Locked in a battle for the year-end No. 1 ranking, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal moved to within a win of a colossal final showing Sunday in the Paris Masters.

Djokovic, who’s behind Nadal in the 2019 points race, destroyed Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-1, 6-2, avenging a loss to the Greek last month.

“I played one of the best matches of the season. I prepared myself very well for this match,” Djokovic said …

The round robin of the Red Group concluded Thursday at the WTA Finals in Shenzhen with Ash Barty and Belinda Bencic advanced to this weekend’s semifinal stage.

Barty cruised past Petra Kvitova 6-4, 6-2.

“I was particularly happy with the way I was able to return tonight,” commented Barty. “I think Petra changed her serving spots to her usual kind of serving spots. I think she was trying to take a little …

The battle for No. 1 ramps up at the Paris Masters where Novak Djokovic is fighting hard to track down Rafael Nadal. But both advanced.

Djokovic overwhelmed Kyle Edmund 7-6(7), 6-1 for his 50th win of the year.

“I was feeling energy-wise better and felt more alert, just more strength, more energy, more speed. I didn’t play so well, I think, from baseline in the first set. I served well. That got …

Elina Svitolina continued her title defense notching her 7th straight win at the WTA Finals beating Simona Halep 7-5, 6-3 Wednesday in Shenzhen, China.

Halep had beaten Svitolina twice this year including the Wimbledon semifinals.

“I try to work every single point and start from the beginning just trying to take one point at a time,” she explained afterwards of this characteristic. “I don’t really think so much about if it’s good, …

In their battle for the year-end No. 1 ranking, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal moved into the third round at the Paris Masters on Wednesday.

The 4-time tournament champion Djokovic fought off an illness and a tough Corentin Moutet effort with a 7-6(2), 6-4 victory over the Frenchman. Moutet had two set points in the first with Djokovic serving 3-5.

“I didn’t feel health-wise 100% in the last couple of days, but …

Russian stars Karen Khachanov and Daniil Medvedev were causalities in their opening rounds at the prestigious Paris Masters Indoors.

Khachanov, the defending champion, was ousted by 29-year-old German Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-5.

The win was Struff’s seventh Top 10 victory of his career, and set him up for a showdown with Matteo Berrettini.

Medvedev had been the hottest guy the last half of the year, but the winner of the last two …

On a day of surprises at the WTA Finals in Shenzhen, the biggest one was former No. 1 Naomi Osaka withdrawing from the event due to a right shoulder issue. She also was unable to finish the tournament last year.

“It’s not ideal. This is the second time I had to withdraw from the Finals,””Osaka told the crown. “I mean, the last time I at least played, so a retirement instead …

Roger Federer announced today that he withdrew from this week’s Paris Masters. The 38-year-old who just won his 10th Basel title Sunday, will look ahead to returned to the Paris for the French Open next May!

“I am extremely disappointed to have to pull out,” Federer said. “I want to play as long as possible on the ATP Tour. I’m sorry for my French fans who I’ll see at Roland Garros …

In the marquee match of the WTA Finals round robin, Simona Halep outlasted Bianca Andreescu 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-3 in a thriller Monday in Shenzhen.

In this first meeting between the last two Slam winners, the youngster Andreescu held a match point on Halep’s serve at 6-5 in the second.

“It’s been a great match both sides, in my opinion. She did great this year. Winning so many tournaments gave her a lot …

Winners of the first two Slams of the season were also the first two winners at the WTA Finals played in Shenzhen this week.

Naomi Osaka opened the year-end event with a tough 3-set win over Petra Kvitova 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-4. Osaka, who began the year with the Australian Open title over the Czech, broke Kvitova twice in the third and then held on.

“I’m not great at first rounds,” said Osaka …

As of now, all of the Big 3 – Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer – are in a loaded Paris event which begins Monday.

Following an extensive break, Nadal returns to play for the first time in tournament play since a his epic US Open title over Daniil Medvedev. And his first event as a married man!

Carlos Moya discussed Nadal’s rest period.

“It’s strange because Rafa rested for a …

For the WTA players who fell short of qualifying for the Finals in Shenzhen, there was the Elite Trophy event in Zhuhai, China, which went to Aryna Sabalenka who beat Kiki Bertens 6-4, 6-2 in the title match.

Sabalenka now has five career titles with the last four coming in China!

“For the next season I would like to win somewhere else instead of China,” she joked in her post-match press conference. …

Dominic Thiem collected his first career title in Vienna Sunday coming from a set down to deny Diego Schwartzman 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

The title was Thiem’s tour-leading 5th of the season and second in Austria after Kitzhubel over the summer.

“It’s been an unbelievable year for me in Austria, to win titles in Kitzbuhel and now here in Vienna,” said Thiem who in 9-0 in his home country. “I have had …

Roger Federer crushed Alex De Minaur 6-2, 6-2 Sunday for his 10th career title at his home event in Basel. That ties him with his Halle haul for most at any single event for the Swiss who first played the tournament 21 years ago in 1998 when, as a wildcard, he lost to Andre Agassi.

“It was fast but very nice. I think I played a great match. It was a …

Dominic Thiem advanced to his home event final Saturday in Vienna beating US Open semifinalist Matteo Berrettini 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

“I never experienced such a great atmosphere here,” said Thiem who is a perfect 8-0 in Austria this season. “It was full from the first point on. Such a loud atmosphere as well. It was perfect to play in and the match was on a very high level from the first …