APRNEWS - A rampant Novak Djokovic completed a stunning 6-0 6-2 6-2 demolition of Lucas Pouille on Friday to storm into his seventh Australian Open final and set up a mouthwatering title match with Rafael Nadal.

APRNEWS - Rafael Nadal remains top of the ATP tennis world rankings with the 32-year-old 17-time Grand Slam winner enjoying a comfortable margin over his eternal rival the Swiss Roger Federer.

Serb Novak Djokovic is in 10th position, after turning round from a long slump as a swathe of American tournaments swing into view ahead of the US Open starting late August.

REUTERS - Rafa Nadal swept into the quarter-finals of the Italian Open on Thursday with a ruthless 6-4 6-1 victory over Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov.

AFP - Novak Djokovic made a resounding return on Wednesday after six months out with an elbow injury, declaring he felt "great" after beating world number five Dominic Thiem 6-1, 6-4 at the Kooyong Classic.

AFP - Andy Murray announced he had hip surgery in Australia on Monday and was hoping to return to competitive tennis in time for the grasscourt season midway through the year.

The 30-year-old Scot has not played competitively since Wimbledon last year and last week withdrew from this month's Australian Open.

APRNEWS - Andy Murray needed only a couple of days in Australia to realize the hip problem that has kept him out of competitive tennis since Wimbledon was not going to improve in time for the season’s first major.

Murray, a five-time finalist at the event, withdrew from the Australian Open on Thursday, two days after pulling out of a tuneup event in Brisbane before his first match.