Novak Djokovic News

We counted Roger Federer out for the clay-court season this year. After all, he didn't even bother preparing for the red dirt.

Serena Williams, of the United States, returns the ball to Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova, during their match at the Italian Open tennis tournament in Rome, Thursday, May 16, 2013.

Tomas Berdych recorded the comeback of the tournament so far with a shocking three-set victory over world No.

Six-time champion Rafael Nadal overcame one of the worst opening sets of his career to edge Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 Thursday and reach the Italian Open quarterfinals.

Stretch: Novak Djokovic returns a shot to Albert Montanes during their second round match of the Rome Masters on Tuesday.

Andy Murray retired from his second-round match in Rome. He is doubtful for the French Open and concerned about being healthy enough for Wimbledon.

The 2013 Rome Masters offers tennis stars one last shot to tune up their game and gain pivotal momentum before the clay-court season finale, better known as the French Open.

Has a player ever had more trouble with a court than with an opponent? That appeared to be the case in Novak Djokovic's hour-long, 6-1, 6-4 win over Alexandr Dolgopolov in Rome today.

Andy Murray retired from his second-round match with Spanish opponent Marcel Granollers at the Italian Open on Wednesday with lower back pain and considers himself doubtful for the French Open.

World No 1 Serena Williams inflicted swift revenge on behalf of her older sister when she beat Britain's Laura Robson 6-2 6-2 in the Rome Masters on Tuesday.

Practice makes perfect, which is one of the reasons why Rafael Nadal continues to play down his chances of adding an eighth French Open to his ever-growing tally of titles next month.

Djokovic has reached the final in four of the five past years at the Foro Italico, winning the title in 2008 and 2011.

Novak Djokovic began his quest for a third title with a 70-minute win at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia on Tuesday.

The leading trio of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray all have work to do before the start of the French Open in a fortnight, with the Rome Masters the last tournament chance to whip their clay games into top condition.

There he was, Jimmy Connors, and to be truthful, it was a little strange, to find the raffish tennis icon looking so refined-dignified, really-in the upstairs lounge of the Peninsula Hotel, a posh fortress of decorum off Fifth Avenue.

Rafael Nadal says his game is at the level where he wants it to be as he continues to rack up title after title and build his case as Novak Djokovic 's biggest threat for the year-end No.

Keep up the hard work, Rafael Nadal, and maybe one day you'll be the fourth seed at the French Open.

Grigor Dimitrov gets another win over Marcos Baghdatis, this time on Sunday in Rome.

Novak Djokovic met the press today at the Italian Open in Rome. Just a few days after suffering a shock loss to Grigor Dimitrov during which he turned his bad ankle, the World No.

The top-ranked player twisted his ankle while representing Serbia in the Davis Cup in April then appeared to hurt it again in a second-round loss to Grigor Dimitrov at the Madrid Open on Tuesday.