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Djokovic falls to 140th-ranked Klizan in Spain
Novak Djokovic lost in the second round of the Barcelona Open on Wednesday, falling to 140th-ranked Martin Klizan 6-2, 1-6, 6-3.

Highlights - Djokovic suffers shock defeat
Novak Djokovic was embarrassed at the Barcelona Open after a 2-6, 6-1, 3-6 defeat to the world number 140 Martin Klizan in the second round on Wednesday

Top Headlines

Monte Carlo Masters
Does Rafael Nadal have anything to fear on clay? Yes and no
A dominating performance in Monte Carlo bodes well for the "King of Clay," but it would be foolish for the field to concede the rest of the clay season.
Nadal wins Monte Carlo for 31st Masters title
Rafael Nadal won a record 31st Masters title by beating Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-2 in the Monte Carlo Masters on Sunday.
Nadal happy to have Monte Carlo trophy for 11th time
Rafael Nadal calls winning the Monte Carlo Masters for an 11th time a very special moment.

the grinder
For Dominic Thiem, the ATP's ironman, the rest is mystery
The Austrian plays a heavy schedule and he sometimes feels the effects heading into the clay-court season. This year, Thiem had some rest while recovering from an ankle injury.

Tennis
US Open champion Sloane Stephens is teaching kids how to play the game
She is rebuilding tennis courts in Compton and encouraging kids to live healthy lifestyles.

Johnson wins
Johnson earns rare clay-court back-to-back win
Steve Johnson beat first-time ATP Tour finalist Tennys Sandgren 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-4 on Sunday to become the first player to defend the U.S. Men's Clay Court title in 16 years.
Johnson defends U.S. clay-court title
Steve Johnson became the first player to defend the U.S. Men's Clay Court title in 16 years after defeating Tennys Sandgren 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-4.

WTA clay preview
Serena, Sloane, someone else? Who is going to rule the WTA this clay season?
It's a question without a good answer, but we have to ask it anyway: Which WTA player is going to rise up above everyone else on the dirt?
Why clay might be Serena Williams' best chance to get back on track
We don't know what Serena Williams' immediate plans are, but the best thing she can do is return right now for the long clay-season haul.
Serena Williams' slithering fear
Serena Williams has somehow overcome a crippling fear of being bit by a snake in the dark of night to win 23 Grand Slam titles.

Tennis
This public tennis court in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Houston, damaged by Hurricane Harvey last year, will get a facelift thanks to a gift from the U.S. Men's Clay Court championship organization that has been supplemented with donations by several top pros. John Isner, Francis Tiafoe and the Bryan brothers hit with local kids in the National Junior Tennis and Learning program Tuesday on the cracked, pitted surface — already in disrepair before the storm — and saw where their efforts will go.

Rafa's back and better
In case you were wondering, Rafael Nadal is still the master of clay
Should we give Rafa the French Open trophy now? All it took was one Davis Cup weekend to remind us that Rafael Nadal is far and away the best player on clay.

State of U.S. tennis
U.S., Croatia, Spain, France to Davis Cup semis
The United States will take on Croatia in its first Davis Cup semifinals since 2012, with Spain matching up against France on the other side of the bracket.
Finally, an optimistic forecast for American tennis in 2018
The season could not have started off any worse for the Americans, but something clicked at the Miami Open, and suddenly the red, white and blue are shining bright.
A winner's trophy, a slice of pizza and a day to remember for Sloane Stephens
From victory lane at the Miami Open to her favorite pizza joint, perhaps for the final time, it was quite a day for Sloane Stephens.

New Ranking System
A look at a possible new, more streamlined tennis ranking system
Seemingly no one fully understands tennis' current ranking system, but there is a better, more relevant method that could more accurately alter a player's standing.

Isner prevails
Just relax, man: How John Isner won the biggest title of his career
After struggling all season, John Isner finally let loose at the Miami Open and walked away with the winner's trophy.

Reax: Isner wins biggest tourney of career
WATCH: Isner surprised by fatherhood question
John Isner, father of none, was taken aback by a question about how parenthood helped him secure his first ATP 1000 title at the Miami Open.

Serena Williams
Is there reason to doubt Serena?
New mom Serena Williams was sent home too soon from Indian Wells and Miami. D'Arcy Maine and Katie Barnes sort through their feelings on what the icon's comeback to tennis means and what we should expect in the coming months.
Upcoming Serena Williams' documentary
Serena Williams was in a sharing mood on Monday -- posting a very cute photo with her daughter, Alexis, as well as the trailer for her upcoming HBO documentary series.

Miami Open
Beating Venus Williams a testament to Danielle Collins' strong resilience
Danielle Collins isn't like most of her fellow tennis peers, which is probably why she is starting to win so many matches.
Venus shocked by qualifer Collins in Miami
Danielle Collins, who survived two qualifying matches to make the main draw at the Miami Open, ousted her idol Venus Williams in a quarterfinal match at Key Biscayne.
Collins sends Venus Williams crushing out of Miami Open
World No. 93 Danielle Collins shocks three-time Miami Open champion Venus Williams 6-2 6-3 in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Federer falls
Not a lot of answers for Roger Federer's failures during crunch time
Roger Federer had chances, lots of them. But like he did last week at Indian Wells, he simply had no answers when it mattered most in his opening match at the Miami Open.

Roger Federer
When did Roger Federer discover his dominance?
Roger Federer made this discovery in the 2004 U.S. Open final against Lleyton Hewitt, he discloses to writer Michael Steinberger. This is the never-before-told oral history of that moment.
Why Roger Federer might not be the best example for fellow players to follow
Word to the wise: Just because Roger Federer has thrived since a long hiatus from the tennis court doesn't mean other players will. Just look at Novak Djokovic.

Serena stumbles
If Serena Williams didn't know who Naomi Osaka was, she does now
Naomi Osaka said she wanted to impress Serena Williams when they met Wednesday at the Miami Open. Let's just say she did that -- and then some.
Serena gets upset in 1st round
Serena Williams is eliminated in the first round of the Miami Open in two sets by Naomi Osaka.

Tennis

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic's moment of dominance
In the past 10 years, Novak Djokovic has won 12 majors and 68 tournaments, seventh most in the Open era. Author Nathan Hill explores the 2011 forehand winner that defines the Djoker's now-storied career.

miami open
Osaka on Serena: 'I wanted to impress her'
Naomi Osaka's incredible run continued on Wednesday in her opening-round match against her hero, Serena Williams. And if her impressive play didn't win over the crowd, her postmatch interview definitely did.
The arrival of the WTA's new guard could be on time for Miami
On the men's side, Federer said his loss to Juan Martin del Potro in the finals of Indian Wells -- his first loss in 17 matches in 2018 -- "should sting for a bit," but "there is not too much time to dwell over it" as everyone heads to Miami.
Sharapova withdraws from Miami Open
Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from the Miami Open that begins next week because of a left forearm injury.

Indian Wells final
Gentle giant? Spoiler? Nope, Indian Wells champ Juan Martin del Potro is a beast
A gentle giant? Pfft. Juan Martin del Potro showed he might be the heavyweight champ of the tennis universe with a smash-mouth win against Roger Federer in the final of Indian Wells.

Reax: Del Potro beats Federer
Del Potro tops Federer, wins BNP Paribas Open
Juan Martin del Potro defeats Roger Federer in three sets (6-4, 6-7, 7-6) to win the BNP Paribas Open.
del Potro's tweener all for not, Federer wins point
During a rally in the second set, Roger Federer sends the ball over the head of Juan Martin del Potro, who happens to pull off a brilliant tweener. Unfortunately, Federer is right there for the return and wins the point.
del Potro says he fought to beat Federer
Juan Martin del Potro reacts to defeating Roger Federer in the BNP Paribas Open and explains if he is ready to win grand slams again.

Indian Wells women's final
Osaka claims first career title at Indian Wells
Naomi Osaka needed just 70 minutes to dispatch Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 6-2 on Sunday to win the BNP Paribas Open in a matchup of 20-year-old rising stars.
Osaka 'was really stressed' in match against Halep
After beating Simona Halep, Naomi Osaka says she tried to make her No. 1 opponent "really irritated" and looks ahead to playing in the final of the BNP Paribas Open.

The Dominant 20
The Dominant 20: Usain Bolt, the 10th most dominant athlete of our time
He's a six-time IAAF Athlete of the Year, eight-time Olympic gold medalist and world-record holder in the 100 and 200 meters. Not bad! ESPN's Anthony Olivieri runs some other numbers on the fastest man in history.
The Dominant 20
In celebration of ESPN The Magazine's 20th anniversary, Peter Keating's crunched the numbers to find the most dominant athletes of our time.

Venus beats Serena
After loss to Venus, it's time to temper our expectations for Serena
Whether it was against Venus or another top player, Serena Williams showed that while she is improving, she still has a ways to go before returning to championship-level tennis.
ICYMI: How Venus Williams took down sister Serena at Indian Wells
The sister showdown at Indian Wells more or less turned into a dominant display from Venus Williams, who beat her sister Serena in straight sets. Here's how it all went down.
Venus beats Serena for first time in nearly four years
In the third round in Indian Wells, Venus Williams beats Serena Williams in straight sets.

Reaction: Venus takes out sister Serena
Serena on Venus: 'This is the best she's played'
Serena Williams says she's missing shots she rarely misses and praises her sister after Venus Williams' 6-3, 6-4 win.
Venus calls matchup against Serena 'a treat'
Venus Williams attributes her victory over her sister to the fact that she has played more matches of late and talks about being a role model to the youth.

Davis Cup reform
Proposed Davis Cup reform still very much a work in progress
Before we get too excited about the major overhaul to Davis Cup competition, it's important to recognize that it is far from a perfect solution.
Davis Cup revamp plans get mixed response
The International Tennis Federation's plan to stage the Davis Cup at one location over seven days in November has gotten a mixed reaction from countries.

Laureus award
A rare honor Serena didn't deserve
There was no mention that the 2017 Laureus Sportswoman of the Year award was going to be for career achievement. So how did Serena Williams, who missed 11 months, win? A case could be made that she wasn't even the top sportswoman in her family.

Tiafoe's moment
Why Delray Beach winner Frances Tiafoe deserves a good night's sleep
Yes, Frances Tiafoe won his first career tournament, at Delray Beach, but before we start asking for long-term predictions, just let him close his eyes for a while.
Tiafoe wins 1st career ATP title at Delray Beach
Frances Tiafoe, 20, of the U.S. clinched his first ATP title at the Delray Beach Open, becoming the youngest American to win a title since Andy Roddick's 2002 trophy at age 19.

The Undefeated
United States Tennis Association to honor Althea Gibson with a statue
The two-time U.S. national champion will be immortalized at US Open site.
He coached Sloane Stephens to a US Open title, but Kamau Murray's big goal is a youth tennis center in Chicago
He's creating a pipeline of black tennis talent.

Harrison tempering emotions
Ditching his hothead attitude paying off for Ryan Harrison
Be fiery, not angry. It's a tricky balance, but one that Ryan Harrison is starting to figure out.

Did you see that?
Trick-shot artist nails tennis boomerang
Pablo Schurig shows off "the boomerang trick shot volley" in this amazing tennis trick.

Meet your new ATP No. 1, Roger Federer
It's officially historic: Federer is oldest No. 1
Defying the odds with his resurgence, 36-year-old Roger Federer leaped over Rafael Nadal to reclaim the world No. 1 ranking, the oldest man or woman to top computerized rankings.
Surpassing Serena, 10th Wimbledon: Milestones Federer can still achieve
On Monday, February 19, Roger Federer will become the oldest top-ranked player in tennis at the age of 36. With Federer, nothing is impossible, so we took a look at some other records he could attain.
Players congratulate Federer on return to No. 1
Tennis players share well wishes to Roger Federer as he becomes the oldest player to be ranked No. 1 in the world.

Serena on the Olympics
Serena Williams' figure skating suggestion
While she has four gold medals, Serena Williams loves watching the Olympics just like the rest of us. And on Tuesday, the 23-time Grand Slam champion had a suggestion for a figure skating routine, and 2014 Olympian Gracie Gold seemed to be on board.

Federer reax
Federer defying odds with resurgence at 36 years old
Mike Golic and Adnan Virk weigh in on Roger Federer becoming the oldest player to claim ATP's No. 1 ranking.

Return of Nishikori
Bodo: Why this year is so important for Kei Nishikori
Sidelined by an extended injury bug that derailed any momentum he had, Kei Nishikori is back, but he doesn't have much time to waste in finding his form again.

The return of Serena
Despite doubles loss, no reason to worry about Serena Williams
Serena Williams certainly did not play up to snuff in her return to competition at Fed Cup, but we're confident we'll see a much better player in the coming weeks.
Serena loses in doubles in return to competition
In Serena Williams' first competition since giving birth five months ago, she and her sister Venus Williams lost 6-2, 6-3 to Lesley Kerkhove and Demi Schuurs of the Netherlands on Sunday in a Fed Cup doubles match.
Serena returns, Williams sisters fall in Fed Cup doubles match

Tennis' next big thing?
Sebastian Korda's smart decision to trade his skates for a tennis racket
He could have been an NHL star, but instead junior world No. 1 Sebastian Korda took up tennis, and now we know why.

More from Fed Cup
Serena Williams still totally won this weekend
Serena Williams lost her doubles match with sister Venus at the Fed Cup on Sunday, but the Americans still emerged victorious -- and the 23-time Grand Slam champion had the best fan there rooting her on.
Lauren Davis makes the most of her time at Fed Cup
Lauren Davis was ultimately sidelined at the Fed Cup, but she still made the most of her time in Asheville, North Carolina.

Davis Cup
Davis Cup win sort of makes up for dismal U.S. results Down Under
A little success is better than none at all, no? The U.S. men, who did not fare well in Australia, aced the start of Davis Cup season.
Davis Cup: U.S. ousts Serbia with doubles win
The United States won its doubles match against Serbia, clinching a berth in the Davis Cup quarterfinal round against the Hungary-Belgium winner in April.
Team GB need swift return for thriving Edmund
Kyle Edmund always had the talent -- now he's finally realising his potential: that was the common theme as ESPN's Tom Hamilton spoke to the Briton's first individual coach, his former roommate and half of his current coaching setup.

Back at it
Genie Bouchard wins the Super Bowl again
Eugenie Bouchard's Twitter bet and subsequent date with a fan went viral during the Super Bowl in 2017. And the pair celebrated their friendiversary on Sunday in Minnesota.

Andy the prognosticator?
Murray's 2018 sporting predictions
Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray has revealed his sporting predictions for the remainder of 2018.

Federer on latest Slam win
ICYMI at Australian Open: Federer, Wozniacki master Melbourne
The first Grand Slam of the year is run and won, but there was far more to this tournament than just the brilliant wins by Roger Federer and Caroline Wozniacki.

Final say from the Aussie OPen
Winners and losers in Melbourne
Jerry Bembry from The Undefeated provides his take on the winners and losers at the Australian Open.