Australian Open

Doubt is a distant memory for Novak Djokovic as the world number one returns to Indian Wells on top of the tennis world, one year after his shock loss to qualifier Taro Daniel.

Newly-crowned Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic is focused on continuing to improve his game and get closer to Swiss tennis star Roger Federer’s record of 20 Grand Slam titles. The 31-year-old registered straight-sets victory over Rafael Nadal in the final of Australian Open.

It would be for 85th year in succession, the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup be given away, when the winner of the women’s singles emerges from the Rod Laver Arena on Saturday.

Rafael Nadal handed rising star Stefanos Tsitsipas a tennis lesson as he drubbed him 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 in the Australian Open semi-final. 14th seed Tsitsipas had enjoyed a fairytale run to his first Grand Slam last four but found Nadal in ruthless form as he won in 1hr 46min.

In a stunning comeback, shadvanced to the semi-final of the Australian Open here on Wednesday by beating Serena Williams 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.

World number one Novak Djokovic on Wednesday cruised into the semi-final round of the ongoing Australian Open as his Japanese opponent Kei Nishikori retired in the second set of their quarters clash due to an injury.

Lucas Pouille stunned Canada’s 16th seed Milos Raonic 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-4 to reach the last four of a Slam for the first time. Pouille will face either Novak Djokovic or Kei Nishikori for a place in the final.

Petra Kvitova’s surging win over Ashleigh Barty to make the Australian Open semi-finals ensured Simona Halep’s reign as world number one is over. Halep held the number one ranking for 48 weeks, but after her loss to Serena Williams in round four, she said it wasn’t her priority.

Serena Williams was sensationally bundled out of the Australian Open after an epic three-set fight with Czech seventh seed Karolina Pliskova for a semi-final spot. Pliskova won 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 to set up a final four clash with Japanese fourth seed Naomi Osaka.

Scientists say they have created an algorithm that can predict where a tennis player will hit the next ball by analysing data of thousands of shots played by Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in Australian Open.