New ITF chief David Haggerty revealed that he’s interested in the Davis Cup having a Final Four-type of format. The American Haggerty says it would be similar to the NCAA basketball’s wildly successful Final Four schedule in which the last four teams play the semifinals and the finals at a neutral site over the course of a week.

The earlier rounds would remain as is.

“In the final week, generally in …

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal moved within one match win of an opening week final in Doha. Earlier today, Djokovic overcame a break down in the second to turn away Leonardo Mayer 6-3, 7-5.

“[Mayer] started better in both the first and second sets,” Djokovic said after. “He was going for his shots and he’s a very complete player. The second set was close. It could have gone either way, but …

In his first match under new coach Ivan Ljubicic, defending champion Roger Federer had no troubles in his 2016 opener, crushing Tobias Kamke 6-2, 6-1 at Brisbane last night.

“When Ivan got available towards the end of the season, that’s when I called him up,” Federer said. “I thought he could be someone very interesting and exciting for my game, for my team. He could match well. He knows everybody. He …

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic both had no trouble advancing to the Doha quarterfinals, losing just nine games combined. Nadal lost just five in a 6-2, 6-3 romp against Robin Haase.

“I played at a very high level against a good opponent today,” Nadal said. “My serve was a little bit worse than yesterday, but in general I am happy with the victory and my level of tennis. I hit my …

According to reports from Brisbane, defending champion Roger Federer might be dealing with an injury ahead of his 2016 opener tonight in Brisbane.

Federer, who is due to face Tobias Kamke in the second round, has reportedly consulted a doctor, barely practiced and when he did he his practice short, according to the Courier Mail.

With no comment from the tournament, ATP or any notion of what, if any, injury the …

Controversy brewed yesterday in Auckland during Noami Broady’s win over Jelena Ostapenko. The two were embroiled in a tight second set tiebreaker when Ostpenko flung her racquet hitting a ballboy.

By rule, that’s an automatic disqualification as Broady argued. But the chair umpire didn’t see it or saw it as accidental.

“You’ll see on the replay, there’s no way it was accidental. She threw the racquet and it hit the ball …

Add Garbine Muguruza’s name to the expanding list of the walking wounded on the WTA. The Wimbledon finalist had to retire from her match when she was down 76, 10 to Varvara Lephencko in the Brisbane second round.

Muguruza said the injury was due to an ongoing plantar fasciitis issue to her left foot.

Also at the Hopman Cup exo, Serena Williams officially withdrew from the event due to her knee injury.

So …

World No. 7 Venus Williams, defending her championship this week at the Auckland Classic, was ushered out in the opening round by unheralded 18-year-old Daria Kasatkina on Tuesday.

Williams led 3-1 in the third set, but would not win another game, falling to the No. 75-ranked Russian 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-3. A mind-blowing 72 unforced errors didn’t help the effort of the former No. 1, who looked stunned in her chair while …

Rafael Nadal had to battle but he prevailed in his opening match of the 2016 season, deny countryman Pabo Carreno Busta 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-1 in the first round at Doha earlier today.

“I had chances in the beginning of the match, I couldn’t convert,” said Nadal. “I think I changed a little bit at the beginning of the second… I’m very happy the way that I managed to change the dynamic …

Rafael Nadal is not looking back, he’s looking ahead. After tough 2015 season in which he ended on a positive note, Nadal is hopeful of continuing his climb back up to the top in the New Year. And he admits, even though it’s an Olympic year, he doesn’t have any set of goals.

“You never will hear from my mouth saying one particular goal, because the end of the day in …

It’s been a tough start for the WTA in 2016. Four of their top stars have already had to pull out of opening week events.

After withdrawing from her opening tie at the Hopman Cup exo, Serena had to retire in her match earlier today against Jarmila Wolfe down a set 7-5, 2-1 because of the same left knee.

“I just have some inflammation that’s been going away very slowly. It’s going …

It was just an exo yesterday, but Serena Williams couldn’t play due to a bad knee. The 34-year-old was scheduled to face Elina Svitolina in the Hopman Cup but knee inflammation forced the World No. 1 out of the tie.

Since the event is a round-robin team competition, Serena is expected to healthy for her next tie, according to her coach.

“False start today with @serenawilliams at the @hopmancup due to knee …

After winning the Abu Dhabi exo Saturday, Rafael Nadal said he doesn’t want to talk about his poor 2015 season anymore.

“I am not talking about the titles I won in 2013 or 2010,” Nadal told the Gulf News. “I don’t want to talk about 2015 anymore.

“We’re in 2016. I want to talk about today and what’s going on tomorrow.”

Nadal posted two wins in Abu Dhabi beating David Ferrer and then …

After one of the greatest seasons in tennis history, Novak Djokovic said he took a well-deserved few weeks off to rest for the new season. Djokovic says he’s now ready to do it again.

“I had a couple of weeks off,” Djokovic said Sunday in Doha. “Time to spend with my family and try to keep my thoughts off the tennis. Tennis season is the longest season we have in sport, …

Speaking in Doha yesterday, Novak Djokovic commented on Roger Federer’s recent hiring of Ivan Ljubicic to his coaching team. Djokovic said his rival made the move in part because of Ljubicic’s familiarity with the current players including himself.

“Ivan was No. 3 of the world,” Djokovic said of Ljubicic. “He was a Davis Cup winner and somebody that has played in a few different generations. I played against him …