Novak Djokovic exit gives Andy Murray chance of rare clay success
Andy Murray has played in 40 finals in his professional career and won 26 titles but has yet to feature in the climax of a clay-court event.
Andy Murray has played in 40 finals in his professional career and won 26 titles but has yet to feature in the climax of a clay-court event.
There are times when the world rankings might seem little more than an academic exercise but this week's Madrid Masters shows how crucial they can be. The rankings are used to decide seedings at tournaments and Rafael Nadal is set to pay a price in the Spanish capital for slipping to No 5 in the world order following his seven-month absence with a knee injury.
Karola Bejenaru is moving up in the world and ambitious coach Przemek Stec has set her the target of making junior Wimbledon in 2014.
If failing to win the Monte Carlo Masters title for the ninth year in succession last weekend was a shock to Rafael Nadal's system, the 26-year-old Spaniard showed few signs of it yesterday when he retained his Barcelona Open title in emphatic fashion.
Holywood's Joanna Minnis has landed a golden opportunity to share a tennis court with some of the legends of the sport.
Wimbledon has never let its fabled grass grow under its feet and the All England Club have announced measures designed to preserve its position at the pinnacle of the game.
Rafael Nadal warned last week that "not everything is forever and everything in this life finishes one day".
On a day when a frustrated opponent took a swipe at Rafael Nadal's lovingly positioned waterbottles and Ernests Gulbis had a game deducted after a series of misdemeanours, Andy Murray was a model of cool-headed calm on his first outing of the clay-court season.
Ambitious teenager Peter Bothwell is facing a welcome but tough decision as he weighs up which path to take in his pursuit of becoming a professional tennis player.
Rafael Nadal and his descendants will have to reign here for another 708 years to match Prince Albert II and his ancestors, but in one respect the Spaniard can already out do the family which has ruled Monaco since 1297.
Ask most players about future targets in terms of their world ranking and you'll get a short reply. They'll say it's more important to focus on the next tournament or even the next match rather than worry about the number alongside their name. "The world ranking will look after itself" is the mantra, almost as if talking about such matters would be as uncool as taking public transport back to the hotel.
Andy Murray is used to giving his supporters a roller-coaster ride and the 25-year-old Scot took them on a typically bumpy journey yesterday before reaching his destination of No 2 in the world rankings.
Two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Tommy Haas to leave Andy Murray in the box seat at the Sony Open in Miami.
When one of the World's top tennis academies tells you a shot at the big time is within reach, it's a dream come true – until reality bites and cold economics stand in the way. Emily Madill is trapped in such a vortex of frustration.
One of the most extraordinary weeks in Rafael Nadal's career ended in a remarkable victory at the Indian Wells Masters last night.
British number one Andy Murray advanced to round four of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells with a hard-fought 6-3 6-2 win over Lu Yen-Hsun of Chinese Taipei.
Second seed Roger Federer was caused few problems by Ivan Dodig as he raced into the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells - but there was a minor scare in the form of some back pain.
It had been 346 days since his last match on a hard court, but Rafael Nadal came through the latest test of his comeback from injury with an emphatic victory in the second round of the Indian Wells Masters on Saturday night.
Andy Murray returns to action this week for the first time since his defeat in the Australia Open final in January believing he is in a "good place".
On a day when the leading men breezed through their second-round matches here at the Dubai Duty Free Championships, some of the biggest cheers were reserved for the session's most unlikely player.
It hasn't always been a bed of roses
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is confident the recruitment structure put in place over the last year will ensure the club do not waste money in the transfer market.
Stoke City have begun an investigation into an incident at their training ground in which a pig's head was reportedly left in Kenwyne Jones's locker by Glenn Whelan. Jones is reported to have reacted furiously on discovering the head and smashed the windscreen of Whelan's car in response.
Southampton's executive chairman Nicola Cortese will be staying at the club next season following a meeting with owner Katharina Liebherr, removing fears that manager Mauricio Pochettino could also exit St Mary's.
Graeme McDowell believes Rory McIlroy's poor form this season is behind the world number two's decision to leave Horizon Sports Management to create his own management group.