Former world number one and two-time Grand Slam winner Simona Halep announced her retirement from professional tennis on Tuesday after losing in the first round at her home event in Cluj.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova will return to action this month after a 15-month maternity break, with the Czech set to play in three tournaments in the United States.
"He has lost only four or five matches in the past year, so it's crazy. I know people say who's better out of us. They say Jannik is better or some say me. It's all discussion."
World number one Jannik Sinner will not defend his ATP 500 title in Rotterdam as the Italian's "body needs time to rest" after winning the Australian Open, tournament organisers announced Monday.
Double Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner set his sights on mastering clay and grass courts to make himself a complete player after the Italian claimed his third hardcourt Grand Slam title on Sunday.
The 23-year-old came through a tense battle between the world's top two players 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena, raising his arms in the air and looking to the sky in celebration.
The victory earned the Italian world number one his third Grand Slam crown.
The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, ends on Sunday when defending champion Jannik Sinner faces Alexander Zverev for the men's title. AFP looks back on five memorable storylines from the past two weeks in Melbourne:
The Russian looked out of sorts early on Centre Court as he lost the first set.
Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz made a shaky start against unseeded Australian Aleksandar Vukic but moved through the gears to seal a 7-6(5) 6-2 6-2 victory and power into the third round on Wednesday.
Playing with a support on his right leg following a minor operation less than four weeks ago that cut short his French Open, the 37-year-old made a solid start and drew first blood in a marathon fourth game.
Czech Vondrousova, who became the first unseeded woman to lift the title last year, earned a far less welcome accolade after a 6-4 6-2 defeat by Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
Osaka returned to the tour this year after 15 months of maternity leave for her daughter who turns one on Tuesday.
The Spanish third seed was taken to a tie-break in the opening set and trailed 2-0 against his unheralded opponent in the second but held his nerve to win 7-6 (7/3), 7-5, 6-2.
Medvedev, a semi-finalist last year, hit 16 aces in his 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win over Aleksandar Kovacevic of the United States.
Alcaraz, 21, beat Novak Djokovic to the title a year ago and has since taken his Grand Slam haul to three after winning the French Open earlier this month and despite being seeded three will be favourite to rack up number four.
The Serbian is bidding for a record 25th Grand Slam title.
Novak Djokovic proclaimed himself "pain free" after defeating Daniil Medvedev in an exhibition match on Friday ahead of Wimbledon.
