The level of media coverage surrounding Maria Sharapova's return to tennis from a doping suspension has been a key factor in the five-time grand slam winner being offered wildcards to events, men's world number one Andy Murray has said.

Maria Sharapova is still waiting to hear if she can play at the French Open later this month but men's world number one Andy Murray expects her to be at Wimbledon in July.

Dominic Thiem claimed his first win over world number one Andy Murray to book his place in the final of the Barcelona Open on Saturday 6-2, 3-6, 6-4.

Third seed Rafael Nadal remained on course for a 10th Barcelona Open title after reaching the quarter-finals with a 6-3 6-4 victory over Kevin Anderson on Thursday.

Andy Murray surrendered a 4-0 lead in the decisive third set on his way to defeat at the Monte Carlo Masters on Thursday as the world number one's 2017 season hit another setback.

The top two players in the world, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, both have something to prove as the pair return to the tour from injury to play this week's Monte Carlo Masters.

Stan Wawrinka breezed into the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open on Monday and saw another seed removed from his path to the final when lucky loser Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan turned his match against Tomas Berdych upside down.

Novak Djokovic launched his bid for a sixth ATP Indian Wells Masters crown with a two-set triumph over Kyle Edmund as the stars shone in the California desert.

The introduction of best-of-three set matches in the Davis Cup won't be enough to halt the drain of top talent from the 117-year-old world tennis tournament, Rafael Nadal said.

Andy Murray clinched his first title of 2017 and 45th of his career as he dominated Spain's Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-2 to win the Dubai Tennis Championships on Saturday.

Andy Murray is yet to reach his maximum potential and should only get better but the world number one has not seen the back of Novak Djokovic, according to eight-times grand slam champion Andre Agassi.

With Novak Djokovic's reign broken, Andy Murray boosted his claim to the Melbourne Park throne with a comprehensive 6-4 6-2 6-4 win over American Sam Querrey to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open on Friday.

World number one Andy Murray could face challenges from Kei Nishikori and Stan Wawrinka if he is to reach a sixth Australian Open final following Friday's draw.

World number ones Andy Murray and Angelique Kerber were named the top seeds on Thursday for next week's Australian Open with organisers aligning with the current rankings.

Newly knighted Andy Murray will bid to end a run of heartbreaking defeats at the Australian Open and see off his chief rival Novak Djokovic as he enters his first Grand Slam tournament as world number one.

Novak Djokovic said he did not intentionally hit a ball into the crowd during his Qatar Open final against Andy Murray, an incident which threatened to take the gloss off his victory.

World number one Andy Murray claimed his 26th consecutive victory on Wednesday with a battling 7-6 (8/6), 7-5 win over Austria's Gerald Melzer to reach the Qatar Open quarter-finals.

Andy Murray began 2017 where he left off last year, beating Jeremy Chardy in straight sets in his season opener in Qatar on Tuesday to register his 25th consecutive victory.

World number one Andy Murray insisted Sunday that Novak Djokovic will remain his biggest threat in 2017, as the pair prepare for a potential first clash of the season in Doha this week.

Andy Murray was voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for a record third time on Sunday despite his wife telling him she was voting for one of his rivals.