Olympic gold medallist Zheng, making her WTA Finals debut, got off to a great start against the Czech eight seed, with an early break of serve to take a 3-0 lead.

Third seed Alexander Zverev eased past home favourite Ugo Humbert

Aryna Sabalenka's return to top spot in the WTA rankings after leapfrogging Iga Swiatek has set up a thrilling end to the season, with next month's WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia likely to prove decisive in the race to end the year as world number one.

Poland's Iga Swiatek will play in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga in November, where they face hosts Spain in the opening match, the world number two said on Tuesday

Sabalenka spent eight weeks at the summit last year before Swiatek overtook her with a victory at the season-ending WTA Finals and the Belarusian hopes for a longer stay as 'N1'.

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka shook off a second-set blip to win three back-to-back Wuhan Open titles after beating Chinese fifth seed and home favourite Zheng Qinwen

Jannik Sinner secured the year-end world number one ranking by beating Czech 30th seed Tomas Machac in the Shanghai Masters semi-finals.

Karolina Muchova snapped U.S. Open champion Aryna Sabalenka's 15-match win streak to shock her 7-6(5) 2-6 6-4 in the China Open quarter-finals on Friday, while Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen beat Mirra Andreeva 5-7 6-0 6-4 to reach the semi-finals.

Chess governing body FIDE's general assembly agreed to consider lifting parts of a ban on Russian and Belarusian players imposed after Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022, in a vote on Sunday in Budapest.

A US Open full of upsets and hungry, young contenders offered the latest sign that men's tennis has entered a new era

The celebrities who graced the men's and women's singles finals at Arthur Ashe Stadium on the weekend.

Aryna Sabalenka claimed her third Grand Slam title after winning the Australian Open twice.

Tiger-tattooed Aryna Sabalenka clawed her way back from injury and disappointment to hoist the US Open trophy at last.

Images from the US Open women's singles semi-finals at Flushing Meadows on Thursday.

Those deep runs have left her better equipped to handle the pressure at the business-end of the majors.

Images from the US Open women's singles quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows, New York, on Tuesday.

China's Zheng Qinwen is bidding to become the fourth woman to win Olympic gold and the US Open title in the same year

Images from the US Open women's singles third round matches, at Flushing Meadows, New York, on Friday.

The girl, wearing a matching fuchsia Nike kit and sporting a temporary tiger tattoo on her left forearm, emphatically cheered Aryna Sabalenka on

Images from the US Open women's singles second round matches, at Flushing Meadows, New York, on Wednesday.

IMAGES from Day 1 of the US Open played Flushing Meadows, New York, United States, on Monday.

Leander Paes, Sania Mirza, and Mahesh Bhupathi have left their mark by collectively winning 10 US Open titles.

Contenders lurk around every corner in New York, as a gruelling year has left the title vulnerable for those hoping to capture a maiden major title.

Here is what you need to know about the prize pot on offer at the 2024 US

At least 488 Ukrainian athletes and trainers have been killed since early 2022, around two dozen of whom had been European or world champions in their discipline, according to sports ministry spokesman Serhiy Bykov.

Here is all the info one needs about the Paris 2024 Olympics: the dates, the venues, the opening ceremony, new sports and security issues.

Steven van de Velde was sentenced to four years in prison in Britain in 2016 following the rape of a 12-year-old girl two years earlier when he was 19.

IMAGES from Day 3 of the Wimbledon Championships, at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, on Wednesday.

Athletes from Russia and Belarus, Moscow's closest ally in the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, are barred from the Paris Games except for the few who will compete as neutral athletes without flags or anthems.

Sabalenka, who was set to face American Emina Bektas, was replaced in the draw by Russian Erika Andreeva, while fellow Belarusian Azarenka's spot was taken up by another lucky loser in Frenchwoman Elsa Jacquemot.

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka was sent crashing out of the French Open after a shock 6-7(5) 6-4 6-4 quarter-final loss to Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva

Italian surprise package Jasmine Paolini staved off a fightback from fourth seed Elena Rybakina to seal a stunning 6-2 4-6 6-4 win

Novak Djokovic produced a superhuman effort to subdue Argentine Francisco Cerundolo.

Images from Day 7 of the 2024 French Open.

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka beat Japanese qualifier Moyuka Uchijima 6-2 6-2 under the roof on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Thursday to move into the French Open third round.

Iga Swiatek will be looking to join a select band of players who have lifted the Suzanne Lenglen Cup four times

Swiatek downs Gauff to meet Sabalenka in Italian Open final

World number one Iga Swiatek edged Aryna Sabalenka 7-5, 4-6 7,-6(7) in a gripping and gruelling Madrid Open final to win the title for the first time on Saturday in what was a repeat of last year's summit clash at the WTA 1000 claycourt tournament.

The torch for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was lit in ancient Olympia

The Spaniard needed less than 90 minutes to dispatch the 23rd seed from Italy