MIKE DICKSON IN MELBOURNE: By now Roger Federer should have been back in Switzerland, embarking on the family skiing holiday he has planned.

MIKE DICKSON IN MELBOURNE: The quarter-final action in the men's and women's singles at the Australian Open continued on Wednesday.

MIKE DICKSON IN MELBOURNE: An aggravated Rafael Nadal was spent spinning out of the Australian Open by a brilliant performance from Austria's Dominic Thiem.

MIKE DICKSON IN MELBOURNE: Just when you thought the old order was continuing with its hegemony in men's tennis, Rafael Nadal finally met his match in terms of brutal baseline slugging.

Today host Karl Stefanovic and his wife, Jasmine Yarbrough, are expecting their first child together in May.

She lost her semi-final match to American Sofia Kenin in Melbourne on Thursday, going down in straight sets.

John McEnroe has hung up on radio shock jock Neil Mitchell following a fiery interview about the tennis legend's protest of the naming of Margaret Court Arena. 

Tennis player Caroline Wozniacki and husband David Lee stepped out in style for an event this week.

MIKE DICKSON IN MELBOURNE: Every time Roger Federer loses to Novak Djokovic at a Grand Slam, his mind will surely wander back to Wimbledon last summer and the one that got away.

The outage took place in the opening stages of the third set in the blockbuster clash between Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem on Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena.

MIKE DICKSON IN MELBOURNE: In the unlikely event of Dominic Thiem making it third time lucky in a Grand Slam final nobody could accuse him having it easy.

MIKE DICKSON IN MELBOURNE: It seems an age since Britain's singles challenge fizzled out at the Australian Open, but this weekend brings the promise of two Grand Slam doubles titles.

Austrian tennis star Dominic Thiem faced off against Alexander Zverev in a tense semi-final on Friday at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.

MIKE DICKSON IN MELBOURNE: Jamie Murray agonisingly missed out on the chance to become Britain's most decorated Grand Slam player after a mixed doubles final defeat.

MIKE DICKSON IN MELBOURNE: If Thiem manages to upset Novak Djokovic he will do so with the unusual distinction of having fired a high-profile coach halfway through the tournament.

The world number two appeared to be frustrated about the overwhelming crowd support for Austrian opponent Dominic Thiem in the opening stages of the final on Rod Laver Arena.

Novak Djokovic faces Dominic Thiem in the Australian Open final in Melbourne. Sportsmail's KIERAN JACKSON will take you through all the action from the Rod Laver Arena.

Novak Djokovic looked like he had earned his break as he enjoyed a skiing holidat with his family in northern Italy.

Johanna Konta's search for a first victory since the US Open goes on after she was beaten by 159th-ranked Oceane Dodin in the second round of the St Petersburg Ladies Trophy.

TA chief and Open director Craig Tiley concedes the annual summer of tennis 'will be compromised' as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Mexico manager Miguel Herrera illuminated the World Cup with his touchline passion – and the good news is he’ll be back in four years’ time.

Heine Allemagne, 43, the man man who invented the magic vanishing spray adopted for use in Brazil, us set to reap the financial rewards after years in poverty and facing bankruptcy.

Long-standing issues throughout the Brazilian game have led to disappointment in their home World Cup, according to Gilberto Silva.

IAN LADYMAN AT THE MARACANA: Lionel Messi played well enough for 90 minutes, but when the defining chance came early in the second half he couldn’t take it.

BRIAN BARWICK: And so to Match 64, or the World Cup Final as you and I call it. And the two teams are rested, recuperated, and ready for ‘the big one’.

MARK WEBSTER: Mike Ingham, a familiar voice on BBC Radio 5 Live for three decades, delivered his last commentary as Germany beat Argentina to win the World Cup on Sunday night. As ever, he found the right words for the occasion.

SAM CUNNINGHAM: Blood oozed from the cut beneath his right eye. The wound was so deep that the bright red claret streamed down his protruding right cheek.

Luiz Felipe Scolari quit as manager of Brazil after the host nation tasted their first back-to-back defeats on home soil since 1940 during a humiliating World Cup.

Gary Neville had barely digested his first breakfast under the new world order when he waded into an online debate with those who thought England should simply try to copy the way Germany produce footballers.

Former Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has ignored all of the furore caused by him posing with what appeared to be a gun on Instagram by going jet-skiing with his fiancee Fanny Neguesha.

I have read the age at which she could take a personal pension will rise to 57 in 2028. My wife would be 53 and would have to wait four years. Is it legislated for currently? Steve Webb replies.

My husband is terminally ill now. Will I receive any of his state pension when he dies? This is Money's pensions columnist, Steve Webb, explains how the rules work according to a couple's ages.

Despite putting their scouting and recruitment staff on furlough and discussions ongoing over a potential £350m takeover, club executives are pressing ahead in their attempt to sign Soumare.

EXCLUSIVE BY MIKE KEEGAN AND CRAIG HOPE: Sources have disclosed that all the necessary paperwork has been lodged, and that the potential deal now awaits their approval.

Mike Ashley is close to sealing the £300million sale of the Premier League club to a consortium fronted by Amanda Staveley, which has been backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

Mike Ashley's 13-year ownership of Newcastle is nearing the end. His £300m sale of the club is now in the hands of the Premier League, and he is 'closer than ever' to getting his wish.

Mark Jenson is the co-founder of The Mag, now the leading independent website on all things Newcastle United. He speaks out about what it is like to support a team owned by the retail giant.

OLIVER HOLT - CHIEF SPORTS WRITER: Let us disregard the succession just for a moment and agree that if Mike Ashley departs Newcastle United, it will be a reason to celebrate. 

EXCLUSIVE BY CRAIG HOPE: Mike Ashley was hours away from confirming the £300million sale of Newcastle United last week only for the Saudi owners in-waiting to insist on a delay.

EXCLUSIVE BY MARTIN SAMUEL: The deposit paid by the Saudi Arabian consortium is non-refundable, meaning Newcastle owner Ashley gets richer even if the takeover is not ratified.

Napoli striker Arkadiusz Milik remains in talks over a new contract to stay at the club and reports linking to him an exit are 'only rumours', according to his agent.

According to ESPN, the club's new owners are looking to bring in a high-profile manager which will spell the end of Bruce's one-season stint at the club.

The north-east club are reportedly on the verge of being sold to a Saudi-backed consortium which involves Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for around £300million.

The Premier League are understood to be going through the owners and directors test to put their seal of approval on the deal, but it may not be a straightforward case given the protests.

Amnesty's UK director Kate Allen wrote a letter saying there were serious questions to address but Masters insisted 'due process' would take place.

beIN Sports shone a light on Saudi Arabia's involvement in the piracy of matches, highlighting the Premier League's unsuccessful attempts to take legal action against satellite provider Arabsat.

The UK government have been urged by its own members to take an active role in scrutinising the Saudi-led takeover of Newcastle United following calls for the deal to be blocked.

The Human Rights Foundation have become the latest campaign group to write to Premier League chief executive Richard Masters condemning the takeover of Newcastle.

The Magpies are close to finalising a £300million takeover by a Saudi Arabian consortium which is backed by the country's public investment fund.

A year has passed since the beheading of 37 Saudi men and still the families wait to receive the bodies. At the time, they did not even know their loved ones had been executed.