Venus Williams was unable to stop the Maria Sharapova juggernaut tonight as the Russian powered into the fourth round of the Australian Open.

Spain relinquished their Davis Cup crown tonight after veteran Radek Stepanek guided the Czech Republic to a stunning triumph in Prague.

The Lawn Tennis Association today confirmed Judy Murray as Great Britain’s new Fed Cup captain.

Judy Murray is in talks with the Lawn Tennis Association over becoming the new Fed Cup captain, Press Association Sport understands.

Victoria Azarenka continued to avoid the clatter of seeds in the women’s draw at the French Open as she eased through to the quarter-finals with a 6-2 6-3 victory over Ekaterina Makarova this afternoon.

Vera Zvonareva and Svetlana Kuznetsova today moved Russia to the brink of the Fed Cup final with victories in their semi-final singles rubbers against two-time defending champions Italy in Moscow.

World number two Kim Clijsters has been ruled out for four weeks due to shoulder and wrist injuries.

NIALL FITZGERALD enhanced his men’s singles title credentials when he gunned down former Wimbledon participant Edward Seator in the National Indoor tennis Championship quarter-finals at David Lloyd Riverview last night.

Venus Williams has called a premature end to her season because of an ongoing knee problem.

Kim Clijsters is thrilled she and Justine Henin are back on message after years when there was scant prospect of them exchanging jokey texts.

US Open champion Kim Clijsters was today ruled out for six weeks with a foot injury, ruining her build-up to the French Open in May.

THE lack of match-practice on clay took a costly toll on the Ireland Fed Cup team yesterday in the sweltering heat and high humidity in Cairo.

Justine Henin will not play singles in Belgium’s Fed Cup tie against Estonia this weekend after breaking the little finger on her left hand in training.

Venus Williams has made herself unavailable for the USA's Fed Cup semi-final against Russia in Alabama this weekend because of injury.

THIS week’s Champions League semi-final first legs will go ahead as scheduled despite the current restriction on European air travel due to the volcanic ash cloud.

Flavia Pennetta sealed Fed Cup victory for Italy with a straight-sets win over US teenager Melanie Oudin in Reggio Calabria.

German teenager Sabine Lisicki shocked second seed Venus Williams at the Family Circle Cup in Charleston by beating the American 6-4 7-6 (7/5) to advance to the quarter-finals.

Russia remain on course for another Fed Cup title after taking a commanding 2-0 lead over Spain in the final.

WORLD number one Amelie Mauresmo feels she has come of age at Wimbledon this year.

WIMBLEDON went to form yesterday as the top four women's seeds all booked their places in the semi-finals at SW19.

Wimbledon went to form today as the top four women seeds all booked their places in the semi-finals at SW19.

GRAND slams are often about the survival of the fittest - and there was little doubt at the end of a gruelling two weeks that Amelie Mauresmo was just that.

Venus Williams made quick work of her first WTA Tour singles match since winning Wimbledon, cruising into the semi-finals at the Bank of the West Classic with a 6-3 6-2 triumph over lucky loser Sania Mirza of India.

THE Irish women’s tennis team had good 3-0 win over Norway when the Fed cup series opened in Antalya in Turkey yesterday.

France captain Guy Forget has blasted world number two Amelie Mauresmo for choosing to withdraw from the Fed Cup semi-final against Spain in Moscow on November 24 and 25.

Exclusive Spanish resort La Manga – a regular home to the England football team in the run-up to major tournaments – has been put up for sale with a price tag estimated at more than £100m (€149.4m).

Martina Navratilova has not ruled out the possibility of returning to play in the singles at Wimbledon this year.

Bereft of local interest after Lleyton Hewitt and Mark Philippoussis made untimely departures from the Australian Open on Australia Day, the Rod Laver Arena crowd will lend full support towards Kim Clijsters, their adopted tennis daughter, in the women’s final.

The mighty Williams sisters powered the United States through their first-round Fed Cup match against the Czech Republic.

Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario has announced her retirement after a glittering career which saw her win four Grand Slams and capture numerous other titles.

Heavy rain was a prevalent factor at the Danone Sponsored Irish Close played at the Donnybrook LTC today.

Jennifer Capriati has been dropped from the United States' Federation Cup team on the eve of their 2002 World Group first-round game against Austria.