Djokovic beaten, Sabalenka advances at Brisbane International
The result leaves the 24-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic with 99 career singles titles heading into the Australian Open, which he has won a record 10 times
The result leaves the 24-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic with 99 career singles titles heading into the Australian Open, which he has won a record 10 times
Gao Xinyu will face the formidable challenge of replacing women's world No. 5 Zheng Qinwen when she partners Zhang Zhizhen, China's highest-ranked men's player, at the season-opening United Cup starting on Friday.
Beaten in five sets after leading 2-0 in the Australian Open final, fifth seed Daniil Medvedev stunned World No.1 Jannik Sinner in a five-set thriller in the men's singles quarterfinal at Wimbledon on Tuesday.
The mixed doubles pair of B. Sumeeth Reddy and Sikki Reddy went down to the top-seeded Chinese combine.
The top seeds Bopanna, who won his first Grand Slam men's doubles in Australia this year, and Ebden defeated Granollers and Zeballos 6-1, 6-4 in the semifinals on Thursday.
Earlier, Roger Federer had skipped the entire second half of 2016 due to injury before returning to win the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2017.
The 32-year-old Andy Murray has not played a competitive match this year due to bone bruising near the site of his surgery.
Wawrinka's victory made him the first man apart from his legendary compatriot Roger Federer, Britain's Andy Murray, Djokovic and Nadal to win a Grand Slam title since Juan Martin Del Potro won the US Open in 2009.
It is worth highlighting that Sharapova won all the four grand slams between 2006 and 2012 before adding a second Wimbledon title to her cabinet in 2014.
The 26-year-old Spaniard was unseeded at a Grand Slam for the first time since 2014 but defied low expectations and a torrid 18 months to come within one victory of a third Major.
