Tennis

Virat Kohli and Novak Djokovic, two iconic athletes from different sports, have formed a unique friendship through digital communication. Despite never meeting in person, their interactions on Instagram have created a bond based on mutual admiration and respect. In an interview with Sony Sports, Djokovic expressed his appreciation for Kohli's words about him, stating, "Virat Kohli and I have been texting a little bit for a few years. We never got the chance to meet in person, but it was an honour and

David Beckham took time out from overseeing his Inter Miami side’s dreadful run of form to take in the action on Centre Court at Wimbledon on Wednesday. The former England captain and Manchester United midfielder sat in the Royal Box with his mother Sandra, 74, as play got under way with Russian 11th seed Daria Kasatkina facing Britain’s Jodie Burrage. Dressed in a light brown blazer, the 48-year-old Beckham is a regular visitor to the All England Club – not far from Selhurst

On Tuesday, Sania Mirza bid adieu to the game that has meant everything to her and her partner for more than 20 glorious years at the Dubai Tennis Stadium. The American Madison Keys and the former No. 1 in the world in doubles lost to Veronika Kudermetova and Liudmila Samsonova 6-4, 6-0. Certainly, everyone succumbs to the effects of aging, even legendary actors who play physically demanding parts like Sania. Sania, a permanent resident of Dubai, had decided that it was the perfect

Spain reigns at the summit of men's tennis with Carlos Alcaraz holding world number one spot in the ATP rankings released on Monday with compatriot Rafael Nadal moving back up to second. Nadal, 36, benefited from Casper Ruud's quarter-final exit in Seoul where he was top seed, to move ahead of the Norwegian. Novak Djokovic, winner of his third tournament this season in Tel Aviv, stays seventh but scores 250 precious points in the race for the ATP Finals in Turin, his end-of-season

Emma Raducanu is through to the second round of the Slovenia Open after winning her first match since her unsuccessful US Open title defence. British number one Raducanu was leading 6-2 5-3 when her opponent Dayana Yastremska was forced to retire. The 22-year-old Ukrainian, who is 89th in the world, injured her wrist while 30-0 down serving to stay in the match. Raducanu, 19, went into the WTA 250 hard-court event as top seed but having slid from 11th to 83rd in the

Serena Williams has confirmed that she will hang up her racket following the US Open Tournament, bringing to an end an amazing tennis career. After claiming her first victory in 340 days since last year's French Open at the National Bank Open on Monday, the American tennis great hinted at retirement by telling reporters: "I love playing, though… but, you know, I can't do this forever. Sometimes you just want to try your best to enjoy the moments, and do the best that

Rafael Nadal regained his aura of invincibility on clay on Sunday by brutally crushing Casper Ruud to lift the French Open trophy for an incredible 14th time and widen the gap at the top of the men's all-time list of Grand Slam winners. Norwegian Ruud became the latest victim in a long line of challengers who have unsuccessfully tried to defeat the Spaniard in the Roland Garros final since Nadal won his maiden title on the red clay in 2005. There was a

Eighth seed Casper Ruud battled past teenager Holger Rune 6-1 4-6 7-6(2) 6-3 on Wednesday to reach the French Open semi-finals and become the first Norwegian to reach this stage in any Grand Slam. He will play Croatian 20th seed Marin Cilic in the semi-final. "Of course a lot of nerves all day to get going. It's tough to find calm and peace," Ruud said. "I started great but Holger fought back and raised his level." "I had played him three times already,

Norway's Casper Ruud and Denmark's Holger Rune led a Viking charge into the last 16 of the French Open with impressive wins at Roland Garros on Saturday. Eighth seed Ruud battled back to beat Italy's Lorenzo Sonego to take his place in the fourth round in Paris for the first time having reached round three for the past three years. A little later, Danish 19-year-old Rune continued his sensational progress as he trounced France's Hugo Gaston. Things looked bad for Ruud when a

World number two Daniil Medvedev has downplayed his chances of mounting a serious challenge at the French Open after the Russian went down to Richard Gasquet at the Geneva Open on Tuesday in his first match back since hernia surgery. The U.S. Open champion, who last played at the Miami Open at the end of March, was beaten 6-2 7-6(5) by Gasquet at the ATP 250 claycourt event. "I don't play my best tennis on clay courts," he told reporters. "I know that

World number two Daniil Medvedev has not given up hope of competing at Wimbledon next month even though tournament organisers have banned Russians and Belarusians from playing at the grasscourt Grand Slam due to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The decision was swiftly condemned by the men's and women's tours and a number of players, with Rafa Nadal calling the ruling "unfair". Over the past week, there have also been suggestions that Wimbledon could be stripped of its ranking points by the two tours

Novak Djokovic kicked off his quest for a sixth Italian Open title and the defence of his world number one ranking with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Aslan Karatsev in the second round on Tuesday. Top seed Djokovic, who received a bye into the second round, is still seeking his first title of the year. If Djokovic does not reach the semi-finals in Rome, he will surrender top spot in the rankings to Russian Daniil Medvedev for a second time this year. The

Rafa Nadal returned from an injury layoff to beat Miomir Kecmanovic 6-1 7-6(4) on Wednesday and reach the last 16 in the Madrid Open claycourt tournament. Nadal, competing in his first match since March following a rib injury, quickly found his rhythm in a strong start against Serbian Kecmanovic. Rain suspended play early in the second set and 21-times Grand Slam champion Nadal lost momentum. The 35-year-old Spaniard, hitting with explosive power, recovered from failing to serve out the match at 6-5 in

World number one Novak Djokovic began his quest for a fourth Madrid Open title with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Gael Monfils on Tuesday, improving his unbeaten record to 18-0 against the Frenchman. The result ensures Djokovic remains at the top of the rankings while it earned Monfils the ignominy of having the worst record against a single opponent without winning in the Open era. "I would probably rate it as the best performance of the year," Djokovic told reporters. "I felt very

Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal will make his return from a month-long absence due to injury at this week's ATP Masters 1000 Madrid Open that begins later this week, the Spaniard announced on Tuesday. The 35-year-old, who last played in the final of Indian Wells against Taylor Fritz on March 20, suffered a stress fracture in his rib during the tournament, forcing him to miss claycourt events in Monte Carlo and Barcelona. "Despite arriving just before the tournament and preparation being difficult, I

World number one Novak Djokovic's barren title spell in 2022 continued as he went down 6-2 6-7(4) 6-0 to Russian Andrey Rublev in the final of the ATP 250 Serbia Open in Belgrade on Sunday. Playing his second tournament on clay this season after being knocked out by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in Monte Carlo earlier this month, Djokovic was off to a slow start as second seed Rublev broke him twice to clinch the opening set 6-2. Djokovic had prevailed from a set

Russian players will not be allowed to compete at Wimbledon this year due to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, according to a report in sports industry news site Sportico on Tuesday. Earlier this month, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), which organises the grasscourt Grand Slam, said it was in talks with the British government on the participation of players from Russia and Belarus. The organisers said it planned to announce a decision in mid-May ahead of the entry deadline for the June

Defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas showed no signs of fatigue following Friday's marathon battle as he eased past German Alexander Zverev 6-4 6-2 to reach the Monte Carlo Masters final on Saturday. Tsitsipas and Zverev had both survived three-hour tussles on Friday to reach the last four but it was the Greek third seed who appeared to have made a quick recovery as he tormented a lethargic Zverev with a barrage of baseline winners. Tsitsipas, who has now won all three of his claycourt

Thoughts of the war in Ukraine were front and centre during an emotional opening ceremony for the Billie Jean King Cup qualifier tie between the United States and Ukraine in the North Carolina mountains on Friday. With 78-year-old American great King in attendance, Ukraine-born North Carolina resident Yuliia Kashirets gave an emotional rendition of the war-torn country's national anthem. As Kashirets, who was introduced as having a brother serving in the Ukraine military, belted out the anthem, players from the Ukrainian and U.S.

Top seed Daniil Medvedev moved a step closer to reclaiming the world number one ranking as he beat Spaniard Pedro Martinez 6-3 6-4 on Monday to reach the last 16 at the Miami Open, while Naomi Osaka cruised into the quarter-finals of the women's draw. Medvedev, who can replace Novak Djokovic in the rankings if he reaches the Miami semi-finals, fired down 14 aces and broke Martinez three times to secure victory in 84 minutes. "I just felt like I had to be