Fognini vs Lajovic in Monte Carlo final

Fognini vs Lajovic in Monte Carlo final

Fabio Fognini pulled off a stunner on Saturday, ousting 11-time champ and No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals of the Monte Carlo Masters at Monaco.

The 13th-seeded Italian reached the first Masters 1000 level final of his career with the victory.

Nadal hadn't lost in 18 matches in the event.

"I probably played one of the worst matches on clay in 14 years," said Nadal. "When that happens, you have to lose. And today I deserved to lose because I played against a player that was better than me today."

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Nadal vs Fognini in Monte Carlo semis

Nadal vs Fognini in Monte Carlo semis

Rafa Nadal was forced to work hard for his 18th straight match win at the Monte Carlo Country Club as he fought back to beat Argentina Guido Pella 7-6(1) 6-3.

The 11-times champion made a sluggish start and was one point away from 1-5 deficit in the opening set but recovered well to convert seven of his 13 break-point opportunities and advance after two hours and 20 minutes.

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Nadal makes winning start in Monte Carlo

Nadal makes winning start in Monte Carlo

Rafa Nadal produced a claycourt masterclass to pick apart Roberto Bautista Agut 6-1 6-1, as the world number two began his Monte Carlo Masters title defense in stunning fashion on Wednesday.

Playing his first match since injuring his knee at Indian Wells last month, Nadal showed no signs of rust as he raced into a 5-0 lead in the first set on Court Rainier III.

Bautista Agut did get on the board but Nadal clinched the opening set and put his opponent under further pressure with another break of serve at the start of the second.

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Nadal to return on Monte Carlo Masters clay

Nadal to return on Monte Carlo Masters clay

Rafael Nadal is expected to make his return from a knee injury at the Monte Carlo Masters, after being included in the official list of players on Thursday.

Tournament organizers announced the line-up for the clay-court tournament in Paris. Nadal has won it a record 11 times and held a 46-match winning streak at Monte Carlo from 2005-13 – the most consecutive wins at a tournament by any man or woman.

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Djokovic ready to play tennis not politics at Miami Open

Djokovic ready to play tennis not politics at Miami Open

Novak Djokovic dismissed any suggestion of friction with Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal as tennis politics spilled over to the Miami Open.

Tension between the three biggest names in men's tennis appeared on the rise after Djokovic, president of the ATP Player Council, rebuffed a request by Federer to meet during the BNP Paribas in Indian Wells earlier this month to discuss the future of ATP chairman Chris Kermode.

Despite a tenure which brought record prize money and growth, Kermode was ousted as ATP chief when players' representatives on the ATP Board failed to endorse an extension of the Englishman's contract.

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Federer vs Thiem in Indian Wells final

Federer vs Thiem in Indian Wells final

Roger Federer will face Dominic Thiem for the 2019 Indian Welss title.

Federer advanced after Rafa Nadal withdrew due to injury while Thiem defeated Milos Raonic 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (3/7), 6-4.

Nadal couldn't take the court for the blockbuster semi-final with Swiss great Federer.

"I wanted to try my best to be competitive today," a dejected Nadal said. "I warmed up today in the morning, and I felt that my knee was not enough good to compete at the level that I need to compete, to play semi-finals match of this event."

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Nadal out of semis at Indian Wells

Nadal out of semis at Indian Wells

Rafael Nadal withdrew from the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday, done in once again by a knee injury.

He had been set to play longtime rival Roger Federer in the semifinals.

A somber Nadal announced his withdrawal a couple hours before he was scheduled to take the court at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

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Federer vs Nadal at Indian Wells semis

Federer vs Nadal at Indian Wells semis

Rafael Nadal withstood the challenge of Karen Khachanov to set up a blockbuster semi-final with Roger Federer at the ATP Indian Wells Masters Friday despite a flare-up of right knee trouble that required mid-match treatment.

Nadal dominated both tiebreakers to beat the towering Russian 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/2).

He booked a 39th career meeting with Federer who breezed past Hubert Hurkacz of Poland 6-4, 6-4.

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Federer and Nadal roll into quarters at Indian Wells

Federer and Nadal roll into quarters at Indian Wells

Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal remained on course for a mouthwatering semi-final clash at the BNP Paribas Open with straightforward fourth-round victories.

Federer needed just over an hour to dispatch Kyle Edmund 6-1 6-4 in their first career meeting and reach the quarter-finals on a sunny and breezy day in Indian Wells.

Next up for Federer is Hubert Hurkacz, who defeated Denis Shapovalov 7-6(3) 2-6 6-3 earlier in the day to set up his first career meeting with the Swiss Master.

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Nadal and Federer into Indian Wells last 16

Nadal and Federer into Indian Wells last 16

Rafael Nadal beat Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 6-1 to reach the fourth round of the ATP Indian Wells Masters.

Nadal took his record against the world No. 26 to 7-0 in emphatic style, never facing a break point in a match lasting an hour and 16 minutes.

"I did a lot of things well. I started the match very well," Nadal said. "My serve worked very well, especially in the first set. But during the second, I was doing things well anyway, so just happy having a match that I suffered in the past against Diego. We know each other well, so it's a positive victory for me."

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Nadal and Federer advance at Indian Wells

Nadal and Federer advance at Indian Wells

Rafael Nadal raced into the third round of the ATP Indian Wells Masters as Roger Federer made a less speedy but still successful start to his quest for a sixth title on Sunday.

Nadal needed just 72 minutes to get past overmatched Jared Donaldson, 6-1, 6-1.

Federer looked set for a similarly easy time of it, but had to turn back a second-set challenge from German Peter Gojowczyk in a 6-1, 7-5 win.

Federer said he was relieved not to go to a second-set tiebreaker after falling behind 3-1 to the free-swinging German, who is ranked 85th in the world.

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Nadal wants Kyrgios to set better example

Nadal wants Kyrgios to set better example

Rafael Nadal insisted Wednesday that he has immense respect for Nick Kyrgios's talent, and his public scolding of the mercurial Aussie after their stormy Acapulco clash doesn't change that.

Kyrgios survived three match points to beat top-seeded Nadal in three sets to reach the quarter-finals in Acapulco, where he went on to win his first ATP title in more than a year.

Immediately after the match, 17-time Grand Slam champion Nadal said that Kyrgios -- who complained of illness, served underarm and taunted a pro-Nadal crowd on the way to victory -- "lacks respect for the public, the opponent and for himself."

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Good start of 2019 for Rafael Nadal

Good start of 2019 for Rafael Nadal

The year 2018 was not bad for Rafael Nadal. He won ‘his’ Roland Garros and the ATP tournaments in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome and Toronto. He reached the quarter final at the Australian Open, but he had to retire, just like in the semi-final at the US Open.

At Wimbledon he lost in a very exciting semi-final against Novak Djokovic with 10-8 in the fifth set. The year could have been more successful if he would not have had any injuries. Maybe 2019 will bring him even more success.

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Rafael Nadal announced his marriage with Xisca Perello

Rafael Nadal announced his marriage with Xisca Perello

Rafael Nadal will marry his girlfriend of 14 years Maria Francisca Perello, better known as Xisca.

The couple got engaged in Rome, last May and will get married between September and December of this year in Mallorca, where they were both born, according to the magazine ¡Hola!

"Obviously I have intentions of forming a family, I love children and I would like my children to do what they like," Rafa said.

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Djokovic claims record seventh Australian title

Djokovic claims record seventh Australian title

Novak Djokovic claimed a record seventh Australian Open crown after beating Rafa Nadal 6-3 6-2 6-3.

Moving past Pete Sampras into outright third on the all-time list of Grand Slam winners, Djokovic will head to Roland Garros looking for a second "Nole Slam", having already swept all four majors in 2015-16.

Only Federer's 20 and Nadal's 17 outstrip Djokovic's tally of Grand Slam trophies, but on the strength of the champion's virtuoso performance at Rod Laver Arena, they will be looking nervously over their shoulders.

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Djokovic into Australian Open final, faces Rafa next

Djokovic into Australian Open final, faces Rafa next

Novak Djokovic was about as perfect as can be in his semifinal at Rod Laver Arena. Didn't miss much. Almost couldn't, really.

It was a performance so flawless, so fantastic, that it was easy to feel as if only one man on the planet might have a chance of preventing Djokovic from claiming a record seventh Australian Open title: Rafael Nadal. As it happens, that is who he'll face in Sunday's final.

Djokovic never relented, not for a moment, while making an unheard-of total of five unforced errors against an overmatched Lucas Pouille en route to a 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 semifinal victory that lasted less than 1 1/2 hours.

"I guess you're driven by some force that takes over you, and you feel divine. You feel like in a different dimension," Djokovic said. "It's quite an awesome feeling that we all try to reach and stay in. Probably the biggest challenge, I think, is how to repeat that, how to stay there for as long as you possibly can."

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Nadal beats Tsitsipas for fifth Australian Open final

Nadal beats Tsitsipas for fifth Australian Open final

Rafael Nadal beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 to reach the Australian open final.

Coming into the match, it seemed like Tsitsipas would give Nadal a challenge. In the round of 16, Tsitsipas came back from a set down to beat Roger Federer. But Nadal looked masterful throughout. In the final set, Tsitsipas didn’t win a single game.

Nadal is 32, and is doing his part to rebuff the narrative that younger tennis players — the next generation of stars — is ready to take over. Three of Nadal’s last four Australian Open opponents have been young. He beat 19-year-old Alex de Minaur in the round of 32. He beat 21-year-old Frances Tiafoe in the quarterfinal. And Tsitsipas, Nadal’s most recent vanquished foe, is just 20.

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Nadal beats Tiafoe, reaches Australian Open semis

Nadal beats Tiafoe, reaches Australian Open semis

Rafael Nadal defeated Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in just 107 minutes to advance to the Australian Open 219 semis.

Nadal will next play Stefanos Tsitsipas, who knocked out Roger Federer in the fourth round and Roberto Bautista Agut in the QFs.

"For me is always the same: you are in the semi-finals of a Grand Slam, you can't expect an easy opponent," Nadal said.

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Tiafoe takes on Nadal hoping to keep dream alive

Tiafoe takes on Nadal hoping to keep dream alive

Having already changed the lives of his immigrant parents, Frances Tiafoe is hopeful to build on his own stature in the game as he prepares for an Australian Open quarter-final clash with Rafa Nadal on Tuesday.

American Tiafoe, the son of immigrants from Sierra Leone, recalled his humble beginnings after stunning Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov on Sunday to reach the last eight at a major for the first time in his career.

"I told my parents 10 years ago I was gonna be a pro tennis player and change their life. Now I'm in the quarter-finals of a Slam. I can't believe it," world number 39 Tiafoe said.

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Del Potro into US Open final as Nadal quits with knee injury

Del Potro into US Open final as Nadal quits with knee injury

Juan Martin del Potro reached the US Open final on Friday afterRafael Nadal quit their last-four clash with a knee injury.

Del Potro, the champion in 2009, was 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 ahead when Nadal retired.

The Argentine will face Novak Djokovic, who beat Kei Nishikori.

"I hate to retire," said Nadal who has endured a series of knee injuries throughout his career.

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