Rafael Nadal beat Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-3 on Friday to reach the final of the ATP Mexico Open and insure the Russian will not celebrate his rise to number one with the Acapulco trophy.

Andrey Rublev made a plea for peace after notching an eighth consecutive victory on Friday to move into his second final in as many weeks with a 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) win against Hubert Hurkacz in Dubai.

Daniil Medvedev, who has become only the third Russian to be crowned men’s tennis world number one, said his sport was not important given his country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Daniil Medvedev celebrated his rise to the world number one ranking with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Yoshihito Nishioka in the quarter-finals of the ATP Mexico Open on Thursday.

World number three Alexander Zverev, who was thrown out of the Mexico Open at Acapulco this week after repeatedly smashing his racquet against the umpire's chair, was fined $40,000 by the ATP on Thursday.

Novak Djokovic lost his Dubai quarter-final and his world number one ranking in one go on Thursday as he suffered a 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) upset at the hands of Czech world number 123 Jiri Vesely.

German Olympic tennis singles champion Alexander Zverev's expulsion from the Acapulco Open for his foul-mouthed tantrum was deserved said Spanish legend Rafael Nadal, whose assessment of Zverev's behaviour mirrored that of world number one Novak Djokovic and Britain's three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray, who are in Dubai.

Rafael Nadal matched his best career start to an ATP Tour season with a victory Tuesday in his first match since capturing the Australian Open title, reaching the second round of the Mexican Open.

Novak Djokovic admitted the warm reception he was given by fans in Dubai on Monday exceeded his expectations as he made a successful return to the tour for the first time since his deportation from Australia.

Novak Djokovic faces Italian teenager Lorenzo Musetti in Dubai next week in a tough first round comeback following the drama surrounding his Australian Open deportation.

Novak Djokovic said he was ready to "play better than ever" on the eve of his return to tennis, a month after being deported from Australia over Covid-19 vaccination issues.

Novak Djokovic is prepared to miss the French Open and Wimbledon if COVID-19 vaccination becomes mandatory at the Grand Slams but he is not against inoculation, the world number one tennis player said.

Novak Djokovic said he was not against vaccination but would skip Grand Slam tournaments if he was forced to take the jab against Covid-19.

Novak Djokovic holds on to the world number one spot ahead of Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev in the latest ATP rankings released on Monday.

John Isner and Reilly Opelka played out a marathon 46-point tiebreak, the longest in ATP Tour history, at the Dallas Open on Saturday as Opelka edged out his fellow American 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (24/22) to reach the final.

Top-ranked 20-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, prevented from playing the Australian Open because he was not vaccinated for Covid-19, is entered in next month's Indian Wells ATP event.

Tennis fans could see Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer team up one more time after Laver Cup organisers announced on Thursday that the duo will be part of Team Europe’s title defence against Team World this year.

Roger Federer believes he will know by "April-May" whether or not he will be able to return to tennis.

Rafa Nadal said he was lucky to be part of an era of tennis that included Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic after the Spaniard won a men’s record 21st Grand Slam title at the Australian Open to move one ahead of his two great rivals.

Former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro will return to competitive tennis after two and a half years of injury at next week's ATP Argentina Open in Buenos Aires.