Former world number one Martina Navratilova has urged players to stop focusing on Maria Sharapova after the Russian's recent return from a 15-month doping ban.

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.

Eugenie Bouchard claimed plenty of other players on the WTA Tour share her outspoken views on Maria Sharapova's return from an 15-month doping ban, but are too "scared" to speak out.

Eugenie Bouchard pulled off her first win over Maria Sharapova with a 7-5 2-6 6-4 triumph in the Madrid Open on Monday in a thrilling contest full of tension after the Canadian had called the Russian a cheater following her doping ban.

Marin Cilic warmed up for this month's French Open by capturing his first claycourt title in five years with a 7-6(3) 6-3 win over Canadian top seed Milos Raonic in the Istanbul Open final on Sunday.

Big servers Milos Raonic and Marin Cilic set up a heavyweight final at the Istanbul Open when they come through their semi-finals with ease.

The Swiss Paper Independence Day Tennis Competition gets underway tomorrow at the Ramna National Tennis Complex, with over two hundred players from 16 teams participating.

Former Romanian world number one Ilie Nastase called Wimbledon organisers "small-minded" after they announced he would not be invited to the Royal Box at this year's championships.

Wimbledon chiefs will wait until June 20, just days ahead of the qualifying event, before deciding whether to give a wildcard to former champion Maria Sharapova as she steps up her return from a doping ban.

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.

Rafael Nadal saw off Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-1 6-2 on Wednesday to reach the last 16 of the Barcelona Open, while Andy Murray advanced after opponent Bernard Tomic withdrew.

Maria Sharapova will know on May 16 if she will be granted a wild card invitation for the French Open, the organisers of the May 28-June 11 grand slam tournament said on Wednesday.

From the shadow of Chernobyl's nuclear wasteland to international super-stardom and from penniless arrival in the United States, without a word of English, to a fortune of $200 million.

US tennis great Serena Williams marks her fiance's birthday and her return to the world number one ranking by posting an emotional message to her unborn baby on Instagram.

A new multi-purpose 5,000-seater stadium is to be built at Melbourne Park as part of efforts aimed at keeping the Australian Open grand slam tennis tournament at its current site, Victoria state treasurer Tim Pallas said on Sunday.

Martina Hingis looks to reach a first Fed Cup final in almost two decades when Switzerland face Belarus with the former world number one revelling in her role as the team's "big sister".

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.

Tennis superstar Serena Williams is pregnant and taking maternity leave through the rest of 2017, expecting to give birth this fall, her spokeswoman said on Wednesday in an announcement that upended a sport the 35-year-old athlete has dominated for the past decade.

France will meet Serbia in the semi-finals of the Davis Cup after both finished off their last-eight ties inside two days on Saturday but Australia and Belgium were made to sweat.

Sitting out last week's Miami Open was rejuvenating for Novak Djokovic although it meant missing the chance to win a record seventh title in the tournament, Serbia's world number two said on Tuesday.