The contrast between the men’s and women’s finals at the Australian Open could not have been greater.

On Saturday, Victoria Azarenka thrashed Maria Sharapova to claim her first grand slam title and the No. 1 ranking. It was a result that suggested this year’s WTA season will be just as much as a free-for-all as 2011 was.

On Sunday, however, Novak Djokovic won his third successive major title as he overcame Rafael Nadal in one of the most amazing finals in tennis history. We can debate until the cows come home about whether it was indeed the greatest, but it was definitely the longest.

And what are the odds against the world No. 1 becoming the first man to hold all four grand slam titles since Rod Laver in 1969, when he goes to Nadal’s stronghold at Roland Garros in May? Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: CNN Digital Sports Writer, Gary Morley
Filed under: Tennis

There are two burning questions ahead of the tennis season’s opening grand slam in Melbourne: can Novak Djokovic repeat his stellar form from last year, and will the women’s No. 1 be a major winner ?

Djokovic’s Australian Open preparations have been relatively low-key again, an approach that worked last year as he launched a 43-match winning streak in Melbourne and ended the year as world No. 1 with three of the four coveted crowns.

While in 2011 he played in the non-sanctioned Hopman Cup mixed teams event, this month the Serbian made do with scooping $250,000 at an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: CNN Digital Sports Writer, Gary Morley
Filed under: Tennis

Think Roger Federer's chances of winning another major title are over? Think again!

The 30-year-old father of two looks ready and raring to go after a fine finish to the 2011 season.

While his main rivals, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, whimpered out of the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London, the Swiss maestro sauntered through his round-robin group, beating Nadal 6-3 6-0 en route, before taking out Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final for the third time in two weeks. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: Candy Reid, CNN Sport Anchor
Filed under: Tennis

To play, or not to play, that was the question facing Novak Djokovic – or so some thought!

As World No.1, the Serb was entitled to a $2 million bonus if he played all eight World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments and $1.6 million if he played seven of the eight.

Having already missed the Shanghai tournament because of a back injury, Djokovic had to play in Paris, or else he’d end up with nothing -– but then there was that reoccurrence of a shoulder injury in Basel. . Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: Candy Reid, CNN Sport Anchor
Filed under: Tennis •World Sport Analysis

Five other men have won three major titles in one year in the Open era, but none so emphatically as Novak Djokovic.

The Serb secured his maiden US Open title on Monday with his sixth straight win, all in finals, against the man who was so dominant last year, Rafael Nadal.

This latest victory took Novak's 2011 record to an astonishing 64-2 and only one of those matches did he actually lose - the other was an injury retirement in the Cincinnati final. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: Candy Reid, CNN World Sport Anchor
Filed under: Tennis

Only hardened Australian tennis fans gave Samantha Stosur a chance of beating Serena Williams in the final of the U.S. Open.

It seemed the rest of the world felt sure that the American, a 13-time major champion, would romp home just as she had done through six rounds at Flushing Meadows and two hard-court tournaments before that, but the 27-year old Aussie clearly hadn't read the script. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: Candy Reid, CNN World Sport Anchor
Filed under: Tennis

A number one ranking can be a blessing and a curse, just ask Caroline Wozniacki, Jelena Jankovic and Dinara Safina.

It is right that praise follows an athlete who has reached the summit of their sport, but it can become a burden if this feat has been acheived without claiming a grand slam.

To the layman it makes no sense. To the critic it undermines the credibility of the rank. Since Wozniacki of Denmark became the WTA Tour’s top-ranked player, it is a question mark that has hung over her career. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: Candy Reid, CNN World Sport Anchor
Filed under: Tennis

There are two weeks to go until the final major of the year begins and already we have two huge favorites. You simply cannot look past Novak Djokovic on the men’s side and Serena Williams on the women’s.

The Serb’s run this year been absolutely astonishing. Victory at the Rogers Cup in Montreal was his ninth title of 2011 and his fifth at an ATP Tour Masters 1000 - a record - which means he has now won 53 out of his 54 matches - with that lone loss coming to 16-time grand slam winner Roger Federer in the semifinal of the French Open.

Not too long ago it was Rafa Nadal and Swiss Federer who dominated men’s tennis and Novak was a bit of an afterthought, but how things have changed. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: Candy Reid, CNN World Sport Anchor
Filed under: Tennis

We have a new men’s world number one and Wimbledon champion in Novak Djokovic.

His semifinal Wimbledon win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was simply sensational and my favorite match of the fortnight. There was a highlight in almost every game with both men leaping about all over the place and then laughing and grinning afterwards. You simply couldn’t ask for more. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: Candy Reid, CNN World Sport Anchor
Filed under: Tennis

The questions about Serena Williams’ continuing desire to play tennis after her near-death experience earlier this year were clearly answered with her performance and subsequent emotional outburst in Tuesday’s first round match with Aravane Rezai.

I can’t remember ever seeing Serena cry, but she was blubbing away both into her towel and afterwards in her post-match press conference with former CNN presenter Phil Jones, remember him?

Even when Serena loses she doesn’t shed a tear (in public at least) and though I’m not one for too much emotion, it was really heartwarming to see. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by: Candy Reid, CNN World Sport Anchor
Filed under: Tennis