Maria Sharapova certainly means business when she steps onto a tennis court.
MELBOURNE, Australia -- Some thoughts on Thursday's women's semifinals at the Australian Open, where Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka advanced with three-set victories to set up a final in which the winner will become the WTA's new No. 1 ...
In terms of age, just two years separate Australian Open finalists Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka. But in terms of what the two young women have achieved in their tennis careers so far, they are poles apart.
It is a noise that has become synonymous with watching top-level tennis -- the sound of ear-splitting shrieks and grunts as star players battle against each other in a bid to claim the sport's biggest prizes.
Defending champion Novak Djokovic shrugged off an injury scare to beat fifth seed David Ferrer in the Australian Open quarterfinals on Wednesday, setting up a last-four rematch with 2011 runner-up Andy Murray.
CNN's Don Riddell talks to Boris Becker about the latest action from the Australian Open.
Caroline Wozniacki's quest for a first grand slam title and her reign as world No. 1 both ended on Tuesday after a quarterfinal defeat by defending champion Kim Clijsters at the Australian Open.
Unseeded Russian Ekaterina Makarova upset five-time champion Serena Williams of the United States 6-2 6-3 on Monday to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.
Kei Nishikori became the first Japanese male to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open since 1932 when he held on to earn a shock five-set win over sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Monday.
The breaking of plates may be a popular tradition practiced in his homeland, but Cypriot tennis player Marcos Baghdatis has just taken the pastime to a whole new level.
Say this about actors, musicians, writers and other artists: They can age gracefully. Often they perform just fine deep into middle age. And when they can no longer hit the high notes or remember their lines, they can retreat slowly and privately.
Andy Murray tests out a Caribbean twist on the game of tennis, challenging former boxing champion David Haye.
World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki began her latest bid for a first grand slam title with a 6-2 6-1 win over Anastasia Rodionova on Monday, joining last year's finalists Kim Clijsters and Li Na in the second round of the Australian Open.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are used to meeting in grand slam finals, but the dominance of Novak Djokovic in 2011 means the two great rivals will feature in the same half of the draw for the first time in seven years at the Australian Open.
SI.com's Jon Wertheim breaks down the women's seeds at the Australian Open. Read on for the top first-round matchups, dark horses and predictions. Click here for the men's report.
Check back later this week for an Australian Open preview ...
Qatar Open winner Jo-Wilfried Tsonga blamed fatigue and a troublesome wind for his straight sets defeat by Jurgen Melzer in the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne on Wednesday.
Petra Kvitova is just two wins away from moving to the top of the women's tennis rankings, after current world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki suffered a quarterfinal defeat at the Sydney International on Wednesday.
Here is an assortment of observations leading into the final tune-up week for the Australian Open:
Venus Williams has announced she is pulling out of the Australian Open due to illness.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga boosted his Australian Open hopes by overcoming difficult conditions to beat fellow Frenchman Gael Monfils in the final of the Qatar Open on Saturday.
Former world number one Thomas Muster talks to Open Court at his vineyard in Austria.
Welcome back. Happy 2012, everyone ...
Rafael Nadal fought back from a break down in the deciding set to beat Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber in their first round clash at the Qatar Open Tuesday.
World No.1 Novak Djokovic kicked off his preparations for next month's Australian Open with a three-set victory over France's Gael Monfils in Abu Dhabi Thursday.
Three-time major winner Maria Sharapova has been forced to withdraw from January's Brisbane International event because of an ankle injury.
Seven-time grand slam champion Venus Williams is in doubt for January's Australian Open after the American pulled out of her planned comeback at the ASB Classic in New Zealand.
Former world No. 1 Serena Williams will make her long-awaited tennis comeback this week, determined to make the most of her "second chance."
Maria Sharapova remains on track for a first French Open title after reaching the last 16 with a comprehensive win over Taiwanese qualifier Chan Yung-Jan on Saturday.
Novak Djokovic returns to the court this week for the first time since his Australian Open triumph as he bids for a hat-trick of titles in Dubai.
Caroline Wozniacki moved a win nearer to reclaiming the world number one spot from Kim Clijsters but her passage to the last 16 in Dubai only came after her Russian opponent, Anna Chakvetadze, fainted on court.
A best of three while eagerly awaiting this year's BNP Paribas Showdown event at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 28 ...
Australian Open finalist Andy Murray suffered his second successive defeat as he was bundled out of the World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam on Wednesday.
Kim Clijsters can return to the top of the women's tennis rankings this week for the first time since 2006, but the four-time grand slam winner insists it is not her major goal.
CNN's Pedro Pinto talks to tennis great Rafael Nadal, Laureus award winner for "Sportsman of the Year."
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates -- When we last saw Rafael Nadal, he was teary, sweaty and bitterly disappointed, limping off the court with a torn muscle suffered early in the quarterfinal of the Australian Open. His bid for a "Rafa Slam" spoiled.
Serena Williams is targeting a spring return to the tennis circuit after a lengthy injury layoff which culminated in the 13-time grand slam winner being unable to defend her Australian Open crown.
Serena Williams talks about her foot injury and what she's been doing in her time off from the game.
World number one Rafael Nadal has confirmed on his official website that he must rest for 10 days following the injury he sustained in the Australian Open.
Roger Federer had a champion's response at the Australian Open when journalists asked him if a torch was being passed, saying, "Let's talk again in six months." Federer surely can't wait to prove a few points in March, when the prestigious Masters 1000 events will be contested on the hardcourts of Miami and Indian Wells.
Flotsam and jetsam from the 2011 Australian Open.
China's Li Na made history on Thursday by becoming the first Asian tennis player to reach the singles final of a grand slam tournament in the Open era, ending the Australian hopes of world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki.
A quick vegemite sandwich while wondering if, this being the Asian/Pacific Slam, Nadal might want to try Eastern Medicine ...
World No. 3 Kim Clijsters remains on course to win a second consecutive grand slam singles title after overcoming a challenge from Agnieszka Radwanska to reach the semifinals of the Australian Open.
Kim Clijsters stayed on course to win back to back grand slams but was not at her best in grinding out a 7-6 6-3 win over Alize Cornet of France in their third round match at the Australian Open Saturday.
As I write this there are 24 players left in the draw and there have been zero huge upsets. Which makes for a promising final seven days. Herewith, our 2011 Australian Open midterm grades All marks given on the "Gentleman's C" curve...
This has been quite a tournament for the ethics of motivation. While a number of men have departed the Australian Open with their dignity in tatters, Venus Williams defined herself as never before.
I know not much is to be expected since the more newsworthy of the Williams sisters (Serena) isn't competing in the Australian Open this year. The decision to overlook Venus is also bolstered by the almost unanimous prediction of Venus' demise prior to the start of the tournament as well as her "slide" in quality over the past few years. Regardless of this, don't you think her heroic effort [on Wednesday] deserves some mention besides a tweet about the ridiculousness of her dress and a vague psoas references? Thanks. --C.D Allen, Toronto, Ontario
China's Shuai Peng caused an upset in the second round of the Australian Open on Thursday by knocking out seventh seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia in straight sets.
Rafael Nadal is on track to win his fourth successive grand slam after Marcos Daniel was forced to retire during their first-round match at the Australian Open on Tuesday.
While envisioning Dinara Safina, Donald Young, Ernests Gulbis and Ana Ivanovic in the same corner of the Melbourne watering hole last night, complaining about their rough days at the office ...
Thoughts and observations on the first surge of action from the Australian Open:
Maria Sharapova put memories of her first round defeat at last year's Australian Open firmly behind her with a convincing opening victory over Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand.
A Day 1 vegemite sandwich. Here's some "second screen" diversion as you watch the Australian Open. We'll try and do this daily ...
The Australian Open has come a long way from its formative years.
World number two Roger Federer talks to CNN's Pedro Pinto about his friendship with Rafael Nadal and his targets for 2011.
Queensland's flood disaster fund received a massive boost on Sunday as the world's best tennis players turned out to raise money at a packed Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne.
Lleyton Hewitt hopes his first experience of playing at the Australian Open's former venue in Kooyong will stand him in good stead for his 15th consecutive appearance at the season's first grand slam next week.
SI.com's Jon Wertheim breaks down the men's and women's seeds at the Australian Open. Read on for the top first-round matchups, dark horses, and his predicted winners. Have your say here.
SI.com's Jon Wertheim breaks down the men's and women's seeds at the Australian Open. Read on for the top first-round matchups, dark horses, and his predicted winners. Have your say here.
Tennis superstar Roger Federer is hoping to help the victims of the Australian floods by setting up a fund-raising event this weekend.
World number three Kim Clijsters has continued her impressive run of form heading into next week's Australian Open, dispatching Victoria Azarenka in straight sets to reach the semifinals of the Sydney International.
You predicted someone other than Roger or Rafa would win a Grand Slam this year. When does that happen? And is there anyone currently (or in the future) who could match Roger's five consecutive wins at two different events? Do you see anyone matching that ... or winning five consecutive at even one Grand Slam? --Marina, Dallas
The beauty of tennis' new year, aside from the anticipation surrounding the Australian Open, is the chance to isolate certain truths out of nothing. The past week saw a flurry of insignificant events, but there was much to be learned about some of the sport's key players:
Some of the world's top female tennis stars talk about their New Years resolutions for 2011.
The world's top-ranked women's tennis players, Caroline Wozniacki and Vera Zvonareva, have crashed out of the Australian Open warm-up event in Sydney in their opening matches.
Robin Soderling will be hoping to improve on a dismal record at the Australian Open next week after an impressive display saw him clinch the Brisbane International title in Queensland, Australia.
Top seeds Serbia have been forced to withdraw from Saturday's Hopman Cup final because of an injury to former world number one Ana Ivanovic.
Former world number one Justine Henin has ruled herself out of contention to win January's Australian Open, the first grand slam event of the 2011 tennis season.
Chinese tennis star Zheng Jie will miss January's Australian Open due to a persistent wrist injury.
Defending champion Serena Williams will miss the Australian Open in January to give herself more time to recover from foot surgery.
The world's top tennis players are set for a bumper payout at the Australian Open, with organizers announcing a record $23.9 million prize fund.
The draw holds many treasures. These are some of the matches I'd like to see if things break just right at the U.S. Open:
Lleyton Hewitt ended the Australian Open with surgery and was on crutches afterward, but he is back in action this week at Houston. Serena Williams won the Australian Open, but hasn't played a match since then, claiming she is injured. Maybe it is just me, but something does not seem right about this. --Aaron, Illinois
The elite of world tennis base their campaigns around the four grand slams in their battle for supremacy, but in reality their year falls into six distinct phases as they target the big-money tournaments and crucial ranking points.
Rafael Nadal made a successful return from injury to begin the defense of his Indian Wells Masters title with a 6-4 6-4 win over Germany's Rainer Schuettler in California on Saturday.
China's Li Na hit the heights earlier this year when she made it to the semifinals of the Australian Open, beating Venus Williams along the way.
Serena Williams successfully defended her Australian Open title with a 6-4 3-6 6-2 victory over Belgium's Justine Henin in a thrilling final in Melbourne on Saturday night.
Today's baguette in lightning round mode:
Roger Federer was at his imperious best to dismiss the challenge of France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets to reach the final of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Friday.
Serena Williams and Justine Henin took contrasting routes to a dream Australian Open final as they ended the Chinese challenge to the established order on Thursday.
Britain's Andy Murray came from a set down to see off the bold challenge of Croatian outsider Marin Cilic to reach the final of the Australian Open with a 3-6 6-4 6-4 6-2 victory in Melbourne on Thursday night.
Men's semifinals: Andy Murray of Great Britain came from a set down to see off the bold challenge of Croatian outsider Marin Cilic to reach the final of the Australian Open on Thursday.
Former world number one Justine Henin fought off a steep challenge from Russia's Nadia Petrova on Tuesday to secure a place in the Australian Open semifinals.
Now that the Aussie Open is reaching the halfway point, time to revise your picks. Of those left standing, who's going to reach the semis and the finals? --Scott Freeman, Atlanta, Ga.
U.S. Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro was sent crashing from Australian Open by 14th seed Marin Cilic of Croatia in a marathon five-set match in Melbourne on Sunday.
It's Saturday. It's Sunday. It's April. Regardless of what time it is in your precinct, here in Melbourne we're halfway through with our first major. Which means it's time for our 2010 Australian Open midterm grades
Rafael Nadal will meet Andy Murray in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open after beating Ivo Karlovic 6-4 4-6 6-4 6-4.
Russian Nadia Petrova on Sunday upset one of the Australian Open tournament favorites after beating compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.
Defending champion Serena Williams cruised into the fourth round of the Australian Open on Saturday after comfortable win over Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro in straight sets.
Roger Federer booked his place in the last 16 of the Australian Open after a routine straight sets win over Spain's Albert Montanes on Saturday to set up a match with home favourite Lleyton Hewitt.
Defending champion Serena Williams swept into the Australian Open third round with a 6-2 6-1 win over unseeded teenager Petra Kvitova in little over an hour on Thursday.
CNN's Pedro Pinto discusses the prospects for next week's Australian Open with tennis legend Boris Becker.
Ana Ivanovic was ousted from the Australian Open in the second round by Argentina's Gisela Dulko, losing in a three-set thriller.
Isn't it surprising, Jon? Roger Federer only came up with the "Hit for Haiti" idea on Saturday morning. Television only advertised it on Saturday afternoon and evening, and the papers the next morning. I was there and we had a great time. It is quite astounding that they were able to organize it in one day -- and good on people for coming. Laver was full capacity and it still surprises me, even with the realization that Down Under is a sports-mad society. Props for Tennis Australia, players and fans. A chunk of change was donated, too. -- Deepak, Melbourne
Men's world No. 1 tennis player Roger Federer rallied on Tuesday to open his play of the Australian Open in victorious fashion, beating back a stiff challenge from Igor Andreev in four sets.
Six-time Grand Slam tennis champion Boris Becker sits down with CNN's Becky Anderson.
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