Roger Federer deserves fairytale return to World No.1

Federer lifted his hometown Basle trophy (©GettyImages).

Roger Federer never ceases to amaze when it comes to tennis; he proves that you can never keep a great man down for long.

Just a year ago, things looked less than rosy for the sport's most successful ever man. Only one title was won in Halle, as such the elusive Grand Slam no.18 remained exactly that, and the emergence of Stanislas Wawrinka was leaving people in doubt as to whether Federer was the best Swiss player anymore, let alone the world. 

It wasn't just a loss of form that was thought to be restricting the former world no.1, a decline bought about by the fearsome thirties looked to be irreversible. Tennis careers are short after all.

APOLOGY

I'll shamefully come clean and admit that earlier this year I believed Federer should have hung his racquet up. I thought we had already seen his best and that his form would only get worse with age and ruin his reputation.

How wrong was I though? - His comeback, of sorts, means he still has the potential to win that no.18 and can still officially be the world's best just one more time before calling a halt to proceedings. Indeed there is a chance that the latter could become so in the not too distant future.

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A stunning second-half to 2014 means that the 33-year-old can still overhaul new father Novak Djokovic as the world no.1 tennis player.

RANKING BATTLE

While the Serb has been adjusting to life with his first child, a newborn baby boy called Stefan, Federer has continued his great form with back-to-back titles in Shanghai and a personally-satisfying hometown triumph in Basle. 

With just the Paris Masters and ATP World Tour Finals left on the tennis calendar for the year, the Swiss veteran can potentially pick-up enough points to down Djokovic. 

I'm not too sure that many people would begrudge him of that mantle either.

Even if you're not a hardcore supporter of Federer, he just has that amazing likability factor. He seems like such a cool yet gracious guy, the sort you'd love to have as a best mate. 

FAIRYTALE

The Wimbledon final this summer was a strange one. I think most of the tennis world would have secretly loved to have seen Federer finally get to number 18, but Djokovic displayed his unbeatable best in a five-set classic. The amazing outpour of effort from Federer, six years his opponent's senior, came to nothing, sadly. 

It might not be the ultimate vindication for SW19 heartbreak, but how great would it be for Federer and his own growing family to tuck into their Christmas Turkey with good old Roger as the world's best once again. 

One would suspect that he's at an age where he'll probably appreciate the sentiment a lot more than the last time he was no.1, almost two years ago to the day, especially when you consider he's stooped as low as eighth in that time. 

I'm not trying to belittle Djokovic in any way at all, he too has had a wonderful year, aside from a few disappointments in the latter stages of the US and French Open, but come on Novak; you've got plenty of time to dominate once Federer goes, let him have one last go at the top! 

Of course Federer will have to earn it, and lets hope they have some more epic battles in Paris and London before the year is out. 

Andy Murray: ATP Finals progress papers over cracks

Robredo wasn't impressed with Murray's grit and resolve (©GettyImages).

It's almost job done for Andy Murray in his exhausting and determined pursuit to reach the ATP World Tour Finals, a final win over Tommy Robredo in the Valencia Open - his second title in as many weeks - means it would take a mini disaster in this week's Paris Masters to deny the British no.1 of a spot in London. 

It marks a stark contrast from Murray's downbeat attitude at the beginning of the month; facing an unlikely battle to get the season-ending tournament, the 27-year-old claimed the Finals weren't top of his priorities. 

Race

However, when kicking off his Autumn of discontent with a first title in over a year at the Shenzhen Open, Murray has built up momentum by playing six tournaments in six weeks (the last coming this week in France) to put himself fifth in the Race for London and on the cusp of finishing in one of the eight qualifying spots.

Few can now doubt his stamina, resilience and determination and, therefore, more than a few can take his previous comments about the Finals with a pinch of salt.

One person who would definitely agree with those sentiments is Robredo. The Spaniard has come a cropper against Murray's apparent revival in two instances recently. Their marathon Valencia final almost mirrored a similarly tough battle in Shenzhen.

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Swearing win

Both times Murray saved five match points to go on and lift the two trophies and Robredo was visibly aghast at his opponent's refusal to lose as he 'gave the fingers' to the former world no.3. 

With the maths much simpler now; Murray can secure his berth at the Finals next month with a quarter-final showing, as a minimum, this week in the French capital.

To many it may now appear as though the two-time Grand Slam champion has his mojo back after a stunningly difficult 12 months or so, don't count on it just yet though.

All is well?

Murray's struggles can be categorised by his failure to beat the world's current elite. Before the US Open, for example, he hadn't beaten a single player ranked in the world's top ten in 2014, a run he did end in the last 16 in New York by beating no.10 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

So what of his 'resurgence' since Flushing Meadows? 

Although beating him twice, David Ferrer - who hasn't set the world alight this year either - remains the only person in the top ten to be downed by Murray, apart from shock US Open winner Marin Cilic who has spent most the year outside the top bracket. 

Novak Djokovic and Ferrer (they seem to play each other a lot at the moment) have still eased to wins over the Scottish-born star. 

Tougher challenges

Murray can enjoy wins over the lower-ranked stars all he likes in 250 and 500 ranking point events, but what about the 1000s, Grand Slams and even the upcoming Finals. To win these, he must show an ability to beat the best and we simply haven't seen that yet. 

To put it in football terms; does Celtic winning the Scottish League every season in the absence of Rangers mean they're a great team...?

I wouldn't want this article to make me seem like one of the typical anti-Murray doom merchants; as a British tennis fan I would be delighted to see the 2013 Wimbledon winner do well at the O2 Arena, but the hard facts make that feat seem unlikely still.  

That being said, however, if Murray can show the same amazing levels of defiance as seen recently then he has a chance, if, of course, fatigue doesn't catch up. 

The week-long break Murray will get between Paris and London will feel like a lifetime after such an arduous schedule. Maybe his recent prize money glut will afford him some time on the beach, unless his coach Amelie Mauresmo deems it counter-productive for the new found momentum. 

There are so many intriguing questions yet to be answered by the new Andy Murray, thankfully it won't be too long until all is resolved and we can enjoy Christmas and look ahead to the 2015 season. 

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova: Home win is a 'dream come true'

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (©GettyImages).

On the back of her season ending victory at the Kremlin Cup, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova exclusively told GiveMeSport about the difficulty of the final and her emotions about the home win.

The Russian saw off Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu 6-4 5-7 6-1 in the final of the tournament in front of her home crowd in Moscow to claim her seventh career title.

The 23-year-old came through the three set final in two hours 28 minutes, and was showing signs of fatigue after losing the second set to Begu.

"I'm so happy and proud of winning it in front of my home crowd, friends and family," she said.

"It was tough mentally and physically. It hasn't been an easy year for me, but I did it! I think I'm the first russian to do it since 2007.

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"I was extremely tired, but calm at the same time. I knew it was the last set of this season and I just knew I've had to give my all and play my aggressive tennis from the first point to the last!"

"So I just focused on myself [in the final set] as I was a bit more emotional in the second set and wasn't thinking about what I was doing."

Pavlyuchenkova took a swift 5-0 lead in the last, eventually coming out a 6-1 winner to claim her second title of the campaign and follow in the footsteps of previous Russian Kremlin Cup winners Anastasia Myskina, Anna Chekvetadze and Elena Dementieva, to which she added:

"That's... Wow! It's like a dream come true! I have been following that tournament since I was very little. Its not an easy tournament to play for a Russian player."

Pavlyuchenkova now begins her pre season preparations in an attempt to be ready for the Australian Open in January.

Five British male tennis talents

British Number 1, Murray, in action in Shanghai (©GettyImages).

We all heard of Andy Murray, the first British man to win Wimbledon for 77 years, hailing from the small Scottish town of Dunblane. But aside from him, what other male talents can British tennis boast about?

Here are five to keep an eye on...

1. James Ward

Probably the most well known of the 5, hailing from London, Ward is currently at a career high 110 in the world following some promising victories against higher ranked opponents.

Regarded by many tennis fans as the most likely to crack the top 100, the 27-year-old has excelled most in the Davis Cup and helped GB to a historic win over the US earlier this year. This was in no small part down to Ward who beat the former world number 17 Sam Querrey in a five set thriller.

2. Dan Evans

Seen as a wasted talent by several observers, the party loving Brummie had an excellent 2013 where he reached the 3rd round at the US Open beating the current world number 6 Kei Nishikori along the way, he followed this up in early 2014 by reaching the semi-final of the Zagreb Open.

But since then Evans has fallen from his career high ranking of 123 earlier in the year to his current ranking of 281 and has not played a tournament since exiting the US Open qualifiers back in August. 

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3. Kyle Edmund

Without a doubt Britain's biggest Tennis hope, the 19-year-old born in Johannesburg has had an excellent year in which he has climbed over 150 places in the world rankings to just outside the top 200. Many in the know have tipped Edmund to enter the worlds top 50 in the coming years and looks most likely to be Andy Murray's successor.

4. Liam Broady

The world number 266 from Stockport is another of GB's young tennis stars having risen over 200 places in the world rankings since the beginning of the year after a series of tournament wins in the US, Broady who is the brother of GB's womens number 3 Naomi Broady, who is another expected to crack the top 100.

5. Dan Cox

The diminutive Cox, who stands at 5' 7" tall, has had a mixed year. He reached a career high of 206 earlier in the year but following a poor run of form in the past few months, he currently stands at 323 in the world. 

Novak Djokovic at risk of losing form in fatherhood

Djokovic hasn't played since Shanghai (©GettyImages).

Novak Djokovic is a winner on-court and he'll no doubt be feeling like a winner off it as well, with the Serbian celebrating the birth of his first child; a baby boy called Stefan. 

The year hasn't finished yet, but what an eleven-months - more-or-less - it has been for Djokovic and his new family. 

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Personal joy

A summer marriage to his long-term sweetheart Jelena Ristic and now the birth of the couple's first child; it doesn't get much better for a normal family, let alone the Djokovics.

That's right, because while he gets his personal life in place, success in the day job hasn't ground to a halt for the seven-time Grand Slam champion either.

We hear and read endless amounts about this being tennis' golden generation with the likes of Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and even Andy Murray, all competing in their prime, and yes it's great.

Dominance 

However, the last couple of months have really seen Djokovic move a step ahead of the pack. He's won back the world no.1 tag and hasn't looked back since leapfrogging Nadal to the spot at Wimbledon.

It seems slightly strange therefore that he'll end 2014 with just (!) the one major title; at SW19. It didn't quite go right for Djokovic in the big moments of the other Slams when it looked like it could and should have. 

Almost needless to say, maybe, but Djokovic will look to turn dominance and favourable bookies' odds into more trophies in 2015, finally the elusive French Open?

Fumbled focus?

However, could there be a chance that the new father's focus will be rumbled by Stefan's birth? - Few could blame him if so, and recent history suggests it might well be a problem on-court.

Cast your mind back to the summer and the back-to-back Slams at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Djokovic was due to marry Ristic in the short break between the events but postponed the wedding at the last minute.

It wasn't because he had fallen out of love, or anything like that, it was so that he could focus on winning Wimbledon after his heartbreaking final loss in Paris to Nadal a week or so before. 

Zone

Clearly Djokovic is one of those people that has to be completely in the zone, and, evidently, his decision was vindicated as he defeated Federer in yet another Centre Court classic. 

The couple did of course get married after Wimbledon, but again, cast your mind back, in the weeks leading up to the US Open - his first action since the wedding - Djokovic really struggled to find form after the honeymoon period with his new wife. 

The season-end is drawing nearer and Djokovic will have some more time with baby Stefan and his wife, so imagine how much tougher it'll be for him when the tennis world reunites for the start of the 2015 season in Australia of all places. 

Challenge

One would suspect it'll be a difficult time for Djokovic, it's not as if he can postpone his feelings for his child, it'll constantly be at the back of his mind. How will that zone be compromised, that is a question with a very intriguing, and as yet unknown answer. 

Maybe he can tap into Federer's pool of experience. The 33-year-old has been able to combine the rigours of top-class tennis with fatherhood, he's had two sets of twins to deal with as well!

I'm sure the advice most pursued by Djokovic will be the best way to deal with sleepless nights; who knows, maybe Roger is just an unflappable freak of nature, it has certainly seemed that way sometimes in his career. 

Serena Williams suffers humiliating defeat to Simona Halep

Serena Williams (©GettyImages).

18-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams was humbled by Simona Halep on Wednesday night, as she succumbed to a 6-0 6-2 humiliation to the Romanian on Singapore's purple indoor hard court.

Williams now sits second in Group A of the WTA Championships, and is pushed for her place in the semi-finals as Anna Ivanovic secured a crucial victory over Eugene Bouchard.

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The defeat was Williams' biggest loss since 1998, when she lost 6-1 6-1 to Joannette Kruger in the quarter-finals at Oklahoma City.

Williams, by her own admission, was absolutely horrendous on the night. The world number one claims she was not 100% going into the match, but took nothing away from the performance of her opponent.

“I’m definitely not 100% okay. I’m just here playing, but I’m not nowhere near 100%,” she told reporters.

“That has nothing to do with today’s match. I think Simona played really well and the best match of her career. To be quite frankly honest, I’m looking forward to our next meeting because she is making me going to go home and work hard and particularly train for her.”

65-minute disappointment

Williams was on and off the court in a mere 65 minutes, and was extremely critical of her game in the post-match interview.

“Yeah, my forehand was off today again. I guess it went on an early vacation,” the American added. “Lord knows my serve was as well. My serve, I don’t even know.

"My serve was at best in the 10 and under division in juniors. It was actually embarrassing I think describes the way I played. Yeah, very embarrassing.“

“I’m obviously frustrated and I wanted to do better. I wanted to win more than two games. I was trying for three. At one point I was like, If I can just get three games. But that didn’t work out for me. But it’s okay. You know, things are going and I’m still going to come back and I’m going to be better.”

Williams takes on Bouchard later this week as she hopes to bounce back from the disappointment of last night with a semi-final spot hanging in the balance.

Bouchard is still looking for her first win of the championships, and the Canadian will be hoping she can beat her rival and get back to winning ways.

Andy Murray ready to fight in Valencia

Murray (©GettyImages).

Andy Murray is looking to build on his Vienna triumph when he arrives in Valencia later this week, where he will be hoping to secure a spot at the O2 for the ATP World Tour Finals.

Murray beat Ferrer in the final of last week's Vienna open meaning he overtook the Spaniard in the race to London, yet Ferrer still remains only 100 points behind the Scot.

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Tomas Berdych cemented his seventh place in the finals as he beat Grigor Dimitrov in Stockholm, leaving fewer spots to fight for in London.

Murray finds himself in an unusual situation, having qualified with ease in recent years, but injury has plagued his last year, leaving him having to fight his way into the top eight.

Murray in confident mood

"For the last few years I've managed to qualify for it [World Tour Finals] without having to play every week at the end of the year," he said after his win in Vienna.

"It's a different challenge and it's going to be interesting. There's no guarantee so i'll need to win more matches over the next few weeks, but i've given myself a good chance by winning here."

Swiss Indoor Championship

While Murray is competing in the Valencia Open, some of his competitors on the tour will be in Basle playing in the Swiss Indoor Championship.

The Scot is seeded 3rd in Spain, with rivals Ferrer and Berdych seeded 1st and 2nd respectively.

Other competitors Milos Raonic and Grigor Dimitrov, who are respectively ranked 10th and 11th on the tour, will be competing in Basle, where home favourite Roger Federer is the top seed.

Can Murray hold off the threat from Ferrer in the Spaniard's home country to prevent the 32-year-old from gaining the all coveted eighth spot?

Andy Murray regains some popularity after a busy weekend

Murray in action (©GettyImages).

The Murray family have certainly had a busier weekend than most, but as the saying goes - there's no rest for the wicked.

Drop shots, dancing and directing; not usually things you would imagine combining on an autumnal October weekend, but Andy Murray and his mother Judy have dominated the nation's television sets. 

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Revival

It marks a drastic upturn in the family's popularity, one would imagine, after a difficult couple of weeks.

The Scottish referendum controversy... it all seems to have been a distant memory. Some may have forecast that Andy had suffered irreparable damage to his image after tweeting in favour of the devolution of Scotland from the United Kingdom, but the fall hasn't necessarily materialised - bravo to his advisers!

Instead, the two-time Grand Slam champion has given his time, ego and support to a worthy cause for charity, as well as proving he's not quite ready for a career of future mediocrity on-court. Perhaps even more surprising is that his mum continues to survive on Strictly Come Dancing.

Charity work

Firstly, and most importantly, Murray proved his ability to be a good sport for Channel 4's charity television event, 'Stand Up To Cancer', on Friday night.

The 27-year-old, with the help of comedian Richard Ayoade, was casting for a fictitious movie about the British tennis star.

The likes of Michael Sheen, Pharrell Williams, Ed Sheeran, Tim Henman, Terry Wogan and Noel Fielding all auditioned for the lead role to play Andy Murray himself.

The British no.1 was on the receiving end of from banter by Cesc Fabregas who declared his compatriot Rafael Nadal, rather than Murray, as the greatest player of his generation. Rory McIlroy also criticised the Scot, while Ayoade had plenty of digs at the 2013 Wimbledon champion.

Nonetheless, Britney Spears wanted to be his girlfriend... happy days.

Strictly 

One evening after Andy's film directing job ended, Judy was back trying to dance, albeit unsuccessfully, on popular BBC show Strictly.

The tennis coach's pre-dance video-tape featured both her sons Jamie and Andy, although the latter was unimpressed at his mother's intentions as she revealed the tango due to be performed was sexy and sensual. 

Also unimpressed was judge Craig Revell-Horwood who claimed Judy had the expression of somebody who had been lobotomized. Needless to say the 55-year-old was again near the bottom of the scoreboard before she was saved yet again by the voting public. 

Vienna vindication 

Judy revealed her sons should now be able to support her at the live shows after surviving this week, and Andy will no doubt be waltzing his way back to England after winning the Austrian Open.

Ironically enough, Murray is in his own competition; to compete in the ATP World Tour Finals in London next month, and his final win over David Ferrer certainly put him on-course to qualify in one of the eight spots.

Ferrer, a direct competitor for one of the spots, was downed by Murray in three sets as the Briton finally moved into the top eight of the 2014 rankings with his second title of the year. 

The world no.11 has had an awfully tough year but a new lease of momentum, and support from those he nearly alienated, could well see him end things on a high, even if Judy doesn't!

Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka keep rare art form alive

A seemingly mystical stroke (©GettyImages).

At last year’s Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, both Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka were beaten in the semi-finals by Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, their double-handed counterparts.

This resulted in many predicting a double-handed 2014 whitewash at the Grand Slams in 2014. But the Australian Open Final result proved that the single hand backhand is still alive and kicking.

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Wawrinka success

Thankfully, Wawrinka the Australian open champion has qualified for the World Tour Finals for the second time. He joins his compatriot and Davis Cup team mate Roger Federer who has also qualified for the event earlier this year.

The Swiss number one and two possess the world’s best single handed backhands and tennis fans at the O2 arena in London will be treated to the rarest shots on the tour.

Effortless

Seeing the elegance of their foot work, timing and pure brutality by which they make contact with the ball is worth all the money in the world. In full motion and under  pressure in matches, they hit this shot so effortlessly that they deserve to be considered master craftsman.

Just to prove how rare one handed backhands are, unless Grigor Dimitrov from Bulgaria ranked number 10 qualifies for the finals at the O2 arena, only two of the top eight players in the world play one handed backhands.

Concern

The only other tennis player in the top 20 to play one handed backhands is the Spaniard Feliciano Lopez who is ranked No.14 in the world.

On the WTA tour there are even less women hitting the one handed backhand. Francesca Schiavone, Roberta Vinci and Carla Suarez Navarro are the only women in the top one hundred to still hit this beautiful yet seemingly mystical stroke.

Roger Federer is the Manchester United of tennis

Federer displays his skills (©GettyImages).

The Premier League is back this weekend after a short holiday as the international window took the limelight.

Coincidentally, however, the return of the England's top flight ties in with the business end of the tennis season. Only a handful of events remain before the year's conclusion at the ATP Tour Finals next month in London - no doubt the tennis giants will pop into a stadium while they're in town.

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Furthermore, the women's campaign is due to end even sooner, as the likes of Maria Sharapova and co prepare for the WTA Finals in Singapore.

So why not celebrate the relationship between tennis and football?

I'm not talking about Ana Ivanovic and Bastian Schweinsteiger, but the stars of each sport are no strangers to watching their fellow athletes compete.

Just as a bit of fun, I have decided to see which tennis players match up with English football clubs. There's even a final league table at the end.

I hope you enjoy, and as always - feel free to comment below on whether you think the choices are right or wrong.

Click 'BEGIN SLIDESHOW' to see the selections.

Novak Djokovic should go unchallenged for season's remainder

Djokovic has little to fear (©GettyImages).

Novak Djokovic may have been disappointed to come away from Shanghai empty-handed, but the Serbian star should put everything into perspective and realise that he is on course for a stunning end to the season.

In a little over a month, the tennis world will finally get the opportunity to down tools for a while and enjoy their little respite over the winter. The top players needn't feel the cold either, they'll have plenty of funds left to jet-off to more exotic places than Europe. 

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Winter warmer

Djokovic has more to look forward to than most on a personal level. He and his wife Jelena Ristic announced that they were expecting their first child back in April. By my maths and knowledge of the human pregnancy cycle (both probably shoddy), the couple will be hearing the pitter-patter of tiny feet anytime before Christmas, the due date remains unknown. 

Fans of the world no.1 will hope that baby Djokovic will stay comfortable in the womb until after their hero has ended his tennis schedule for the year. If that is the case, then the 27-year-old should have more than one reason to be happy. If current form continues, Djokovic will be unstoppable.

I can hear some of saying; "but what about Roger Federer, what about Rafael Nadal?"

Federer challenge?

True, Federer rolled back the years and played some of his most beautiful tennis at Shanghai, but the differing circumstances should make it tougher for the 33-year-old. 

The 17-time Grand Slam champion embarked upon the Asian swing later than Djokovic and others, he had already qualified for the ATP Tour Finals, who can blame him? There's a strong possibility that the break worked wonders and revitalised him, but getting some rest might not be so easy until the season ends. 

Federer is due to play an indoor competition in his hometown of Basle, and assuming the Swiss legend can challenge for a sixth title, he will then have to move straight onto the Paris Masters which finish just a week before the Finals. 

Stamina tests

His form of the last few years in the Grand Slams, which of course have a heavier workload over a short time frame, has been good, generally, until the latter stages when the fatigue must set in just in time to play the likes of Djokovic and Nadal. 

This year's record: two semi-final losses and one final defeat, it's not just a coincidence. The Finals will be tough for Federer; constantly playing great players without a great break beforehand.

Djokovic has to be the favourite, some of his tennis is in another league at the moment and his amazing ability to persevere in tough situations will be perfect in London's O2 Arena.

Free run

You cannot usually discount Nadal, but the Spaniard's injury troubles over the last few months mean that Djokovic's great rival will struggle to sustain the levels of brilliance we all know that he is capable of, if indeed he overcomes appendicitis in time anyway. 

As for the others looking to qualify in one of the eight spots, the 'Race for London' - as the ATP like to market it as - means constant, unrelenting tennis. Take Andy Murray for example, when the Paris Masters finish he will have played six tournaments in as many weeks. Hardly ideal preparation. 

Top-level sport can be unpredictable, but Djokovic, it seems, would have to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in order to for him to be a grumpy dad when his first child is born. 

Ana Ivanovic dating rumours with Bastian Schweinsteiger resurface

Schweinsteiger has been dating Ana Ivanovic (©GettyImages).

Ana Ivanovic works in a world where aces are wholly necessary, and the Serbian beauty is clearly looking for another off-court ace after being spotted with Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.

It's always an exciting time when sports stars are rumoured to be romantically-involved, and an Ivanovic/Schweinsteiger relationship would certainly send tongues wagging. 

Imagine how talented their children would be... I guess before getting too excited and ahead of the game, it should be noted that the pair are unlikely to declare their undying love for one another just yet. 

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Dating?

Popular German newspaper 'Bild' ran a headline, conveyed by British media sources, that indicated Schweinsteiger traveled to Ivanovic's home city of Belgarde for a 'secret date' recently. 

The same newspaper seem to be keen on following their World Cup winner's potential love life with the former world no.1 tennis star, they also ran a front page story of the pair holding hands in New York back around the time of the US Open. 

Ivanovic herself has fueled rumours of a partnership in the past. Remember the ice bucket challenge? Well, the 26-year-old nominated Schweinsteiger alongside Roger Federer and Serena Williams in her own video dare for charity. 

Perhaps this latest alleged date came after the 30-year-old German international picked up last week's copy of American fashion magazine 'Bella'; unlikely that he purchased it I know, but he must have heard about it. 

'Bella'

Ivanovic was at her glamorous best in the magazine as she posed for a number of shots in various different outfits, no doubt to the delight of her fans.

She even fielded some questions about her love life in Bella. Without giving too much away - there was no mention of Schweinsteiger - the 2008 French Open champion claimed that while dating as a well-traveled tennis star is tough, she is still looking for a companion.

"I would say, yes - there is always time, if you meet the right person," she said of meeting her perfect man.

"One of the downsides of the job is that I am travelling so much, and I don't have so much time to go out and socialise, as people who have a more traditional job might do, so it's hard.

"I don't meet too many guys."

Future chances?

That last line may well be a boost for Schweinsteiger, and perhaps he should thinking about making some more trips to Belgrade especially considering he remains sidelined due to injury.

There will possibly never be a better opportunity for the midfield maestro. The tennis season is drawing to a close which means Ivanovic and co will benefit from a break in that restrictive travelling. 

The world no.8 was forced to withdraw from a recent tournament but will hope to be fighting fight in time for the upcoming WTA Tour Finals in Singapore. 

Serena Williams should consider retirement from tennis

Serena has won it all. (©GettyImages).

Serena Williams has again created history this week for her own bulging chapter in tennis' book of legends by celebrating her 210th week as world no.1. 

The achievement, which takes into account weeks combined over the course of a career, means that the American has surpassed 34-year-old Martina Hingis - who came out of retirement last year to play doubles only - to go fourth in the all-time list. 

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World no.1

Getting to the top may be a step too far, however. It would take the 33-year-old another 167 weeks as world no.1 to dislodge Steffi Graf from that position.

Don't get me wrong, anything is possible with Serena - the younger of the Grand Slam winning Williams sisters, alongside Venus - such is her quality and, to be honest, lack of consistent challengers at the top of women's tennis, but, nonetheless, it's an unlikely feat.

So with that accolade looking out of reach, what else does Serena have left to play for?

Certainly not major trophies: 18 Grand Slam singles titles, 13 Grand Slam doubles titles (with Venus) and one mixed doubles Grand Slam title - that makes, if my maths are correct, an astonishing 32 Grand Slam titles in total... oh, and by the way, let's also mention the four Olympic Gold medals just for good measure. 

Trophies galore 

She's won everything you could ever dream of winning at every tournament you could dream of winning. 

Obviously sports stars want to be remembered as the very best. You need an ego to reach the top and continued success can massage those whims, so surely it could hurt if you start a decline. 

Look at some of the greatest athletes from around the world, sometimes a few can be guilty of carrying on too long. You'd suspect Williams' rival Li Na didn't end her career in the way she might have dreamed of. Going out on a high has to be the ultimate, doesn't it?

Look at the recent football World Cup as an example. Germany finally ended a hoodoo, stretching back many years - not as bad as England's - to lift the sport's biggest prize in Brazil this summer. It provided the catalyst for captain Philipp  Lahm, the World Cup's most prolific goal scorer Miroslav Klose and Per Mertesacker to bow out of international football on a high. Their last memory was one of glory. 

Go out on a high

Back to tennis, and don't think for one minute that I'm saying Serena Williams isn't able to win Grand Slams anymore, look at how easily she won the US Open last month, but recent signs suggest that stage of decline could come in the not-so distant future.

Injuries and illness have effected the world no.1 throughout this year, contributing to disappointing showings at all the majors apart from Flushing Meadows. As Serena dips further into her thirties, such issues are only likely to become more commonplace one would expect.

Not now, but maybe soon, Serena should have some reflection and maybe question why she continues to put herself under strain.  

She's won it all, achieved everything possible, secured her place in tennis' history books. Treat yourself to retired life, why not? 

Roger Federer schedule won't change before ATP World Tour Finals

Federer beat Gilles Simon to win the Shanghai Masters on Sunday (©GettyImages).

Roger Federer has played down his chances of finishing 2014 as the world number one, and will not increase his schedule to achieve that target.

The Swiss has moved up one position to second in the ATP world rankings, after winning his second consecutive ATP Masters 1000 Series title in Shanghai on Sunday, beating France’s Gilles Simon 7-6, 7-6 to win his fourth singles title of the year.

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Rankings rise

Having started 2014 at sixth in the rankings, it is a sign of the progress that the 33-year-old has made this year under new coach Stefan Edberg, who guided him to his first Grand Slam final in two years at Wimbledon last July, where he was beaten in five sets by Serbian Novak Djokovic.

Djokovic is now the only man ahead of the 17-time major winner, and there is a chance that he could return to the number one position for the first time since 2012.

No schedule amendements

But the Basel-born player is reluctant to change his schedule, which involves playing his final three tournaments of the year at the Swiss Indoors in Basel and the Paris Masters in October, followed by the ATP World Tour Finals in London in November.

Federer said after beating Simon: “I'm not even going to change my schedule because of it. I haven't thought about it, to be quite honest.

"What does it need for world number one? I'm not quite sure. I need to look into that, how realistic it is or not.

"I mean, it's in Novak's racquet. He dictates. But nevertheless, I'm still going to be playing and hopefully playing well again."

What can change?

There are a potential 3000 points left for Federer to play for, and he currently trails Djokovic by over 2000 points, meaning that there is an unlikely, but small chance that he could usurp the Wimbledon champion by the end of the year.

Federer has 1060 points to defend going into the last three tournaments, as he reached the final in Basel in 2013, where he lost to Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina, before being knocked out in the semi-finals in Paris and London respectively.

After passing Spaniard Rafael Nadal into second place in the rankings, who was knocked out in the second round in Shanghai by compatriot Feliciano Lopez, the momentum could be with Federer, after he beat Djokovic in the semi-finals 6-4, 6-4 last Saturday.

Despite his rise in the rankings this year, Federer is still searching for his 18th Grand Slam title, with his last coming at Wimbledon in 2012, where he beat Britain’s Andy Murray in the final.

He reached the semi-finals of both hard court majors at the Australian Open in January and the US Open in August, being beaten by Nadal and eventual champion Marin Cilic on those two occasions, and he was knocked out in the fourth round of the French Open by Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis in May.

Roger Federer shows class is permanent with Shanghai Masters victory

Federer held the trophy aloft. (©GettyImages).

Roger Federer is 33-years-old and the legend of tennis is undeniably strolling, albeit slowly, down the path to retirement, but he's proved this week that you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Actually, scratch that, Federer has proved that an old dog can still do the same tricks he did when he was younger.

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The 17-time Grand Slam champion has delighted his fans and sporting stars this week while leaving his opponents bewildered. A stunning week in China ended in glory too, Gilles Simon was dispatched in straight-sets in the final.

Shanghai crown

Beating Simon, even though it was the final, wasn't even the best achievement of the week. Aside from saving five-match points with an unmistakeable show of grit in round one, a huge morale boosting victory over Novak Djokovic, who is in a whole different league at the moment, will undoubtedly be Federer's sweetest moment to saviour.

Unsurprisingly, and deservedly, the Basle-born star was over the moon after lifting the title: "I think it's been an unbelievable week for me personally. I got very, very lucky to come through the first round (Federer played, against Leonardo Maer), saving five match points so I know what a privilege it is to be here today.

"So I couldn't be more happy, it's been an absolute dream week for me. But I'd also like to congratulate Gilles of course for fantastic playing, not just in the finals but for the entire week and I hope you can keep it up for the rest of the year."

Vintage

Watching him live this week, you could be forgiven for thinking you had accidentally tuned into a sports highlights archive; showing his best matches from five years ago. Make no mistake though, this is what he can still do in a Masters tournament.

The facts remain that the Swiss legend is without a Grand Slam title in over two years, however. 

So why is that no.18 remaining so elusive?

A big difference has to be the format. Majors last two weeks and are the best of five sets. Federer needed to play just ten sets in a week in Shanghai. At the Australian Open, which is the next Grand Slam, he may have to play that amount in two games. 

Changes

It's a huge difference, especially for a 33-year-old. It wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't playing in the golden age of tennis, but the likes of Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are like unstoppable machines once they get going.

Another huge aid to Federer this week was the break he allowed himself before embarking onto the later stages of the Asian swing.

He's already qualified for the ATP World Tour Finals next month and had no title defences to worry about. While Djokovic and co were wearing themselves out at the China Open, Federer could put his feet up with a nicely chilled beer (he seems like that kinda guy.)

That's the difference at the moment. The veteran needs his rest. Perhaps in future, to save himself from burnout, he shouldn't play as much tennis in the run-up to Grand Slam events.  

Less is more, so the saying goes.

Roger Federer & Novak Djokovic impress AC MIlan legends

Federer has been in fine form (©GettyImages).

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic remain on-course to triumph at the Shanghai Masters this week, and their respective campaigns have been boosted by stars from another sport who certainly know what it's like to win big.

Celebrities from around the world are often attracted by the glitz and glamour of the most prestigious ATP World Tour events, and that is certainly the case in China as former members of the AC Milan football team showed their faces. 

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Famous faces

Former Chelsea flop Andrei Shevchenko - perhaps more fondly know as a legend for Milan and his native Ukraine - was in attendance alongside his former captain Paolo Maldini, the Italian who made just shy of 800 appearances for club and country.

The duo were spotted in the crowd for Federer's third round domination of Spanish player Roberto Bautista Agu and were left to applaud one particular moment of sheer brilliance from tennis' most successful-ever patron.

The 33-year-old was already a set to the good, and a break-up in the second when he nonchalantly sliced and lobbed the 14th seed from his backhand, seemingly without even looking, before going on to win the point and, eventually, the match.

Appreciation 

Shevchenko and Maldini were caught on camera appreciating Federer's mastery. They themselves would be proud of that in the same way they would with a sweet-struck volley or goal-line clearance.

Fresh from seeing the 17-time Grand Slam champion strut his stuff, Shevchenko, Maldini and co then paid a visit to one of Federer's great rivals. With Rafael Nadal eliminated after suffering from appendicitis, Djokovic is expected to continue his great form - and he took some time to meet the footballing legends too.

In a series of tweets, the current world no.1 showed himself in pictures with the footballers. Franco Baresi, another World Cup winner, was also thanked for coming down to see the Serbian.

Shanghai domination

Djokovic is just two wins away from winning his third consecutive Shanghai title second trophy in as many weeks following the China Open in Beijing. The 27-year-old has just completed the straight sets victory of David Ferrer in the quarter-finals, the beaten Spaniard was responsible for Andy Murray's exit in round three.  

Aside from meeting AC Milan's high-profile alumni, Djokovic and Federer were both dwarfed by former Chinese basketball player Yao Ming. The 7'6" was pictured with the two tennis champions as he watched the action in Shanghai (from a bird's eye perspective no doubt).

Expect more famous names to take their place if Federer and Djokovic meet in Sunday's final. You wouldn't want to bet against it happening. 

Rafael Nadal falls to Feliciano Lopez in Shanghai

Nadal succumbs to another injury. (©GettyImages).

Rafael Nadal has crashed out of the Shanghai Masters second round after he was beaten by compatriot Feliciano Lopez on Wednesday.

Lopez secured the tie 6-3 7-6 (6) in 1 hour and 45 minutes to notch just his third win over the Mallorcan in 12 attempts and 11 years of playing against him.

Nadal dominated the early stages of the match, but Lopez dug his heels in to break the 14-time Grand Slam champion’s serve in the sixth game.

Eager to capitalise on his weary opponent, the World No. 21 settled to win 80% of his first serves and strike nine aces en route to claiming the opener.

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With the first set dead and buried, Nadal showed his trademark grit at the beginning of the second to win the opening three games.

But just when the 28-year-old had seemingly taken control, Lopez responded in kind to break back in the ninth game and eventually push the all-important set to 6-6.

The gulf in fitness between the pair became glaringly obvious in the tie-break as Lopez produced a catalogue of drop shots to exploit an uncharacteristically sluggish Nadal.

Although Nadal had a chance to take the set at 6-5, Lopez slammed the door shut and snatched the next three points on the trot to book a place in the last 16.

Lopez will play big-serving American John Isner in the third round.

Nadal battling appendicitis

Nadal’s place in the tournament was uncertain after he was diagnosed with appendicitis on Tuesday.

However, the combative World No. 2 elected to dose up on antibiotics and play through the pain against Lopez.

The Spaniard was clearly out of sorts for much of the encounter, but he did manage to produce a handful of typically brilliant moments.

During his first service game, Nadal whipped a stinging down the line forehand winner from inside the tramlines after Lopez looked to have stretched him out of the point.

Surgery

Nadal, who revealed he is likely to undergo surgery at the end of the year, was gracious in defeat and played down the severity of his latest health issue.

"For sure [I don't feel] perfect. It's the same way that I felt before. A little bit more dizzy now. But that's it. Nothing that I have to worry about,” Nadal said.

“When you lose a match, it is not the moment to talk about obvious things. I lost. Feli played better than me.”

Fight for No. 2

Nadal’s early exit from the Shanghai Masters could be a pivotal factor in deciding who takes the World No. 2 spot to the season-ending London O2 Masters in November.

With Nadal taking home just 45 points from this year’s event, his closest rival, Roger Federer has every chance of leapfrogging his rival into second place.

The Swiss currently holds 8,170 points, 285 behind Nadal, and needs to reach the last four to surpass him.

Rafael Nadal to play in Shanghai Masters despite new injury

Nadal will play-on (©GettyImages).

Rafael Nadal's frustrating second half to the year has worsened, with a new diagnosis of appendicitis. However, he isn't going to let the problem force him out of the Shanghai Masters.

The world no.2 has only just returned to action from the wrist injury sustained after Wimbledon that ensured he would miss his US Open title defence, and his new issue could halt his bid for momentum. 

A comeback tournament at last week's China Open in Beijing saw him eliminated in the quarter-finals by underdog Martin Klizan in three sets. The Spaniard then admitted, after the loss, that he believed he would find it difficult to compete with his other top competitors considering the lengthy lay-off from the sport. 

Appendicitis 

The Shanghai Masters offers the chance for the 28-year-old to recover some of his form, but preparations were thrown into doubt after falling ill.  

Despite rumours suggesting otherwise, the world no.2 has revealed that he won't let the problem get in the way of the latest tournament in the Asian swing. 

"I am not going to go for surgery. That's great news for me today," he told SkySports.

"That's why I'm here practising for 45 minutes, and trying to play tomorrow. But obviously I am not in my best condition."

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Lopez

Without the need for surgery, the former world no.1 will be free to face compatriot Feliciano Lopez in the second round after receiving a timely bye through the first.

Nadal also said that the chance of the condition getting worse were "very, very low," however it is something that he may need to look at when he returns home to Majorca after the conclusion of the Masters. The last thing he needs is to injure himself further before the ATP World Tour Finals next month. 

"My idea is take it out, but you can imagine that I didn't (think) much about that yet. I am here in Shanghai," he continued.

“I just want to try. Then when I go back home, I will talk about the situation with my doctor." 

Rivals

While it won't force him to withdraw, this is not the news that Nadal would have wanted coming into Shanghai. His task to win a first title in the city was already looking like a tough ask when you consider the form of great rival Novak Djokovic.

The pair didn't get to meet in Beijing and Djokovic duly strolled to glory in the capital for the fifth time in six years, without dropping a single set. Shanghai is another stronghold of the Serbian's as well, having won it for the last two years. 

Tennis fans would love to see another Djokovic/Nadal final; they haven't played since Rafa beat his rival to the Roland Garros crown. There's another player to be wary of though. Roger Federer didn't play the China Open but he will join the world no.1 and no.2 this week.

The three legends - with 38 Grand Slam titles between them - are the only players to qualify for the Tour Finals in London thus far. 

Fabio Fognini disgraces himself again at Shanghai Masters

Fognini lashes out (©GettyImages).

The volatile and unpredictable nature of Italian tennis star Fabio Fognini has been exposed yet again, this time at the Shanghai Masters.

The 27-year-old faced ATP Tour debutant Wang Chuhan in the first round of the tournament but was shocked in straight-sets 7-6 6-4 by the Chinese wildcard, and it drew an aggressive response. 

Clearly frustrated at losing to the world no.553, Fognini lashed out at his 22-year-old opponent by shoving him following the defeat. Needless to say that the crowd reacted angrily to the behaviour displayed against their local player.

Disgraced

Apparently an experienced player, Fognini - ranked 17th in the world - then embarrassed himself further as he issued an obscene gesture to the stands by sticking his middle finger up. 

Chuhan will now progress in Shanghai to face qualifier Malek Jaziri in the second round while tennis fans will be left to read about yet another moment of madness from Fognini on-court.

This isn't the first time, after all, that the former world no.13 has let himself down. For a player of immense talent, he continues to let poor behaviour cloud any potential progression as a player. 

He made it onto our recent list of 'Top 5 crazy tennis stars'!

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Past misdemeanour's 

Earlier this year Fognini was in trouble for threatening an umpire at the Madrid Open, in similar circumstances, following his loss by Ukraine's Alexandr Dolgopolov. 

A quick search of YouTube will find you multiple examples of Fognini losing his temper on-court with officials, opponents, fans - basically anybody who will listen. In contrast, if you type the names of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic or Rafel Nadal and the videos will be of great shots in major Grand Slam matches. 

One famous example came at Wimbledon in 2013, in which the fiery player had a tantrum in protest at a call from the umpire he didn't agree with. The umpire in question could only laugh as Fognini laid on the grass shouting. 

Potential

Put some of his aggression into his game, rather than attitude, and Fognini has the potential to be a great player. 

He's flirted with the top 10 of the world rankings and has threatened to reach the latter stages of the Grand Slams. A clay court specialist, Fognini reached the French Open quarter-finals in 2011 - his best finish at a major. He also got to round four at this year's Australian Open.

Inconsistency from the current world no.17 means he has no chance of reaching the ATP World Tour Finals in London next month, and perhaps that is a blessing for players and the crowd alike.

Roger Federer looking to dominate ATP World Tour Finals again

Federer's back in action (©GettyImages).

Roger Federer is set to return to action for the first time since playing his part in Switzerland's Davis Cup win, and he's ready for a strong conclusion to the season.

The 33-year-old joins the Asian Swing much later than some of his opponents, but is ready to make an impression at the Shanghai Masters, which has already begun, although Federer will benefit from a bye into round two.

A scrap has been in full flow between the players outside of the top five and around the top 10 as they battle to gain enough ranking points to feature at the ATP World Tour Finals in November.

Relaxed

However the Swiss legend - winner of 17 Grand Slam titles - qualified a while ago following an encouraging year, and he's had time to relax on holiday with his family. 

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have also been assured of their places at the season-ending Finals at London's O2 Arena for a comfortable amount of time, but they both returned at the China Open in a bid to gain momentum. 

Djokovic won the final in Beijing against Tomas Berdych while Nadal struggled on his return from a lengthy injury lay-off, Federer will now be hoping to provide competition for the pair in Shanghai. 

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Battle

He knows, however, that with so much at stake for his other opponents, it won't be an easy tournament: “Of course, the wish is to win the tournament here,” said Federer to the ATP website.

“I've never been able to win it other than the Masters Cup here, but never when it was a Masters 1000. That is the goal, no doubt about it. I feel my game is good enough now, but the field is very strong. Tough draws for all the top guys. A lot of guys are fighting to get into the race for the World Tour Finals in London, so there's a lot of pressure on many of the guys.

Nonetheless tennis' most successful ever star feels much better for his rest. Before playing for his country in the Davis Cup, Federer was shocked in the semi-finals of the US Open as his pursuit for major no.18 failed at the hands of eventual winner Marin Cilic. 

Confidence

“I think confidence is a big thing in tennis, and I have it now,” he continued. “Clearly there's a bit of a reset now, because after Davis Cup I needed a rest. I took a vacation. I practised hard to get back in shape. I have a good chance to do well here in Shanghai now because it's a one off event.”

The world no.3 may have the license to relax, for now, but Federer will no doubt be desperate to win the Tour Finals come November. 

“The World Tour Finals is huge for me, a big goal,” he insisted. “It's what I wanted to qualify for. It's where I've played so well in previous years. It’s always been a very special event for me throughout my career, ever since I qualified here [in Shanghai] in 2002 for the first time, I guess."

Tour Finals

Indeed Federer has a fine record in the finals even if Djokovic has had the upper hand in recent years.

The former world no.1 has won the Finals six times before, nobody has ever won it more times, with his last triumph coming in 2011. 

Current world no.1 Djokovic will be looking to cut the deficit whilst adding to his own haul of three titles, and the Serbian star is in fine fettle at the moment following his China Open title.  

Aside from Djokovic and Federer, Nadal is currently the only other man who has qualified - although the coming weeks should start to make the line-up clearer as the clock ticks...