Serena Williams will miss the Australian Open in January after opting to give herself more time to recover from foot surgery.

Former world number one Justine Henin will be sidelined for the rest of the year as she recovers from an elbow injury.

Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt will be sidelined until May after revealing he had been forced to undergo his second hip surgery in 18 months.

Andy Murray has dropped out of the world’s top four for the first time since August 2008.

Novak Djokovic overcame a rain delay and Mario Ancic to secure a place in the semi-finals of the Sydney International today.

World number three Jelena Jankovic had to overcome injury, a dogged opponent and even an errant driver to reach the second round of the Australian Open after an extraordinary first-round escape at Melbourne Park.

JUSTINE Henin-Hardenne will face a familiar opponent in the Australian Open final.

World number two Kim Clijsters will face her Grand Slam nemesis Justine Henin-Hardenne in the final of the Australian Open after both Belgians won with differing ease in Melbourne today.

Second seed Kim Clijsters overcame an injury scare to outclass Russia’s Anastasia Myskina in straight sets and book an Australian Open semi-final clash with Patty Schnyder.

Lleyton Hewitt had easy progress in the Australian Open earlier today as US qualifier Cecil Mamiit succumbed to a freak accident.

Kim Clijsters admitted her participation at the Australian Open remains in serious doubt today after she withdrew from the adidas International in Sydney.

Venus Williams will be seeded number three at the Australian Open later this month, despite not having played a competitive match for six months.

News of Greg Rusedski’s positive drugs test has left many of his fellow tennis professionals shocked and surprised.

Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt will face fiancee Kim Clijsters on court in next week’s Hopman Cup.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI'S preparations for next week's Australian Open were halted yesterday when she was beaten 4-6 6-4 7-5 by Russian Tatiana Panova in the second round of the Sydney International.