain&#39;s dominance in the world group play-off ties in New Delhi on Sunday. 
 
&quot;That was the main plan, to get into the world group. Very happy to finally get there. From now on we can dream bigger,&quot; a delighted Spain captain Conchita Martinez said after the win. 
 
In the final day&#39;s dead rubbers, Ferrer outclassed India&#39;s Ramkumar Ramanathan in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s different. But, it was nice to play here Davis Cup in India. It&#39;s my second time in India. I never played Davis Cup, enjoyed a lot this week. And the crowd, the people, they have a lot of respect for us. And I appreciate it,&quot; said David Ferrer. 
 
&quot;I think I played the right way. What I had to do about, I was missing here and there, and I was not making the points at the right moment. When it was deuce I was making seconds. When it was 15-all, I was missing the returns. So, I mean few points here and there I could have taken more, I thought for sure. But I think Ferrer showed me the way to improve and it was a good experience for me,&quot; said Ramanathan. 
 
Earlier in the day, Marc Lopez defeated Sumit Nagal 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in the reverse singles rubber.&nbsp; 
 
World number four Rafael Nadal was rested for the two dead rubbers on the final day. His doubles win with Marc Lopez on Saturday ensured Spain&#39;s re-entry into the elite group after a gap of two years. 
 
The duo won a tough battle against India&#39;s Leander Paes and Saketh Myneni 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 6-4. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

13th-ranked David Ferrer and Marc Lopez won their respective singles matches ensuring Spain's re-entry to the elite group

Spain capped their return to the Davis Cup world group by completing a 5-0 whitewash against India. Marc Lopez and David Ferrer maintained Spain's dominance in the world group play-off ties in New Delhi on Sunday. "That was the main plan, to get into the world group. Very happy to finally get there. From now on we can dream bigger," a delighted Spain captain Conchita Martinez said after the win. In the final day's dead rubbers, Ferrer outclassed India's Ramkumar Ramanathan in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2. "It's different. But, it was nice to play here Davis Cup in India. It's my second time in India. I never played Davis Cup, enjoyed a lot this week. And the crowd, the people, they have a lot of respect for us. And I appreciate it," said David Ferrer. "I think I played the right way. What I had to do about, I was missing here and there, and I was not making the points at the right moment. When it was deuce I was making seconds. When it was 15-all, I was missing the returns. So, I mean few points here and there I could have taken more, I thought for sure. But I think Ferrer showed me the way to improve and it was a good experience for me," said Ramanathan. Earlier in the day, Marc Lopez defeated Sumit Nagal 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in the reverse singles rubber. World number four Rafael Nadal was rested for the two dead rubbers on the final day. His doubles win with Marc Lopez on Saturday ensured Spain's re-entry into the elite group after a gap of two years. The duo won a tough battle against India's Leander Paes and Saketh Myneni 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 6-4. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Davis Cup: Spain whitewash India 5-0 in world group play-offs

Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal on Friday pulled out of the opening Davis Cup playoff singles against India owing to an upset stomach, the tournament&#39;s official website stated. 
 
Nadal was to play Indian Ramkumar Ramanathan on Friday. 
 
Feliciano Lopez will replace&nbsp;the former world number one who lost to Frenchman Lucas Pouille in the fourth round of the US Open earlier this month. 
 
Nadal is hoping to feature in Sunday&#39;s reverse singles against Saketh Myneni at the RK Khanna stadium in New Delhi, Reuters reported. 
 
(WION with inputs from Reuters)

Feliciano Lopez will replace?Nadal who hopes to feature in Sunday's reverse singles against Saketh Myneni

Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal on Friday pulled out of the opening Davis Cup playoff singles against India owing to an upset stomach, the tournament's official website stated. Nadal was to play Indian Ramkumar Ramanathan on Friday. Feliciano Lopez will replace the former world number one who lost to Frenchman Lucas Pouille in the fourth round of the US Open earlier this month. Nadal is hoping to feature in Sunday's reverse singles against Saketh Myneni at the RK Khanna stadium in New Delhi, Reuters reported. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Davis Cup: Nadal pulls out of opening singles citing upset stomach

Novak Djokovic reached the US Open last 16 in just 32 minutes Friday when Mikhail Youzhny retired injured before fellow two-time winner Rafael Nadal also made the fourth round for the first time in three years. 
 
Defending champion Djokovic was 4-2 ahead in the first set when Russian 34-year-old Youzhny called it quits suffering from a left hamstring injury. 
 
The outcome completed a bizarre first week for world number one Djokovic. 
 
After labouring over four sets to beat Jerzy Janowicz on Monday, he was handed a walkover into the third round when Czech opponent Jiri Vesely withdrew from their second round clash with an arm injury. 
 
&quot;I have never had this happen before in my Grand Slam career, getting a walkover and the next match lasting just half an hour,&quot; said Djokovic. 
 
The top seed next faces Britain&#39;s world number 84 Kyle Edmund who stunned John Isner of the United States 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) to make a Slam fourth round for the first time. 
 
Nadal reached the fourth round for the first time since 2013 -- the year of his last New York title -- with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win over Russia`s Andrey Kuznetsov. 
 
&quot;Andrey is always a tough opponent, he returns well and has good shots from the baseline,&quot; said fourth seed Nadal who faces France`s Lucas Pouille for a quarter-final slot. 
 
&quot;I had a fantastic first set, a little trouble with my serve in the second but the third was key so I`m very happy.&quot; 
Djokovic`s very brief encounter had been preceded on Arthur Ashe Stadium by women`s eighth seed Madison Keys pulling off an epic comeback to beat Japan`s Naomi Osaka. 
 
Keys won the latest-ever finishing women`s match at the tournament on Monday when she completed victory over compatriot Alison Riske at 1:48am. 
 
On Friday, the 21-year-old was involved in more drama when she rallied from 1-5 down in the final set to defeat Osaka 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3).The 18-year-old Osaka was so traumatised by her failure to convert her dominance into victory that she broke down in tears as she twice tried and failed to serve for the victory. 
 
&quot;This is the greatest comeback of my career, hands down,&quot; said Keys who will face two-time runner-up Caroline Wozniacki for a quarter-final spot. 
 
Jack Sock, the American 26th seed, reached the fourth round for the first time by knocking out 2014 champion Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 in tie where he did not face a single break point. 
 
The 23-year-old Sock, whose last two appearances at the US Open had ended in retirements, goes on to face French ninth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. 
 
Tsonga, a two-time quarter-finalist, made the last 16 with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) victory over South Africa`s Kevin Anderson. 
 
Wozniacki, who knocked out ninth-seeded former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the second round, clinched a seventh win in seven meetings over unorthodox Monica Niculescu of Romania. 
 
The Dane&#39;s 6-3, 6-1 victory featured eight breaks of serve. 
 
Roberta Vinci, the Italian seventh seed and runner-up to compatriot Flavia Pennetta in 2015, overcame a second set blip to defeat 21-year-old Carina Witthoeft 6-0, 5-7, 6-3. 
 
The 33-year-old Vinci led 5-4, 30-0 in the second set before her 84th-ranked German opponent dug deep to take the tie into a decider. 
 
But Vinci prevailed on the back of 40 winners and will meet Lesia Tsurenko of the Ukraine for a quarter-final place. 
 
Tsurenko, the world 99, made the last 16 at a Slam for the first time by beating 12th seed Dominika Cibulkova 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. 
 
The 27-year-old Tsurenko committed 44 unforced errors. Fortunately for her, newly-married Cibulkova hit 54. 
Latvia&#39;s Anastasija Sevastova backed up her shock victory over third seed and French Open champion Garbine Muguruza by making the last 16 for the first time with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Kateryna Bondarenko of the Ukraine. 
World number 48 Sevastova, who briefly retired in 2013, has matched her best run at a Slam and next faces British 13th seed Johanna Konta who put out Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-1. 
 
German second seed and Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber closes the night session against American 17-year-old CiCi Bellis. 
 
The winner faces two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova. 
 
(AFP)

Novak Djokovic beat Mikhail Youzhny on Friday followed by Rafael Nadal who made it to the fourth round for the first time in three years

Novak Djokovic reached the US Open last 16 in just 32 minutes Friday when Mikhail Youzhny retired injured before fellow two-time winner Rafael Nadal also made the fourth round for the first time in three years. Defending champion Djokovic was 4-2 ahead in the first set when Russian 34-year-old Youzhny called it quits suffering from a left hamstring injury. The outcome completed a bizarre first week for world number one Djokovic. After labouring over four sets to beat Jerzy Janowicz on Monday, he was handed a walkover into the third round when Czech opponent Jiri Vesely withdrew from their second round clash with an arm injury. "I have never had this happen before in my Grand Slam career, getting a walkover and the next match lasting just half an hour," said Djokovic. The top seed next faces Britain's world number 84 Kyle Edmund who stunned John Isner of the United States 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) to make a Slam fourth round for the first time. Nadal reached the fourth round for the first time since 2013 -- the year of his last New York title -- with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win over Russia`s Andrey Kuznetsov. "Andrey is always a tough opponent, he returns well and has good shots from the baseline," said fourth seed Nadal who faces France`s Lucas Pouille for a quarter-final slot. "I had a fantastic first set, a little trouble with my serve in the second but the third was key so I`m very happy." Djokovic`s very brief encounter had been preceded on Arthur Ashe Stadium by women`s eighth seed Madison Keys pulling off an epic comeback to beat Japan`s Naomi Osaka. Keys won the latest-ever finishing women`s match at the tournament on Monday when she completed victory over compatriot Alison Riske at 1:48am. On Friday, the 21-year-old was involved in more drama when she rallied from 1-5 down in the final set to defeat Osaka 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3).The 18-year-old Osaka was so traumatised by her failure to convert her dominance into victory that she broke down in tears as she twice tried and failed to serve for the victory. "This is the greatest comeback of my career, hands down," said Keys who will face two-time runner-up Caroline Wozniacki for a quarter-final spot. Jack Sock, the American 26th seed, reached the fourth round for the first time by knocking out 2014 champion Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 in tie where he did not face a single break point. The 23-year-old Sock, whose last two appearances at the US Open had ended in retirements, goes on to face French ninth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Tsonga, a two-time quarter-finalist, made the last 16 with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) victory over South Africa`s Kevin Anderson. Wozniacki, who knocked out ninth-seeded former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the second round, clinched a seventh win in seven meetings over unorthodox Monica Niculescu of Romania. The Dane's 6-3, 6-1 victory featured eight breaks of serve. Roberta Vinci, the Italian seventh seed and runner-up to compatriot Flavia Pennetta in 2015, overcame a second set blip to defeat 21-year-old Carina Witthoeft 6-0, 5-7, 6-3. The 33-year-old Vinci led 5-4, 30-0 in the second set before her 84th-ranked German opponent dug deep to take the tie into a decider. But Vinci prevailed on the back of 40 winners and will meet Lesia Tsurenko of the Ukraine for a quarter-final place. Tsurenko, the world 99, made the last 16 at a Slam for the first time by beating 12th seed Dominika Cibulkova 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. The 27-year-old Tsurenko committed 44 unforced errors. Fortunately for her, newly-married Cibulkova hit 54. Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova backed up her shock victory over third seed and French Open champion Garbine Muguruza by making the last 16 for the first time with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Kateryna Bondarenko of the Ukraine. World number 48 Sevastova, who briefly retired in 2013, has matched her best run at a Slam and next faces British 13th seed Johanna Konta who put out Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-1. German second seed and Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber closes the night session against American 17-year-old CiCi Bellis. The winner faces two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova. (AFP)

US Open 2016: Djokovic, Nadal move into last 16

Australia&#39;s Nick Kyrgios dethroned John Isner by beating the three-time defending champ 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/4) in the Atlanta Open final to win his second ATP Tour crown. 
 
The second seeded Kyrgios needed one hour and 47 minutes to win his first career match over Isner and snap the hard-serving American&#39;s 15-match winning streak. 
 
&quot;Returning is very crucial against John,&quot; said Kyrgios. &quot;That serve is world class.&quot; 
 
The 21-year-old Kyrgios also improved to 2-1 in ATP Tour finals. His only other title came in February at the Marseille indoor tournament. 
 
Kyrgios, of Canberra, had his back against the wall Sunday in his opening service game when he faced three break points. He saved them all and then won five straight points to hold serve. 
 
Kyrgios will rise to a career high ranking of 16 with this win. He lost to Isner at ATP Tour tournaments in Madrid and Montreal last year. 
 
Isner was seeking to become just the fifth active player to win four consecutive titles which would have allowed him to join Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Kei Nishikori. 
 
He has appeared in the Atlanta final in six of the tournament&#39;s seven years, also finishing runner-up to Mardy Fish in both 2010-11. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The Australian ended Isner's 15-match winning streak and the dream to become just the fifth active player to win four consecutive titles

Australia's Nick Kyrgios dethroned John Isner by beating the three-time defending champ 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/4) in the Atlanta Open final to win his second ATP Tour crown. The second seeded Kyrgios needed one hour and 47 minutes to win his first career match over Isner and snap the hard-serving American's 15-match winning streak. "Returning is very crucial against John," said Kyrgios. "That serve is world class." The 21-year-old Kyrgios also improved to 2-1 in ATP Tour finals. His only other title came in February at the Marseille indoor tournament. Kyrgios, of Canberra, had his back against the wall Sunday in his opening service game when he faced three break points. He saved them all and then won five straight points to hold serve. Kyrgios will rise to a career high ranking of 16 with this win. He lost to Isner at ATP Tour tournaments in Madrid and Montreal last year. Isner was seeking to become just the fifth active player to win four consecutive titles which would have allowed him to join Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Kei Nishikori. He has appeared in the Atlanta final in six of the tournament's seven years, also finishing runner-up to Mardy Fish in both 2010-11. (AFP)

Atlanta Open: Nick Kyrgios dethrones defending champion John Isner to win second ATP Tour finals

Rafael Nadal committed himself to playing singles, doubles and mixed doubles at the Olympics despite serious concerns over whether or not his left wrist injury will survive the gruelling challenge. 
 
&quot;I have decided I will play everything that I can,&quot; said the 30-year-old Spaniard. 
 
Nadal hasn&#39;t played since he was forced to quit the French Open before the third round after damaging tendons in his left wrist, missing Wimbledon in the process. 
 
The 14-time Grand Slam title winner was the gold medallist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics but missed the 2012 London Games because of a knee injury. 
 
(AFP)

The Spaniard committed himself to playing despite serious concerns over his left wrist injury

Rafael Nadal committed himself to playing singles, doubles and mixed doubles at the Olympics despite serious concerns over whether or not his left wrist injury will survive the gruelling challenge. "I have decided I will play everything that I can," said the 30-year-old Spaniard. Nadal hasn't played since he was forced to quit the French Open before the third round after damaging tendons in his left wrist, missing Wimbledon in the process. The 14-time Grand Slam title winner was the gold medallist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics but missed the 2012 London Games because of a knee injury. (AFP)

Nadal to play singles, doubles and mixed in Rio

Rafael Nadal has conceded he is not yet sure that he will be able to represent Spain at the Rio Olympics as his fitness concerns linger. 
 
The 2008 gold medallist withdrew from the French Open with a wrist injury and missed Wimbledon.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I will not be at the best level in any of the categories,&quot; Nadal told journalists after arriving in Brazil. &quot;I have not competed for two months and I have not trained a lot.&quot; 
 
&quot;I will train a few days here to see what I can do and then decide what is best, to be more positive for me and the team,&quot; he said. 
Nadal&#39;s spanish team mate David Ferrer acknowledged last week that the 14-time grand slam champion&#39;s fitness situation was &quot;delicate&quot;. 
 
World number five Nadal, who is due to be Spain&#39;s flag bearer, was absent from the 2012 Olympics due to injury and should he withdraw, it would come as a significant blow for tennis at the Games with several other high-profile player also missing. 
 
Roger Federer sits out due to a knee problem and Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic withdrew citing fears over the Zika virus. 
 
Fellow top 20 players Tomas Berdych, Dominic Thiem, Richard Gasquet, John Isner, Feliciano Lopez and Nick Kyrgios are also out. 
 
Nadal&#39;s coach and uncle, Toni Nadal, later raised hopes the player may be ready to play, although perhaps not in all three events - singles, doubles and mixed doubles. 
 
&quot;His wrist is so much better. We tried to practise normally. We played with a good level, a good intensity,&quot; Toni said. 
 
&quot;We are waiting until tomorrow to take a decision to play all the things or not: singles, doubles and mixed doubles.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Tomorrow we have to talk with (Spain coach) Conchita Martinez and with Rafa and what we think is better for the team, and then we play. Sure, sure, we play something.&quot; 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

The men's tennis event has already lost a host of stars either through injury, scheduling problems or worries over Zika virus

Rafael Nadal has conceded he is not yet sure that he will be able to represent Spain at the Rio Olympics as his fitness concerns linger. The 2008 gold medallist withdrew from the French Open with a wrist injury and missed Wimbledon. "I will not be at the best level in any of the categories," Nadal told journalists after arriving in Brazil. "I have not competed for two months and I have not trained a lot." "I will train a few days here to see what I can do and then decide what is best, to be more positive for me and the team," he said. Nadal's spanish team mate David Ferrer acknowledged last week that the 14-time grand slam champion's fitness situation was "delicate". World number five Nadal, who is due to be Spain's flag bearer, was absent from the 2012 Olympics due to injury and should he withdraw, it would come as a significant blow for tennis at the Games with several other high-profile player also missing. Roger Federer sits out due to a knee problem and Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic withdrew citing fears over the Zika virus. Fellow top 20 players Tomas Berdych, Dominic Thiem, Richard Gasquet, John Isner, Feliciano Lopez and Nick Kyrgios are also out. Nadal's coach and uncle, Toni Nadal, later raised hopes the player may be ready to play, although perhaps not in all three events - singles, doubles and mixed doubles. "His wrist is so much better. We tried to practise normally. We played with a good level, a good intensity," Toni said. "We are waiting until tomorrow to take a decision to play all the things or not: singles, doubles and mixed doubles. "Tomorrow we have to talk with (Spain coach) Conchita Martinez and with Rafa and what we think is better for the team, and then we play. Sure, sure, we play something." (Reuters)

Spain's flag bearer Rafael Nadal doubtful over Rio participation

Amid increasing speculation surrounding his participation at the Rio Olympics, the Spanish Olympic Committee chief has confirmed that 14-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal will represent his nation at the global spectacle. 
 
The 30-year-old, who is chosen as Spain&#39;s flag-bearer at the opening ceremony in Rio on August 5, still awaits the nod from the International Tennis Federation after he failed to meet qualifying criteria. 
 
Alejandro Blanco stated that he had no doubts over Nadal&#39;s participation while insisting that the Spanish maestro was training regularly to secure a medal in Rio, Sport24 reported. 
 
Nadal won the Gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics but missed the London Games with a knee injury four years later. 
 
The Spaniard&#39;s participation at the Rio Games was thrown into turmoil when he suffered a wrist injury which forced him to pull out of the French Open prematurely and ruled him out of the Wimbledon. 
 
He is due to play singles and also the mixed doubles with French Open champion Garbine Muguruza at Rio. 
 
(ANI)

Rafael Nadal awaits the nod from the International Tennis Federation after he failed to meet the qualifying criteria

Amid increasing speculation surrounding his participation at the Rio Olympics, the Spanish Olympic Committee chief has confirmed that 14-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal will represent his nation at the global spectacle. The 30-year-old, who is chosen as Spain's flag-bearer at the opening ceremony in Rio on August 5, still awaits the nod from the International Tennis Federation after he failed to meet qualifying criteria. Alejandro Blanco stated that he had no doubts over Nadal's participation while insisting that the Spanish maestro was training regularly to secure a medal in Rio, Sport24 reported. Nadal won the Gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics but missed the London Games with a knee injury four years later. The Spaniard's participation at the Rio Games was thrown into turmoil when he suffered a wrist injury which forced him to pull out of the French Open prematurely and ruled him out of the Wimbledon. He is due to play singles and also the mixed doubles with French Open champion Garbine Muguruza at Rio. (ANI)

Nadal will be ready for Rio, insists Spanish Olympic chief

&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

Dreadlocked German Dustin Brown will have the chance to follow up last year&#39;s Wimbledon heroics after being handed a wildcard for the championships on Wednesday. 
 
Brown, ranked 87th in the world, provided the shock of the tournament 12 months ago when he came through qualifying before overwhelming twice former champion Rafael Nadal in the second round with a scintillating display of attacking tennis. 
 
The 31-year-old posted a photograph of himself celebrating on his Twitter account @DreddyTennis and expressed his thanks to tournament organisers. 
 
Czech veteran Radek Stepanek, 37, has also been handed one of the Wimbledon wildcards. 
 
The former world number four came within two points of knocking eventual finalist Andy Murray out of the French Open in the first round. 
 
Slovakia&#39;s former top-10 player Daniela Hantuchova and Britain&#39;s former junior champion Laura Robson received wildcards into the women&#39;s main draw. 
 
Wimbledon begins on June 27. 
(Reuters)

The 31-year-old posted a photograph of himself celebrating on his Twitter account @DreddyTennis expressing thanks to organisers

Dreadlocked German Dustin Brown will have the chance to follow up last year's Wimbledon heroics after being handed a wildcard for the championships on Wednesday. Brown, ranked 87th in the world, provided the shock of the tournament 12 months ago when he came through qualifying before overwhelming twice former champion Rafael Nadal in the second round with a scintillating display of attacking tennis. The 31-year-old posted a photograph of himself celebrating on his Twitter account @DreddyTennis and expressed his thanks to tournament organisers. Czech veteran Radek Stepanek, 37, has also been handed one of the Wimbledon wildcards. The former world number four came within two points of knocking eventual finalist Andy Murray out of the French Open in the first round. Slovakia's former top-10 player Daniela Hantuchova and Britain's former junior champion Laura Robson received wildcards into the women's main draw. Wimbledon begins on June 27. (Reuters)

Nadal conqueror Brown handed Wimbledon wildcard

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